Confident Federal Retirement

Tom Poltersdorf Jr.
  • 5.0 (9)
  • Investing
  • Updated Weekly

Confident Federal Retirement is the retirement podcast for federal employees who want to retire from federal service without guessing. If you're within about 5–10 years of retirement and worried about picking the wrong date, misunderstanding your pension, or messing up TSP and Social Security, this show is for you. In each short, focused episode, I break down FERS, CSRS, TSP, Social Security, FEHB, FEGLI, and retirement taxes into clear decisions you can actually act on, without jargon or spreadsheets. You'll hear real‑world scenarios, simple checklists, and straight answers to questions like: "When can I retire?", "Will my pension and TSP be enough?", and "How do I avoid ugly tax surprises?" I'm a fee‑only fiduciary financial planner who specializes in federal retirement planning, and my goal is to help you go from confused and uncertain to clear and confident about your next chapter. When you're ready for one‑on‑one help, visit gtwealthguide.com to request a personalized federal retirement plan and talk through your options.

  1. 1d ago

    5 Costly TSP Mistakes Federal Employees Make Near Retirement |Ep 173

    Soon‑to‑retire federal employees with most of their savings in the traditional Thrift Savings Plan often worry about making a mistake in the final stretch before retirement. The rules are not always clear-cut and small decisions can have big effects on your stress level later. In this episode, you will learn: Why maxing out your TSP too fast can cause you to lose part of your agency match How drifting into the G Fund over time can reduce the growth you need in later years When it can backfire to roll your entire TSP to an IRA as soon as you retire How TSP withdrawals really work when you are trying to use a safe bucket in a down market What it means to have a tax window in your 60s, and how missing it can lead to higher taxes and Medicare premiums later --------------- When you're ready for a personalized plan built around your specific federal benefits, visit https://gtwealthguide.com/federal-blueprint to request your free Federal Retirement Blueprint. We'll map out your federal benefits, TSP, Social Security, and tax plan on one page so you can retire from federal service without guessing. --------------- Get your copy of the Federal Retirement Readiness Blueprint: a 7‑step checklist to pick the right retirement date and see what will actually hit your bank account after survivor benefits, FEHB, and taxes: https://gtwealth.kit.com/federal-retirement-readiness --------------- Federal Retirement YouTube Videos - youtube.com/@TomPoltersdorf

    15 min

  2. 6d ago

    Military Buyback Rules For Federal Employees Who Are Retirees Or Reservists

    If you are a federal employee with a military pension in the mix, the rules around buying back your time can feel especially confusing. Maybe you retired from active duty and now work under FERS. Or you spent years in the reserves or Guard and are trying to sort out what can count toward your civilian retirement. You might have heard that you can never buy it back if you get a pension. Or that you would have to give up your military check. Or that reserve time does not count at all. A lot of that is incomplete or only true in certain situations. In this episode, you will learn How military buyback works differently for active duty retirees versus reserve and Guard retirees When an active duty retiree might consider a buyback, and what waiving retired pay would really mean How reserve and Guard retirees can often buy back active duty periods and still keep their reserve or Guard pension Why drill weekends usually do not count, but federal active orders often can Simple steps to gather records, request deposit estimates, and compare your options calmly --------------- When you're ready for a personalized plan built around your specific federal benefits, visit https://gtwealthguide.com/federal-blueprint to request your free Federal Retirement Blueprint. We'll map out your federal benefits, TSP, Social Security, and tax plan on one page so you can retire from federal service without guessing. --------------- Get your copy of the Federal Retirement Readiness Blueprint: a 7‑step checklist to pick the right retirement date and see what will actually hit your bank account after survivor benefits, FEHB, and taxes: https://gtwealth.kit.com/federal-retirement-readiness --------------- Federal Retirement YouTube Videos - youtube.com/@TomPoltersdorf

    16 min

  3. Jun 16

    Hidden Tax Problems For High-Income Federal Couples With Big Pre-Tax Balances |Ep 171

    If you and your spouse are both high-income federal employees under FERS, earning strong salaries and maxing the traditional TSP, the biggest risk you face is often not saving too little. It is how and when all of that pre-tax money comes out, and what that does to your taxes, Medicare costs, and surviving spouse. In this episode, you will learn Why large traditional TSP and IRA balances can turn into very large required withdrawals later on How many high-income federal couples miss their early retirement tax window without realizing it What the widow's penalty is, and how a surviving spouse can pay higher tax on lower income How Medicare IRMAA can increase your Part B and Part D premiums years after a big withdrawal or Roth conversion Why a clear withdrawal order and paycheck design is a form of advanced retirement income planning, not just "where do we pull from this year" --------------- When you're ready for a personalized plan built around your specific federal benefits, visit https://gtwealthguide.com/federal-blueprint to request your free Federal Retirement Blueprint. We'll map out your federal benefits, TSP, Social Security, and tax plan on one page so you can retire from federal service without guessing. --------------- Get your copy of the Federal Retirement Readiness Blueprint: a 7‑step checklist to pick the right retirement date and see what will actually hit your bank account after survivor benefits, FEHB, and taxes: https://gtwealth.kit.com/federal-retirement-readiness --------------- Federal Retirement YouTube Videos - youtube.com/@TomPoltersdorf

    13 min

  4. Jun 11

    How Federal Employees Can Avoid The Widow Tax Trap In Retirement |Ep 170

    Many married federal employees focus on whether they have enough to retire, but not on what happens to the surviving spouse's taxes when one of them passes away. The hard truth is that a widow or widower can end up paying more in taxes and Medicare costs on less income, because the tax brackets, deductions, and Medicare IRMAA thresholds all tighten for single filers. In this episode of Confident Federal Retirement, Tom breaks down the widow tax trap in plain English and shows how it plays out for federal retirees with FERS pensions, TSP balances, and Social Security. In this episode, you will learn: What actually changes in the tax code when a married couple becomes a single filer. A simple case study of a retired federal couple, before and after one spouse passes away. Why pensions, Social Security, and TSP required minimum distributions can push a surviving spouse into higher brackets. How Roth conversions and other planning moves can help manage future surviving spouse taxes. A practical checklist to start this conversation now, while you are both alive. --------------- When you're ready for a personalized plan built around your specific federal benefits, visit https://gtwealthguide.com/federal-blueprint to request your free Federal Retirement Blueprint. We'll map out your federal benefits, TSP, Social Security, and tax plan on one page so you can retire from federal service without guessing. --------------- Get your copy of the Federal Retirement Readiness Blueprint: a 7‑step checklist to pick the right retirement date and see what will actually hit your bank account after survivor benefits, FEHB, and taxes: https://gtwealth.kit.com/federal-retirement-readiness --------------- YouTube Link - youtube.com/@TomPoltersdorf

    17 min

  5. Jun 9

    Military Service Buyback For FERS Federal Employees, Is It Really Worth It? |Ep 169

    Many federal employees with prior military service have heard about "buying back" their time, but are not sure if it's worth writing a big check just a few years before retirement. The rules are confusing, the stakes feel high, and most people only get one shot at this decision. If you're a FERS federal employee in your 50s or early 60s, with active duty, reserve time on orders, or academy service in your past, this episode will help you think through the decision without guessing. In this episode, you will learn What a military service buyback really is under FERS, in plain English How military time can affect both your retirement eligibility and your pension amount Why the service date on your paystub can be misleading for retirement planning Three simple examples of active duty, reserve, and academy service, with real break even math A step by step overview of how to request your deposit estimate and start the process --------------- When you're ready for a personalized plan built around your specific federal benefits, visit https://gtwealthguide.com/federal-blueprint to request your free Federal Retirement Blueprint. We'll map out your federal benefits, TSP, Social Security, and tax plan on one page so you can retire from federal service without guessing. --------------- Get your copy of the Federal Retirement Readiness Blueprint: a 7‑step checklist to pick the right retirement date and see what will actually hit your bank account after survivor benefits, FEHB, and taxes: https://gtwealth.kit.com/federal-retirement-readiness

    15 min

  6. Jun 4

    How Federal RMDs Stack With Your Pension And Social Security In Retirement |Ep 168

    If you're a married federal employee in your 50s or early 60s with most of your savings in the traditional Thrift Savings Plan, you might be wondering how required minimum distributions will affect your taxes and retirement paycheck. Many federal employees have never seen their FERS pension, Social Security, and future RMDs all on one page, which can lead to nasty surprises in their 70s. In this episode of Confident Federal Retirement, you will learn What required minimum distributions are  How RMDs stack on top of your FERS pension and Social Security in your 70s A real-world style case study of a federal couple whose income jumped more than they expected How RMDs can push you into higher tax brackets and trigger Medicare IRMAA surcharges Five simple steps to map your own "income stack" and spot your gap years When it might make sense to explore Roth conversions or shifting your savings mix --------------- When you're ready for a personalized plan built around your specific federal benefits, visit https://gtwealthguide.com/federal-blueprint to request your free Federal Retirement Blueprint. We'll map out your federal benefits, TSP, Social Security, and tax plan on one page so you can retire from federal service without guessing. --------------- Get your copy of the Federal Retirement Readiness Blueprint: a 7‑step checklist to pick the right retirement date and see what will actually hit your bank account after survivor benefits, FEHB, and taxes: https://gtwealth.kit.com/federal-retirement-readiness

    15 min

  7. Jun 2

    7 Things To Check Before You Retire From Federal Service |Ep 167

    If you're a federal employee in your late 50s or early 60s, you've probably had this thought. We have a FERS pension coming, a six‑figure TSP, maybe some IRAs. And we still aren't sure we can actually afford to retire. That feeling is more common than you'd think, and it usually doesn't mean you're behind. It usually means nobody has helped you put all the pieces together yet. In this episode of Confident Federal Retirement, host Tom Poltersdorf, CFP®, walks soon‑to‑retire federal employees through seven key things to check before you hand in your retirement paperwork. We cover why your TSP balance is the wrong scoreboard, how to think about the FERS pension and Social Security as two paychecks for life, the real tradeoff hiding inside the age 62 decision, how to define your true retirement number, and how to protect each other with FEHB, FEGLI, survivor benefits, and a tax plan that accounts for RMDs and Roth conversions.  --------------- When you're ready for a personalized plan built around your specific federal benefits, visit https://gtwealthguide.com/federal-blueprint to request your free Federal Retirement Blueprint. We'll map out your federal benefits, TSP, Social Security, and tax plan on one page so you can retire from federal service without guessing. --------------- Get your copy of the Federal Retirement Readiness Blueprint: a 7‑step checklist to pick the right retirement date and see what will actually hit your bank account after survivor benefits, FEHB, and taxes: https://gtwealth.kit.com/federal-retirement-readiness

    14 min

  8. May 28

    Why Your Will Doesn't Control Your TSP or IRA When You Die |Ep 166

    Most federal employees assume their will is the document that decides where their money goes when they're gone. For your TSP, your IRAs, and your life insurance, that's usually not true. Those accounts pay out based on a beneficiary form on file, and in most cases that form beats whatever your will says. If an old name is sitting on one of those accounts right now, the people you love could be the ones who pay for it. In this episode of Confident Federal Retirement, fee-only fiduciary financial planner Tom Poltersdorf, CFP®, breaks down how your TSP, FEGLI life insurance, and IRAs actually pay out after you die, why federal employees have several separate beneficiary designations instead of one, and what happens when no valid beneficiary is on file. You'll hear the mix-ups he sees most often, including ex-spouses left on old policies, blended-family gaps, and trusts that never got connected to the accounts they were built to hold. --------------- When you're ready for a personalized plan built around your specific federal benefits, visit https://gtwealthguide.com/federal-blueprint to request your free Federal Retirement Blueprint. We'll map out your federal benefits, TSP, Social Security, and tax plan on one page so you can retire from federal service without guessing. --------------- Get your copy of the Federal Retirement Readiness Blueprint: a 7‑step checklist to pick the right retirement date and see what will actually hit your bank account after survivor benefits, FEHB, and taxes: https://gtwealth.kit.com/federal-retirement-readiness

    13 min
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5
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

Confident Federal Retirement is the retirement podcast for federal employees who want to retire from federal service without guessing. If you're within about 5–10 years of retirement and worried about picking the wrong date, misunderstanding your pension, or messing up TSP and Social Security, this show is for you. In each short, focused episode, I break down FERS, CSRS, TSP, Social Security, FEHB, FEGLI, and retirement taxes into clear decisions you can actually act on, without jargon or spreadsheets. You'll hear real‑world scenarios, simple checklists, and straight answers to questions like: "When can I retire?", "Will my pension and TSP be enough?", and "How do I avoid ugly tax surprises?" I'm a fee‑only fiduciary financial planner who specializes in federal retirement planning, and my goal is to help you go from confused and uncertain to clear and confident about your next chapter. When you're ready for one‑on‑one help, visit gtwealthguide.com to request a personalized federal retirement plan and talk through your options.

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