Federal Employees Retirement & Benefits Podcast by CD Financial
The objective of this podcast is to educate and enlighten you about your federal benefits and to guide you in creating a well-formed retirement income plan.
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Episodes
264 episodes
Staying the Course in Retirement When the Market Drops
Get the digital book at no cost to you here: https://cdfinancial.org/being-a-federal-employee-in-the-era-of-trump-book/Market corrections reveal whether you have investments or whether you have a retirement plan. If you are deciding whe...
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Federal Retirees: The Realistic Path to Lower Taxes in Retirement
Is a tax-free retirement actually possible for federal retirees with a pension—or is it one of the most misunderstood ideas in retirement planning?” This video breaks down how federal retirees can realistically reduce taxes in retirement by und...
Your Pension Could Make You Pay MORE in Taxes — Here's Why
Want to see how this applies to your Retirement Income? Join our April 29th retirement webinar:https://event.webinarjam.com/rygmv/register/gwy3num3“Your pension isn’t the problem—it’s how your income stacks in retirement that can in...
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Market Corrections Reveal Who Has a Real Retirement Plan - Don't Flinch
FREE Federal Employee Book (PDF):https://cdfinancial.org/being-a-federal-employee-in-the-era-of-trump-book/The market drops. Don’t flinch.Market corrections reveal whether you have a real retirement plan, especially if you a...
Roth Conversions & IRMAA | Strategies for Federal Employees
Roth conversions and IRMAA are deeply connected—one decision today can impact your Medicare premiums two years from now.Checklist Challenge: https://cdfinancial.org/checklist-challenge/FREE 15-minute call: https://calendly.com/charl...
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Federal Employees: Your Pension Might Cost You Thousands in Extra Taxes—Income Stacking
Federal employee retirement income stacking can quietly push you into higher tax brackets—turning your pension, TSP withdrawals, and Social Security into a costly tax surprise if not planned properly.“Income stacking in retirement isn’t abo...
Federal Employees Missing This TSP 401k Tax Deadline? Here's What Happens
TSP and 401(k) withdrawals can create an unexpected tax bill when withholding does not match your actual tax bracket, state tax exposure, and total retirement income. In this episode, we break down what federal employees and retirees should che...
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Spending in Retirement Without Regret: A Practical Framework to Die With Zero
“How do you spend money in retirement without fear of running out—and without leaving life unlived?” This video explores a practical retirement spending framework inspired by Die With Zero, helping you balance income, experiences, and long-term...
FERS Supplement vs Social Security: Which Comes First?
FERS Supplement vs Social Security: When does the bridge income start—and what happens at age 62 that federal employees need to plan for? Checklist Challenge: https://cdfinancial.org/checklist-challenge/“Your FERS Supplement is designed to ...
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Survivor Benefits: Pension Maximization vs Lump Sum: Which Wins for Federal Employees?
Federal employee survivor benefits explained: Should you choose the FERS survivor annuity or consider a pension maximization strategy for spousal income protection?In this video, we walk through pension maximization, survivor benefit electi...
First-Year in Retirement: Mistakes Some Federal Employees Make
The first year of retirement for federal employees can quietly determine decades of financial stability—or costly mistakes if key decisions around pension, TSP, taxes, and healthcare are overlooked.Checklist Challenge: https://cdfinanci...
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Federal Employees Are Withdrawing TSP Wrong (Here's Why)
Many federal employees reach retirement with strong TSP balances but without a clear withdrawal strategy. In this video, we break down common TSP withdrawal mistakes, how distributions can affect your tax bracket, and why retirement income plan...
Why Most Federal Employees Mess Up Their Internal Roth TSP Conversions
Roth TSP conversions are taxed as ordinary income in the year you convert, and without proper planning, they can push you into higher tax brackets.“Internal Roth TSP conversions can be powerful—but without a strategy, they can increase ...
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Roth TSP: Internal Conversions Explained
Before you convert your Traditional TSP to Roth TSP, you need to understand the tax bill, timing strategy, and whether it actually improves your long-term retirement income.Roth TSP internal conversions can look simple—but the tax impli...
TSP Withdrawal Strategies for Federal Retirees: Top Considerations Before Withdrawing
Your TSP withdrawal strategy can affect your retirement income, tax exposure, and overall flexibility in retirement. In this episode, we discuss TSP withdrawal options for federal employees, including monthly payments, lump-sum distributions, r...
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Roth Conversion Timing for Federal Employees: Timing Mistakes Some Overlook
Roth conversion timing mistakes can quietly cost federal employees thousands in unnecessary taxes. If you retire with a TSP, 401(k), or traditional IRA, the question isn’t whether to consider a Roth conversion—it’s when and how much to convert ...
Is Delaying Social Security Actually Worth It If You Have a FERS Pension?
Federal employees with a FERS pension have a unique advantage when deciding when to claim Social Security—but choosing the wrong claiming age can significantly affect your lifetime retirement income. Understanding how Social Security timing wor...
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First Year Retired? You're Probably Making This Mistake—Pivot
Retirement planning mistakes federal employees make in their first year — from TSP decisions to FEHB coordination and Social Security timing — can cost decades of peace of mind and financial security. Learn the key retirement mistakes and how t...
Roth Conversions: Early vs. Late Retirement Timing
Early retirement Roth conversion timing can significantly reduce lifetime taxes by capturing lower tax brackets before Social Security, Medicare IRMAA, and RMDs push income higher.” Learn when and why timing matters for Roth conversions and tax...
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Federal Employees With $1M TSP Should Listen to This Episode
Federal Employees With $1M TSP Should Watch This — deeper insights on TSP retirement strategy, risk management, and portfolio allocation for federal benefits planning. 👉 Find out how to stress-test your TSP, minimize sequence-of-returns risk, a...
Your $1M TSP Allocation is Probably Wrong | Here's Why—Fiduciary Case Review
As fiduciaries, when we review a $1 million TSP portfolio, our first priority isn’t performance — it’s protecting retirement income from sequence of returns risk, inflation, and unnecessary tax exposure.”👉 Schedule your complimentary re...
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3 TSP Mistakes That Could Cost You +$100K in Retirement
I've reviewed thousands of federal employee TSP accounts. And the biggest losses usually don't come from market crashes. They come from withdrawal timing, fund allocation at the wrong life stage, and not understanding your three options when yo...
If You Don't Understand These 5 Pillars, You May Not Ready to Retire
“Federal retirement planning doesn’t need to be a 60-page binder. Most near-retirees only face two or three major decisions that truly determine their long-term income, tax efficiency, and peace of mind.”If you’re a federal employee app...
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Retirement Moves in the 6-Figures That Most Pension Holders Get Wrong
We examine a realistic scenario for a client with a $750,000 TSP/401(K) and a $40,000 pension, focusing on adjustments in fund allocation, and a financial scenario for "Bill" vs. "Jack", one begins withdrawing $3,000 monthly from his TSP and ta...
3 TSP Mistakes That Could Cost You +$100K in Retirement
Federal employees near retirement: keeping the same TSP allocation you used at 35 could quietly erode your lifetime income, cost you tax flexibility, and expose your savings to sequence-of-returns risk that drains six figures from your hard-ear...
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