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One of the most common retirement questions is: How much money do I actually need to retire? For federal employees, the answer is different than for most people because your retirement income usually comes from multiple sources—not just savings. To estimate your own retirement income: https://fersfree.com The Wrong Way to Think About Retirement Many people […]
Read article →At some point in retirement, the IRS requires you to start withdrawing money from your retirement accounts. For federal employees, this includes your Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). These withdrawals are called Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs). To model your retirement income: https://fersfree.com What Are RMDs? RMDs are the minimum amount you must withdraw each year from […]
Read article →One of the biggest fears in retirement planning is: What happens if I run out of money? For federal employees, this risk looks different than it does for most people because you have multiple income sources—not just savings. To model your retirement income: https://fersfree.com The Short Answer If your TSP runs out: Your FERS pension […]
Read article →Many federal employees ask: “What will my retirement actually look like?” Not in theory—but in real numbers. This example breaks down a realistic GS-12 retirement scenario using common assumptions. https://fersfree.com The Scenario Assumptions: GS-12 Step 5 equivalent High-3 salary: $100,000 Years of service: 30 Retirement age: 57 (MRA) TSP balance: $500,000 No military buyback No […]
Read article →Most federal retirement examples focus on higher GS levels. But many employees spend a large portion of their career at GS-9 or similar pay grades. So what does retirement actually look like at that level? https://fersfree.com The Scenario Assumptions: GS-9 Step 5 equivalent High-3 salary: $70,000 Years of service: 30 Retirement age: 57 (MRA) TSP […]
Read article →For many federal employees, one of the most important retirement decisions is: When should I take Social Security? The answer depends on how it fits into your full retirement income system—not just the earliest age available. If you want to compare scenarios: https://fersfree.com The 3 Main Options Age 62 (Earliest) Reduced benefit Immediate income Reduces […]
Read article →One of the biggest questions disabled veterans ask before retirement is: Can I collect VA disability and a FERS pension at the same time? In most cases, the answer is yes. If you want to model your full retirement income: https://fersfree.com Can You Collect Both? Yes, in most cases. VA disability = compensation for service-connected […]
Read article →One of the biggest questions federal employees ask before retirement is: How much monthly income can my TSP actually produce? The answer depends on your balance, withdrawal strategy, and other income sources like your FERS pension. If you want to model your exact numbers, use the calculator here: https://fersfree.com Start With the Right Question Instead […]
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