FERS & CSRS Retirement Planning

Federal retirement is more complex than most advisors know

MRA calculations, FERS supplement timing, CSRS offset rules — one wrong decision costs you thousands per year, for life. We make sure you get every dollar you've earned.

Why Federal Retirement Is Different

Federal employees face retirement decisions that most people never encounter

MRA eligibility, deferred vs. postponed retirement, the FERS supplement phaseout, CSRS offset — these aren't small details. Getting them wrong locks in permanent reductions you can never recover. Most financial advisors have never heard of these rules, let alone know how to optimize them.

Understanding your MRA and eligibility windows

When can you retire with full benefits versus reduced benefits? The answer depends on your birth year, your years of service, and your retirement system — and the difference between getting it right and wrong can be thousands of dollars per year, permanently.

Navigating CSRS offset and supplement rules

FERS employees receive a special supplement until 62 that approximates Social Security — but it phases out with earned income and ends regardless of when you claim Social Security. CSRS Offset employees have an entirely different set of rules. Most advisors don't know the difference.

Coordinating pension, TSP, and Social Security for tax efficiency

Your FERS pension, TSP withdrawals, and Social Security must work together — or you'll pay more in taxes and potentially lose income unnecessarily. The sequencing of when you draw from each source is one of the highest-leverage decisions in federal retirement planning.

Find Your Situation

Federal retirement planning built for your specific path

Your retirement system, your years of service, and how close you are to retirement all determine what decisions matter most right now. We meet you where you are.

FERS
Active FERS employees

Building toward MRA with a strategy that coordinates your pension, TSP, FERS supplement, and Social Security.

  • MRA and years-of-service calculations
  • FERS supplement eligibility and phaseout
  • TSP contribution and allocation strategy
  • Optimal retirement date modeling
CSRS
CSRS employees

Maximizing a pension most financial advisors don't understand — including CSRS Offset rules and Social Security coordination.

  • CSRS pension calculation and COLA differences
  • CSRS Offset rules and Social Security interaction
  • Survivor benefit election analysis
  • Voluntary contribution program strategy
10yr
Within ten years of retirement

The closer you get, the more critical accuracy becomes. Irrevocable elections — survivor benefits, FEGLI, TSP withdrawals — need to be right before you sign anything.

  • Pre-retirement checklist and decision timeline
  • Survivor benefit and FEGLI coordination
  • FEHB and Medicare transition planning
  • Final TSP contribution and allocation review
How It Works

How we optimize your federal retirement

Federal retirement planning requires more than basic number-crunching. We analyze your specific situation to build a strategy tailored to your life — not a generic template.

01
We establish your complete eligibility picture
  • Exact MRA based on birth year and service system
  • Years of creditable service and any buyback opportunities
  • Deferred vs. postponed vs. immediate retirement options
  • Special provision eligibility if applicable
02
We model your scenarios in real-time
  • Compare retiring at MRA vs. full retirement vs. delaying
  • Calculate exact pension amount under each scenario
  • Show FERS supplement income and when it ends
  • Run projections using Retirement Advisor Pro
03
We build your full coordination strategy
  • Sequence pension, TSP, and Social Security for tax efficiency
  • Time FERS supplement to minimize earned-income phaseout
  • Coordinate FEHB continuation and Medicare transition
  • Annual reviews as federal benefits rules change
Special Provision Rules

Law enforcement, firefighters, and air traffic controllers have different rules — and better options

Special provision
You can retire earlier — but only if you understand the rules

Special provision employees are subject to mandatory retirement ages and have access to retirement benefits most federal employees don't. The enhanced pension calculation, earlier MRA, and supplement timing all work differently — and the planning implications are significant.

We understand these provisions with precision. If you qualify, we make sure you know exactly when you're eligible, what your benefit will be, and how to maximize every dollar available to you under your specific position classification.

What's different for special provision employees
  • MRA as low as 50 with 20 years of covered service
  • Enhanced pension multiplier of 1.7% for first 20 years (vs. 1% standard)
  • Mandatory retirement ages — 57 for LEO, 56 for firefighters, 56 for ATC
  • FERS supplement calculated differently and paid earlier
  • TSP withdrawal strategy must account for earlier retirement age
  • Social Security claiming strategy shifts when retirement starts at 50–57
What You'll Get

Everything you need to retire with confidence

A complete federal retirement strategy isn't a single document — it's a clear picture of every decision, every date, and every dollar, built around your specific benefits and goals.

Clear MRA and retirement date analysis

Exactly when you can retire, under which conditions, and what each date means for your monthly pension — no guessing.

Scenario modeling across retirement dates

Side-by-side comparison of retiring at MRA, full retirement, or delaying — with the pension, supplement, and Social Security numbers for each.

FERS supplement timing and phaseout plan

Know exactly how long you'll receive the supplement, how earned income affects it, and how to bridge to Social Security without a gap.

Tax-efficient income sequencing

A withdrawal strategy that coordinates your pension, TSP, and Social Security to keep your tax bracket as low as possible throughout retirement.

Survivor benefit and FEGLI coordination

Pre-retirement guidance on the elections you'll need to make before you sign — so nothing is irrevocably wrong on your first day of retirement.

Annual reviews as rules change

Federal benefits rules evolve. We stay current so your plan stays accurate — and we update your strategy when something changes that affects your numbers.

They made sense of my FERS options in a way nobody else could. I felt confident about my retirement for the first time.

Robert M.  ·  Federal employee, retired
Results are illustrative. Individual outcomes vary based on personal financial circumstances.

Ready to build your federal retirement strategy?

Schedule a free analysis. We'll run your numbers, model your retirement date options, and show you exactly what your federal benefits are worth.