Terms of Service

Effective Date: April 20, 2024  |  Last Updated: March 2, 2026

Octus Financial is an independent financial advisory firm specializing in retirement planning for federal employees. We provide fee-based financial planning, benefits optimization, and advisory services. We operate as a fiduciary-minded advisor, meaning we are committed to acting in your best interest and providing advice that prioritizes your financial well-being.

We are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Federal Government, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), or any federal agency.

Octus Financial provides:

• Federal retirement planning (FERS and CSRS)
• TSP optimization and withdrawal strategies
• Social Security coordination and claiming strategies
• FEGLI analysis and life insurance planning
• Survivor benefit planning
• Tax-efficient retirement income strategies
• Ongoing coaching and plan adjustments

Services are delivered virtually via video conference, phone, email, and secure document sharing.

• Legal advice (consult an attorney for estate planning, wills, trusts, or legal matters)
• Tax preparation or filing services (consult a CPA or tax professional)
• Guaranteed investment returns or specific financial outcomes
• Emergency financial assistance or crisis intervention

When you engage our services, you agree to:

• Provide complete, accurate, and truthful information about your financial situation, employment, benefits, and goals
• Respond promptly to requests for documentation (LES statements, TSP summaries, FEGLI details, etc.)
• Review all recommendations and planning materials carefully before making decisions
• Notify us immediately of any material changes to your financial situation, employment status, health, or goals

All final decisions regarding your finances are yours alone. We provide recommendations and analysis, but you retain full control over when to retire, which benefits to claim and when, how to invest your TSP, whether to purchase insurance, and any other financial decisions. We cannot and will not make decisions on your behalf without your explicit authorization.

Octus Financial's fees are disclosed in your engagement letter and may include one-time planning fees for comprehensive retirement analysis, hourly fees for specific consultations, and ongoing coaching fees for continued support. When we recommend insurance or annuity products that are appropriate for your situation, those products may carry commissions paid by the product carrier. All compensation arrangements are disclosed to you prior to any recommendation.

• Payment is due according to the terms in your engagement letter
• Services may be paused or terminated if fees remain unpaid for more than 30 days
• Refund policies, if applicable, are outlined in your engagement letter

If you terminate the engagement, fees for services already rendered remain due and payable.

While we strive for accuracy in all analysis and recommendations, we are not responsible for errors in government benefit statements or calculations provided by OPM, TSP, or SSA, third-party data sources, or information you provide to us. You are responsible for verifying all information with official government sources before making final decisions.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Octus Financial's total liability to you for any claims arising from our services is limited to the amount of fees you paid to us in the 12 months preceding the claim.

We are not liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages; lost profits or investment losses; damages resulting from your failure to follow our recommendations; damages resulting from government changes to benefit rules, tax laws, or market conditions; or damages resulting from third-party actions (e.g., TSP administrator errors, insurance company delays). This limitation does not apply to liability that cannot be excluded under applicable law, such as fraud or willful misconduct.

Our services constitute financial planning and advisory services only. For matters involving estate planning, wills, or trusts — consult an attorney. For tax preparation, filing, or specific tax advice — consult a CPA or tax professional.

We are independent advisors and are not affiliated with any federal agency. Always verify benefit information with OPM.gov, TSP.gov, and SSA.gov before making final decisions.

We maintain strict confidentiality regarding your personal and financial information as outlined in our Privacy Policy. We do not share your information except with your explicit written consent, with service providers bound by confidentiality agreements, or as required by law, regulation, or court order.

You may terminate our services at any time by providing written notice (email is acceptable) to mia@octusfinancial.com. Upon termination, we will cease providing services, deliver all documents related to your financial plan, and any fees owed for services already rendered remain due and payable.

We may terminate the engagement if you fail to pay fees within 30 days of the due date, provide false or misleading information, engage in abusive or illegal conduct, or if continuing the relationship would violate legal or ethical obligations.

All content on the Octus Financial website — including text, graphics, logos, images, articles, guides, and tools — is owned by Octus Financial and protected by copyright law. You may view and download materials for personal, non-commercial use and share links to our website content. You may not reproduce, republish, or distribute our content without written permission or use our materials for commercial purposes.

The financial plan we create for you is your property. However, the methodologies, tools, and templates we use to create it remain our intellectual property.

If a dispute arises, we encourage you to contact us first to seek an informal resolution. Any dispute arising from these Terms or our services that cannot be resolved informally shall be resolved through binding arbitration conducted by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) under its Commercial Arbitration Rules. The arbitration will take place in Florida, and the arbitrator's decision will be final and binding. You waive your right to participate in class actions or class arbitrations, except for claims in small claims court or claims for injunctive or equitable relief.

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Florida, without regard to conflict of law principles.

If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable or invalid, the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect.

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and your engagement letter, constitute the entire agreement between you and Octus Financial regarding our services.

We may update these Terms periodically. Changes will be posted on our website with a new "Last Updated" date. Material changes will be communicated via email or prominent notice on our website. Your continued use of our services after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.