#140 What Federal Employees Are Really Asking About Retirement
Plan Your Federal Retirement Podcast
Release Date: 11/03/2025
FERS Paperwork Lost or Delayed? Steps to Get Back on Track
Plan Your Federal Retirement Podcast
What happens if your FERS retirement paperwork is delayed, or you can’t follow up after submitting your application? In this episode of FERS Federal Fact Check, Micah Shilanski, Managing Partner, Wealth Advisor, walks through what federal employees can do if their retirement application feels stuck in the system. From locating your CSA number to reconnecting with OPM and understanding potential delays, this video breaks down practical next steps. Learn more and read the full breakdown here:...
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#148 Are You Missing These Tax Savings? Charitable Strategies Explained
Plan Your Federal Retirement Podcast
Many federal employees care deeply about charitable giving, but the way you give can really affect your taxes. In this episode of the Plan Your Federal Retirement Podcast, Micah Shilanski, Managing Partner and Wealth Advisor, and Luke Eberly, Wealth Advisor, break down strategies that may help you make more tax-efficient charitable contributions, based on current IRS rules. They cover practical concepts like Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs), donor-advised funds, and how standard vs. itemized deductions can affect your overall tax picture. The goal is simple: help you better understand...
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Can a 401(k) Contribution Save Your FERS Supplement?
Plan Your Federal Retirement Podcast
Can contributing to a 401(k) help protect your FERS Special Retirement Supplement? Many people assume this, but the rules don’t always work the way federal employees expect. In this FERS Federal Fact Check, Micah Shilanski, Managing Partner and Wealth Advisor, answers a listener's question and walks you through how the earnings test applies to your supplement and why certain strategies, like increasing 401(k) contributions, may not reduce the impact. Working after retirement may reduce your supplement depending on your earnings. Understanding how income is measured can help you avoid...
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3 Smart TSP Withdrawal Strategies (and One to Possibly Avoid)
Plan Your Federal Retirement Podcast
Understanding how to withdraw from your Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) is a critical part of retirement planning for federal employees. While many spend decades building their TSP balance, the decisions made at retirement, especially around distributions. can have a lasting impact on income, flexibility, and long-term outcomes. In this episode, Micah Shilanski walks through several common TSP withdrawal options, including systematic withdrawals, life expectancy-based payments, partial rollovers, and annuity elections. He explains how each option works, highlights potential trade-offs, and outlines...
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#147 Does market timing always work?
Plan Your Federal Retirement Podcast
In this episode of the Plan Your Federal Retirement Podcast, Micah Shilanski, Managing Partner and Wealth Advisor, and Luke Eberly, Wealth Advisor, break down one of the most common and potentially costly investment questions federal employees ask: “Should I wait for the market to drop before investing?” They walk through real-life examples of missed opportunities, explain why market timing often fails in practice, and outline practical strategies for navigating volatility, especially for those approaching or already in retirement. The focus: having written investment rules, a distribution...
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What Happens to Your Social Security If You Die Before Claiming?
Plan Your Federal Retirement Podcast
Federal employees often wonder: “If I delay Social Security and pass away before starting benefits, what happens to my spouse?” The answer depends on Social Security Administration (SSA) rules and your specific situation. It's also important to know that Social Security survivor benefits and FERS survivor annuity elections are separate, each with their own rules.
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Healthy Today, But Should You Still Get Medicare B?
Plan Your Federal Retirement Podcast
If you’re a federal employee or retiree approaching age 65, you’ve likely asked: “Do I really need Medicare Part B if I already have FEHB?” In this Federal Fact Check episode, Micah Shilanski, Managing Partner and Wealth Advisor, explains how Medicare Parts A, B, and D work with your Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) coverage, and what federal retirees should consider before deciding. In this episode, we discuss: • The 7-month Medicare enrollment window • When Part A is typically required • Why Part B is often considered “quasi-optional.” • The 10% per year...
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#146 The COLA Mirage: Why Inflation Is Quietly Shrinking Your Retirement
Plan Your Federal Retirement Podcast
Inflation doesn’t always show up loudly, and for many federal employees and retirees, the biggest danger is assuming COLA will protect their retirement income. In this episode of the Plan Your Federal Retirement podcast, Micah Shilanski, Managing Partner, Wealth Advisor, and Luke Eberly, Wealth Advisor, break down the “COLA mirage”: why cost-of-living adjustments often fail to keep pace with real inflation, rising FEHB premiums, and increasing expenses. They explain how COLA works differently for federal employees, FERS retirees, Social Security, and special provision employees, and why...
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Does the Earnings Limit Still Apply When Your Supplement Stops at 62?
Plan Your Federal Retirement Podcast
Are you working in retirement and wondering if it could reduce your federal benefits? In this FERS Federal Fact Check, Micah Shilanski, Wealth Advisor, answers a real question from a retired federal employee who started collecting his pension and FERS Supplement at age 61, while still working full time.
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#145 Longevity vs. Living Today: The Retirement Balancing Act You Should Know
Plan Your Federal Retirement Podcast
Retirement isn’t just about making your money last, it’s about using it wisely while you still can. In this episode of the Plan Your Federal Retirement podcast, Micah Shilanski, Wealth Advisor, is joined by his father, Floyd Shilanski, Wealth Advisor, to unpack one of the most complicated challenges federal employees face: balancing today’s lifestyle with tomorrow’s longevity. From distribution strategies and liquidity planning to housing decisions, aging in place, and preparing for unexpected large expenses, this conversation dives deep into what actually happens over a 30–40 year...
info_outlineEver wonder what questions other federal employees are asking as they plan for retirement? In this special episode, we’re taking you inside our recent in-person workshop, where we spent the day with federal employees diving deep into their benefits, tax planning, and retirement strategies.
From understanding the 2026 TSP Roth conversion changes to life insurance math, Social Security surprises, and estate planning traps, this episode highlights the honest discussions and insights that came from the classroom.
Join the Plan Your Federal Retirement team as we share key highlights and lessons from our recent in-person workshop with federal employees.
In this episode, we cover:
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How to prepare for higher future tax rates and build tax diversification
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The 2026 TSP Roth conversion opportunity and what it means for your retirement
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When life insurance makes sense (and when it doesn’t)
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Why checking your beneficiary designations matters more than you think
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Common estate planning mistakes federal retirees should avoid
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Surprising updates on Social Security spousal benefits
If you missed the class, this episode gives you the next best thing - real questions, real answers, and fundamental strategies to help you plan your federal retirement with confidence.
Tune in to hear what your peers are asking, and maybe the answers you’ve been looking for, too!