Navigating Technology Breaches and Data Protection
In today’s digital age, with countless passwords and online accounts storing our sensitive information, the threat of data breaches and identity theft looms large. The recent breach at National Public Data, one of the largest of its kind, has heightened concerns about data security for…
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Do you want to leave an IRA to your Children or Grandchildren?
Recently we have had several client inquiries asking, “Is leaving my IRA to my children or grandchildren a good idea?” The answer to the question is possibly. As so often is the case, it depends on the goals you are trying to accomplish, and of…
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in Financial Planning, Life After Retirement, Retirement, Retirement Planning by
John Stohlman Jan 16, 2023
FAQ- Understanding my Federal Employee Benefits [Video]
How Do I Understand My Federal Employee Benefits? Federal government employees are provided with an impressive benefits package. The standard benefits are considered by many experts to be a valuable component of its compensation package, often exceeding the benefit packages offered by public sector employers.…
Read More in Federal Employees, Financial Planning, Retirement, Retirement Planning by
Medallion Group Dec 1, 2022
Should I Buy a Retirement Home Now or Wait?
It’s no secret that the housing market is in shambles — home prices continue to fall, and many homeowners are still living in homes “underwater,” — meaning the cost of their homes is lower than the mortgage loans used to buy them. But what does…
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FAQ-How should I be invested in retirement? [Video]
How Should I Invest My Money in Retirement? Once you retire, you may be asking the questions: “How do I invest my money in retirement?”or “Should I even invest my money in retirement?” Maybe…
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6 Retirement Costs to Keep in Mind
No matter how much you’ve thought about retirement already, it can be easy to overlook some of the details that will make your post–employment years run smoothly. You probably have the basics covered, but be sure your plans and projections factor in everything you need…
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FAQ- Will I have to work more after retirement? [Video]
Retirement. It’s something everyone thinks about and looks forward to enjoying. The idea of waking up without being tied to an alarm clock – to know that your day is yours. It’s a dream most people can’t wait to fulfill. Many of those…
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Annuities Give Retirees Freedom to Spend
The days of riding off into the sunset with a guaranteed pension paycheck and a gold watch are no longer a reality for most people. According to CNN, the percentage of private sector workers with a traditional pension plan is 4% today compared to 60%…
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Things to Consider when Investing in the TSP Funds [Video]
As a federal employee, you are provided retirement plan options. The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) is the federal version of the private sector’s 401(k). The TSP is a recognized, defined savings/investment contribution plan. The Thrift Savings Plan’s account balance comprises several components – federal employee…
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Should You Invest In Companies That You Don’t Believe In?
Socially Responsible Investing As the array of investment options continues to grow, investors have the opportunity to be more and more selective about the companies they choose to invest in, often choosing or rejecting certain stocks according to the ethical principles of the company they…
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4 Ways to Help Prepare your Finances for the Unexpected
Are you and your finances prepared for a rainy day? Major fluctuations in the market, new legislation, unexpected health issues and more can put stress on your budget. But, planning ahead can help you handle unforeseen circumstances if and when they arrive. Here are a…
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Reasons Women Should Look Into Long-Term Care
1) Women Live Longer. It’s no secret that women generally live longer than men, and there are plenty of statistics to prove it. And while a longer life is surely a blessing, it can also present many hardships if you don’t plan properly. This includes…
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5 Ways to Set You and Your Children on a Path to Financial Success
You’re never too young to start learning how to deal with the tool called “money.” Once children are old enough to complete basic age-appropriate chores and want to spend money on things they see when out shopping, it’s time to get them on the path…
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April Wellness Topics to Be Mindful Of
Here at Medallion Financial Group, we recognize that there are many different dimensions of our personal health. Many people think about wellness in terms of physical health only, but one’s overall wellness also includes mental, emotional, spiritual, financial, and social health, just to name a…
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Should I Get Identity Theft Protection?
In the face of data breaches and updating privacy terms, everyone faces a similar question: should I get identity protection? Although you may have not been directly affected by security or privacy breaches, everyone should be aware of a constant cyber security threat. For example,…
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A Legacy for Your Great-Grandchildren: The 529 Plan Blog
Four generations gather around the family table for Easter this year. Your granddaughter is proudly showing off her new baby, which makes you a great-grandparent. To be honest, you didn’t think you’d live to see the day. You’ve gotten older, but you are still strong…
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Geopolitical Shocks & Historical Trends in the Stock Market [Video]
Does history repeat itself in the stock market? What’s happened in the past doesn’t necessarily reflect what’s going to happen in the future, but it does give us a barometer and a reason not to panic. Let’s look at some historical trends of major geopolitical…
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A Blast From The Past: Federal Employee Retirement Benefits
Focusing on Federal Employee Retirement Benefits Have you ever experienced one of those moments in life where you find yourself sucker-punched by reality? I don’t mean a gentle love tap, either. I’m talking about a knockout punch from Mike Tyson. It happened to me the…
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Annuities Have Big Tax Advantages Over CDs
The most important skill a financial planner brings to the table for their client is not knowledge, designations, or even experience. A planner’s most important asset is his or her ability to put down the pen and listen to each client’s wants, needs, anxieties, hopes,…
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Cashing in Old Life Insurance
Many people have asked us about old financial papers and their current worth. The questions have included what to do with old bank certificates of deposit, old stock certificates, and ancient papers from life insurance companies. Typically, they are most interested in knowing if these…
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What Does a Financial Planner Do? Can They Bake a Cherry Pie?
Our founder, partner, and financial advisor, Dan Searles CFP®, RFC®, CEP®, LUTCF explains what a financial planner does using examples from his family life. If you’ll allow me the grace of an analogy we’ll have some fun and I’ll answer our most commonly asked question,…
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Planning For Early Retirement
Oh, retirement. The one thing that almost everyone strives for. The end of the working life, and the beginning of a new, easier one full of traveling, family, and… not working. But even though retirement is a common goal, it’s certainly not an easy one.…
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A Survivor Benefit Primer for FERS and CSRS
Overview The retirement annuities under CSRS and FERS have a survivor benefit option that can provide your spouse with an annuity after your death. Your annuity can be up to 55% of your full retirement annuity if you are a CSRS employee or up to…
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How Do I Get Accurate Info From my HR Department? [Video]
As you’re getting closer to retirement, you may be reaching out to your HR department trying to figure out how you can get good, accurate information from them. There’s some good news and maybe some bad news to this. The good news is that most…
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Why Do I Need a Financial Planner if I have a TSP? [Video]
If you’re invested in the TSP and the TSP is your primary vehicle for retirement, then you may be wondering, “Do I need a financial planner? Isn’t the TSP just managing my money for me?” There’s a lot to unpack in that simple question. Let’s…
Read More in Federal Employees, Financial Planning, Retirement, Retirement Planning, TSP by
Ryan Dunn Dec 30, 2021
Things to Consider About Your Retirement Withdrawal Strategy [Video]
You’ve gotten to the point where you’re getting ready to retire. You know that the income from your employment is going to stop, and you have a decision to make: how are you going to approach income so that you can do the things that…
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How Do I Maintain My Standard of Living in Retirement? [Video]
As you get closer to retirement, you may begin to ask, “How do I maintain my standard of living through retirement?” This is a complicated issue to answer as you start to unpack it because retirement isn’t always linear. You don’t always spend an even…
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Are Annuities Bad? [Video]
When evaluating any sort of financial product, the first thing to understand is that financial products are just tools. When tools are used correctly, they can be effective. When tools are used incorrectly, they can be ineffective. When it comes to the conversation about annuities,…
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When is the Best Day for a FERS Employee to Retire? [Video]
One of the big questions federal employees have is when is the best day to retire? There are several things that you want to take into consideration. Let’s talk about FERS employees because that’s where most of the federal employees are at this point. Below…
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Do I Have Enough Money to Retire? [Video]
Do I have enough to retire…will I ever be able to retire? As you get closer and closer to retirement, anxiety can begin to build up around the idea of whether you’ll have enough money to retire. In other words, “What’s that magical number that…
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Invest in the Justice League
Imagine that the Joker is on the loose in Gotham City. He’s doing his normal Joker thing: robbing banks and breaking things, and he has Joker-dressed goons running all over the city. Not only that, but let’s say that the Riddler is also wreaking havoc.…
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The Importance of Timing TSP Withdrawals vs. Early Social Security
This is the third blog in our 3-part series: What FERS Retirees Should Know Before Starting Social Security Retirement Benefits & TSP Withdrawals Read Part 1: When Should You Apply for Social Security Retirement Benefits? Read Part 2: The Purpose of a Thrift Savings Plan…
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The Purpose of a Thrift Savings Plan & The Rule of 55
This is the second blog in our 3-part series: What FERS Retirees Should Know Before Starting Social Security Retirement Benefits & TSP Withdrawals Read Part 1: When Should You Apply for Social Security Retirement Benefits? The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) is a defined contribution plan,…
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When Should You Apply for Social Security Retirement Benefits?
This is the first blog in our 3-part series: What FERS Retirees Should Know Before Starting Social Security Retirement Benefits & TSP Withdrawals Are you ready to retire? If you are a FERS employee, you probably know that your retirement income is structured like a…
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7 Basic Tips for Financial Success
One of the best gifts you can give your children is an education on the basics of financial responsibility. When a friend emailed us the other day and asked us to write down some basic financial tips for her son, a graduating high school senior,…
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What is Life Insurance?
The short answer is income replacement protection. But let’s dig in a bit deeper to see exactly what it means. The Real Purpose of Life Insurance Life Insurance is not a lottery ticket. It is simply meant to replace the income that is lost with…
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Irreversible Mistakes with Your Federal Benefits
Our recent post, Trust but Verify, showed that relying on your agency’s HR staff to determine your retirement qualifications can have serious consequences. There are many common mistakes that Federal Employees make regarding their benefits that can have irreversible effects, including the selection of FEGLI…
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The S&P 500, Federal Employee Retirement, and NASCAR
My dad loved to watch sports. Nothing made for a more perfect Saturday than a couple of college games on either side of the dial and a NASCAR race in between. It didn’t take a hometown team on the screen to make the outcome matter,…
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7 Myths About Financial Planning
Many people recognize the importance of financial planning today. Yet many still hold misconceptions about who can benefit from financial planning and how it can best benefit them. Myth #1: Financial planning is just for the wealthy. Financial planning isn’t about “getting wealthy”—it’s about helping…
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Start Saving Now
There’s an old saying, “The best time to plant an oak tree was 20 years ago.” Unfortunately, 20 years has passed, so the next best time to plant an oak tree is today. Poor Planning and a Poor Attitude We recently had a visit from…
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The Art of Choosing a Financial Planner
Choosing a financial planner can be an extremely frustrating and overwhelming task. That’s probably why a lot of people simply avoid it altogether. With that said, please be aware that being overwhelmed is not a good enough reason to avoid seeking a qualified advisor. For…
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What is a Fiduciary and Why Should I Care?
Perhaps you have heard the buzz about how financial advisors need to be fiduciaries. It comes up in many advertisements on T.V. and radio. Maybe you were surprised to hear that not all people who call themselves financial planners are required to put your interests…
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FEGLI, Gesundheit, and Your Life Insurance Needs Assessment
It can be devastating to choose the wrong Federal Employee Group Life Insurance plan. Before you make any decisions about what FEGLI option is right for you, taking the time to ask yourself a few questions can help you choose the plan that meets your…
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FEGLI: The Basics – Coverage Options
What is Life Insurance? Life Insurance is a contract. If you pay the insurance company a certain amount of money each month and if you pass away during the contract period, the insurance company will pay your beneficiary a fixed amount of money. What is…
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Federal Employees: Trust But Verify Before You Retire
For many long-term Federal Employees, the dream of retirement becomes tangible after reaching 20 or 25 years of creditable service, usually around ages 50 or 55. By then, you may even start counting the days until your retirement date. And hopefully, before that date comes,…
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Frequently Asked Questions You May Have If You Just Retired
You have most likely engaged in at least some retirement planning during your working life. You probably asked a lot of questions about how much you should save and even more so, how you can maximize your retirement resources. Once you finally reached retirement, you…
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3 Retirement Questions Federal Employees Should be Asking Now
Making the transition from the workforce to retirement is a big decision. After years of service, you are close to settling into a more comfortable and less stressful, and demanding lifestyle. As professional financial advisors specializing in the retirement of Federal employees, we understand the…
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4 Reasons to Consider an Age 59 ½ In-Service Withdrawal
An under-used and misunderstood strategy that can help you preserve your assets while managing risks associated with investing. Let us review a few of the basics of the “age 59 ½ in-service withdrawal.” Many company plans such as 401(k), 403(b) and Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)…
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What to Shred and What Not To Shred
Cleaning Up Do you ever wonder what you can send through the shredder? According to the Environmental Protection Agency, each year Americans dispose of more than 292 million tons of trash. Additionally, we recycle 94 million or so more. And, if your house is like…
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The Importance of Estate Planning in 2021: Part 3-Leaving a Legacy
Striving for Peace in Uncertain Times We have attended many industry seminars and conferences and we always enjoy a good motivational speaker. One that really sticks with us is Dr. Jerry Linenger, a retired U.S. Navy flight surgeon and NASA astronaut, because it really confirms…
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The 2021 Updates for Required Minimum Distributions
RMD Requirements for 2021 are back In March of 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (also known as the CARES Act) waived the RMD requirements for 2020 for most taxpayers. This waiver was given to allow savers to leave the funds in…
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The Importance of Estate Planning in 2021: Part 2-Wills and Trusts
Striving for Peace in Uncertain Times We are living in uncertain times: the pandemic, a new administration and congress, with many parts of the economy struggling. There is a tone of worry and stress as many are attempting to register for a vaccine. We are…
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The Importance of Estate Planning in 2021: Part 1-Living Issues
Striving for Peace in Uncertain Times We are living in uncertain times. Currently, we are approaching the one-year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic’s introduction to the US. Many of us know a friend or family member who has become sick with the virus or possibly…
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How Do I Fit Social Security Into My Retirement Planning?
Like most Americans, you’ve probably paid into Social Security during your entire working life. In return, you can begin to receive monthly income from this federal program once you retire. You have some control over when and how you receive payments. These choices and other…
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Estate and Death Taxes Proposal, More People Affected
The new administration has made their tax priorities clear. They would like to return taxes to the prior levels. One of the most significant changes could affect the tax at transfer of the assets to heirs at death. With the administration’s party now controlling both…
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Biden’s Proposals for Higher Taxes
During the presidential campaign Joe Biden made his tax priorities clear: He wants to eliminate the tax cuts of the Trump-era leading to higher taxes on corporations and the “rich.” With the Democrats gaining control of the Senate, the possibility of the implementation of his…
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How to Avoid when Something Bad Goes Wrong [Video]
So, what do you do when something bad goes wrong? You may get away with bad investing. As a matter of fact, I ran into somebody the other day who had all their money invested in Apple. Fortunately, that’s been a very good stock.…
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Top 5 Qualities to Look for in a Financial Planner
As the adage goes, “no one will care more about your money than you do”—which means that selecting the right financial planner can require a great deal of trust. Financial advisors can help guide your investments and provide you with invaluable advice to help place…
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Happy Holidays & Happy New Year [Video]
Hello everybody, it’s been a while since Avi and I have met with you, but she wanted to make a Christmas video, and I thought that was a great idea. Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and a Happy New Year. 2020’s been really, really…
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Santa is Retired
Santa Has Left the Building If you haven’t already heard, Santa gave up his breaking-and-entering delivery schedule long ago. Initially, Sears, Macy’s, and Nordstroms took over. Today, Amazon, Target, and Etsy have taken the reins. Instead of having to send long, heartrending petitions to Santa…
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Choosing a Financial Advisor: What to Know Before You Invest
Choosing a financial advisor may be one of the most important financial decisions that you will ever make. The person you decide to work with will be in a position to influence critical investment and planning decisions, and the quality of his or her advice…
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Affordable Christmas Gift Ideas: Festive Holidays Without Breaking the Bank – Part 2
Review In our first post in this series, Affordable Christmas Gift Ideas: Festive Holidays Without Breaking the Bank – Part 1, we gave you a few ideas and rules to follow to have a fantastic (and affordable) holiday season with your family. Besides shopping for…
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Affordable Christmas Gift Ideas: Festive Holidays Without Breaking the Bank – Part 1
Holiday Shopping Season Comes Earlier and Earlier I think by now we’re all resigned to the fact that the Christmas shopping season starts right after Labor Day. A visit to your local Costco or Sam’s warehouse on the way back from an end-of-summer vacation makes…
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Planning to Retire Within Five Years? Retirement Planning Questions You Should Consider Now
If you’re planning to retire within five years, you might be getting restless thinking about whether or not you’re financially ready. While five years isn’t long to finalize retirement planning, you can probably look forward to decades of retirement and, just as you would consult…
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7 Key Components of a Comprehensive Retirement Plan
In a 2019 survey, nearly half of all American adults reported having nothing saved for retirement. Another 19 percent had between $1 and $10,000 set aside, and 20 percent had between $10,000 and $100,000.This means that more than eight in every 10 adults have under…
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If this Election Rocks the Market, Where is My Hope for Income?
When it comes to our finances, we all want to have certainty and assurance of our income, at least as much as possible. During an election year when emotions are running high, you may be tempted to pull your money from the market in an…
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Elections and Your Investments: My Candidate Lost…Do I Sell?
All of us have had the experience of waking up the day after an election that we were really passionate about with a disappointment in the election outcome that makes us almost want to stay in bed. We don’t agree with the policies of the…
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Financial Planners Don’t Have a Crystal Ball [Video]
Today I want to clear up a misnomer that I hear all the time. I get asked… “What does a financial planner do?” “Can he get me out of the market and keep the stock market crash from happening to me?” The answer is No.…
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Good News about Life Insurance [Video]
Today, Dan and his granddaughter, Avi, are here to share some good news about life insurance. In January of this year, the Trump administration passed a new rule where all life insurance companies have to use the 2017 mortality tables. What does it mean? It…
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Economic Impact Payment Reminder [Video]
Hi, this is Josh Brunner from Medallion Financial. I was on the IRS website today and I came across an article. If anyone’s still waiting for their stimulus check to come in and haven’t received it, I would strongly encourage you to go to the…
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FERS Civil Service Retirement: Why You Should be Planning
New Ideas Bring New Complications It’s human nature that when someone gets a good idea they want everyone to get on board. This also holds true for good ideas in the government. The Federal Government needed to replace the CSRS retirement system, so they came…
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Retirement SMART Goals
You have probably heard of the term “SMART goals” before. The term has become a bit of a cliché these days and it’s almost impossible to listen to a motivational speaker or read a self-help guide without hearing the phrase. When something has become this…
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Living Below Your Means: 10 Things to Give Up That You May Never Miss
Sometimes you may find yourself in a tighter financial situation than expected. Maybe you’ve found yourself in the middle of a world wide pandemic. Maybe that paycheck didn’t reach as far as you had hoped. Maybe there were more expenses than you thought. Maybe taxes…
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Starting A Business After Federal Employee Retirement
Federal employee retirement can mean different things for different people. For some, it means traveling. For others, it means spending time with family. Starting a new business is an option that’s becoming more and more popular, and many retirees are launching successful startups as a…
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RMDs for 2020 are waived by the CARES Act [Video]
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) is a relief bill passed by Congress in late March 2020 to provide economic relief to Americans during the current pandemic emergency. This bill has suspended the Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) from retirement accounts for…
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Establishing Reliable Retirement Income Portfolios [Video]
Let’s explore how to establish Sustainable, Stable Retirement Income Portfolios Growth We all want growth in our portfolios and, ideally, that growth at least exceeds inflation. If you don’t have growth in your investments, you’re going to get poorer as you get older, which is…
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Surviving Difficult Times with Fran Tarkenton [Video]
I was fortunate to have the opportunity this week to interview Fran Tarkenton, NFL Hall of Fame quarterback and successful entrepreneur and TV star. We were discussing “Surviving Difficult Times” which couldn’t be more timely. I encourage you to take a little time and soak…
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Your Investments and the Coronavirus
Watch the video or read the transcript of the webinar below: Ryan Dunn: All right. Hello and welcome. My name is Ryan Dunn and I’m joined by my partner and father-in-law, Dan Searles. We just wanted to make a quick video and talk to you…
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Your TSP and the Coronavirus [Webinar]
Watch the video or read The transcript of the webinar below: Ryan Dunn: All right. We are at the top of the hour, so we’ll go ahead and get started. Hello and welcome. My name is Ryan Dunn. I’m a Charter Federal Employee Benefits Consultant…
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My Thoughts on the Coronavirus Crisis [Video]
Hi folks, this is Dan Searles. I guess we’re all wondering if we’re in the middle of a zombie apocalypse here. I don’t think we are. The economy has gone through real problems like this before, really atomic hits if you will, with Kennedy being…
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Five Lessons I Learned As An Executor
Recently, I had the unfortunate experience of being an executor for my grandmother’s estate. When I agreed to do it, I never could have imagined what was in store. There was no amount of financial planning experience, seminars, blog posts, books, etc., that could have…
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Should You Buy That New Car?
If you’re like me, the prospect of being without a car is a scary one. Cars are what we use to get around, whether it’s a trip to a friend’s house, a restaurant, the grocery store, work, or anything else. And they cost a lot…
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TSP Modernization Act Webinar
Please see the transcript of the webinar below: Ryan: All right, hello and welcome. My name is Ryan Dunn, I’m going to be one of your hosts this afternoon along with one of my partners, John Stohlman. We’re going to be walking you through some…
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Event: Organize and Downsize 2019
Do you have too much stuff? You’re not alone. Americans are great at accumulating stuff, but not great at knowing when or how to let it go. Going through all your accumulated things can be daunting, but we’re here to help you reclaim your life…
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Shred Fest 2019
As a child, my parents bribed me with toys to get good grades. Now that I’m an adult, the bribes are a lot less fun. Not Getting Arrested in exchange for Paying My Taxes isn’t the same dopamine rush as getting the Super Soaker I…
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5 Unexpected Benefits Of Letting (Your Stuff) Go
Disney’s movie Frozen came out when I was in college. As catchy as it is mind numbing after the millionth time your child replays the famous musical debut, Let It Go, the song has some truth to its message (especially when applied to letting go…
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Shred Fest 2018
This year we shredded 3,200 pounds of paper at Shred Fest 2018! Hosted on site at Medallion’s office on May 5th, 2018, we turned a mundane task into a party with live music, delicious refreshments, and THREE raffles! We served hot Krispy Kreme doughnuts, yogurt,…
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Event: Aging and Your Mind
John Carroll, from Deans Consulting LLC, came to share with us an engaging and educational presentation on how to set our bodies up for success as we age. He dispelled common myths about aging and confronted the uncomfortable, while providing healthy strategies for people of…
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43 Reasons Why You Need A Financial Advisor
FINANCIAL PLANNING Finance can be overwhelming. There are different laws, tax codes, and nuances to navigate. When it comes to your retirement, there can be deadlines that make or break an investment or withdrawal period. A certified financial adviser can help you navigate all of…
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Event: Wine, Women, and Wealth
On May 4th, we hosted our popular Wine, Women, and Wealth seminar, which discussed how women investors face special challenges that make financial literacy and advanced planning especially important. Women are more likely to outlive their husbands or be disproportionately affected by a divorce, making…
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Shred Fest 2017
On Saturday, April 22nd, we hosted our annual Shred Fest event to celebrate the end of tax season! Clients gathered their old documents and paperwork to join us for a FREE secure shredding party. Hosted on-site at Medallion Financial Group’s office, we like to turn…
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5 Things Retirees Should Know About Social Security Benefits
For most Americans, Social Security will provide a significant portion of their income in retirement. It’s Important According to Social Security Administration (SSA) statistics, Social Security benefits account for about 34 percent of retirement income for the average American.1 One of the biggest mistakes today’s…
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Financial Planning: Don’t Put All Your Eggs In One Basket
We have all heard the saying, “Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket.” I heard it many times as a young child growing up in Lawrenceville, Georgia. One day that saying took on literal meaning. When age seven or eight, I walked down…
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Event: Understanding Social Security Benefits
At Medallion Financial, one of the most important things we provide our clients is timely information and professional advice. On November 17th , John and Laura Stohlman presented facts and information to help attendees understand social security options. Topics covered were: What is the impact…
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October 27th: Oktoberfest
Autumn harkened our tastes to beer. Our clients and their guests joined us for this fun event and sampled a few brews while enjoying food and fun door prizes on Thursday, October 27th. Our Special Guest Scott, the Brewmaster from Olde Towne Gaithersburg’sGrowlers, brought entertaining…
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Americans Underestimate Need for Long-Term Care
According to a survey conducted by USAA, only ¼ of U.S. adults believe they are likely to need long-term care, despite predictions from independent organizations that half of the American population is likely to need some form of this specialized and potentially costly health care…
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Are You Setting Up Your Family For a Feud?
Since 1976 (with brief blackouts), Family Feud has been providing entertainment based around family unity.The game show premise has family members working together to come up with the right answers. While members may dispute, the time restrictions mandate a quick consensus.Sometimes families find themselves in…
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Event: Understanding Trusts, Wills, and Powers of Attorney
On August 2nd, 2016, we hosted a special educational opportunity, where attendees learned about the operation of a trust during life, disability and death. We covered topics like: Is a Living Trust revocable or irrevocable? What’s the difference between a Testamentary Trust and a Living…
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Don’t Panic
If you’ve been watching market headlines, you probably heard that markets tumbled in the first days of 2016, raising the specter of corrections and bear markets. When markets swing, it’s natural to worry about your investments and question your commitment to your strategy. As financial…
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Event: June 2016 Wine, Women, & Finance
On June 23rd and June 28th we hosted our traditional Wine, Women & Finance Seminar in the Medallion Conference Center. Laura, Suzanne and John gave an informative presentation regarding the unique challenges women investors face as retirement approaches; the new social security laws; and leaving…
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Shred Fest 2016
On Saturday, April 30th we hosted our annual Shred Fest event to celebrate the end of tax season! Clients gathered their old documents and joined us for FREE on-site shredding, live music, refreshments, and a raffle drawing for a prize! We also collected canned food…
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Exciting Changes at Medallion
After working as Laura’s assistant since 2002, Suzanne is becoming a Financial Advisor taking on her own clients full time, and will primarily be working to assist federal employees with retirement planning and preparation. Suzanne is working towards earning her ChFC designation, with 6 classes…
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Collapsing Life Insurance
Life Insurance. Those words are enough to make many people’s eyes roll over into the backs of their heads. Some people think it’s boring. Others simply don’t want to think about the fact that death is involved in anybody’s collection of “life” insurance. Still, each…
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Albert Einstein and Our Tax Code
The great physicist and philosopher Albert Einstein once said, “The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax!” The man was a genius and even he couldn’t make sense of our tax code, and it’s only gotten worse over the years. The…
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Annuities: The Financial Swiss Army Knife
From politics to religion, it’s no secret that this country is sharply divided on many issues. Remember when Republican Ronald Reagan was President and Tip O’Neal was the Democratic Leader? Although the two great men often argued vehemently, their disagreements were never personal. Reason always…
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Chicken Little and The Stock Market Swoon
It’s no secret that the stock market is extremely volatile. The only guarantee is that it will go up and down, and wide swings can make even the savviest investor nervous. Sometimes it’s enough to make you want to pull out everything you’ve got. The…
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Retired Sports Stars- What they did after retirement
We see sports stars out on the field all the time. They’re sports stars, it’s what they do! We watch them and cheer them on. We celebrate when they win and are crushed when they are defeated. They represent cities and countries in various games.…
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Town Hall Meeting on Major Time Sensitive Changes to Social Security
The budget bill signed into law on Monday, Nov. 2, 2015 made significant changes that could impact your Social Security options and your optimal collection strategy. Here are a few key points you need to know: The bill is eliminating the popular “file and suspend”…
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Are Annuities Only Good for the Person Selling Them?
I was in the police station the other day getting fingerprinted (required by FINRA for all registered securities reps) and as I was pulling up my sleeves to stick my finger in the ink, the police officer asked me why I was there. When I…
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What are CDs and Annuities?
I’m always suspicious of those magazine ads selling socks or sweatshirts that say “one size fits all.” I’m a pretty big guy, with 50-inch shoulders, that still plays rugby with “The Old Boys Club.” However, my brother is tall and a little on the thin…
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Buying Domestic: Is it Worth It?
One of my favorite stories is about a boy on the beach. After a big storm comes through he begins picking up starfish and throwing them back into the ocean. By and by, an old man walking along the beach strikes up a conversation with…
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How Does Life Insurance Work?
Let’s be honest: federal employee life insurance isn’t a pleasant topic. But it’s something most people eventually need, and it’s important to understand how it works. Simply put, with life insurance, you pay premiums to the insurance company so that the company will pay a…
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10 Great College Towns For Retirees
College towns are popular retirement destinations because they offer great amenities like places to eat, things to do, diverse communities, and lots of sports games for weekend entertainment. We’ve come up with a list of 10 great college towns for retirees around the country. Enjoy!…
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Facts About TSP Withdrawals
Our own John Stohlman writes for FedSmith.com from time to time and we also get to benefit from his writing. Recently, he wrote about TSP withdrawals, an important topic to be well versed on for any federal employee or retiree. 5 Facts About TSP Withdrawals…
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Investing When You Don’t Have A Lot Of Money
Investing can be difficult for anyone. There are so many types of investments to choose from, all with different conditions, minimums, goals, purposes, commitments, riders, and more. So even if you’re just an average Joe looking to put some savings into the market, you have…
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Life After Retirement: Fran Tarkenton
Retirement is the end goal for a lot of people. There are hundreds of different ways to save for retirement, and many people save fervently, looking forward to the day when they can stop working. But some people, including a series of famous figures, have…
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Financial Planning Disaster: The Tim Duncan Story
There was a recent story about NBA and San Antonio Spurs legend Tim Duncan losing over $20 million in investments. He got advice from a certified financial planner with a conflict of interest, and now that money is gone after the investments tanked. This has…
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Meet Our Interns
This summer we are thrilled to welcome nine interns to our company. A few of these wonderful high school and college kids work with us year-round, but most of them are here for the first time this summer. Our interns are given the opportunity to…
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Inflation and Jurassic World
“Jurassic World,” just one of the summer’s major blockbusters, has been raking in the ticket sales. The fourth movie in the Jurassic franchise took just 13 days to reach $1 billion at the international box office, the quickest ever to do so (“The Avengers” took…
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Buried Under: Managing Your Financial Papers
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Americans dispose of more than 250 million tons of trash each year, and recycle 82 million or so more. But no matter how much we throw away, we always seem to end up with a stack of paperwork somewhere…
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What to Consider When Thinking About Getting an Immediate Annuity
In his book Living at the Next Level: Insight for Reaching Your Dreams, John Maxwell wrote, Every time you discover something new, ask yourself three questions: ‘Where can I use this?’ ‘When can I use this?’ and ‘Who needs to know it?’ This truth also…
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OPM Hacked: What You Need To Know and What You Can Do
Last week, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced that in April they found a data breach in their system from last year. OPM manages security clearances for most government agencies, as well as managing the Federal Civil Service. What Happened? According to OPM,…
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Fees vs. Commissions
One of the most important lessons in life is learning who to trust. We feel lucky that almost all of the advisors we’ve met in the financial world are honest, hard-working folk. They are trying to earn a living while helping clients grow and protect…
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How to Handle Financially Dependent Adult Children
Being Fair Dear Medallion Group, I have two sons. One is doing very well, financially. The other married late, has a big mortgage, two car payments, and costly private school tuition for his two daughters. We want to help him out, but we don’t want…
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The Roth TSP, Remember Me?
This article was originally written by our own John Stohlman and posted on FedSmith.com. The Roth TSP, Remember Me? With all the talk about the TSP possibly opening up a mutual fund window and expanding withdrawal options, you may have forgotten that it also offers…
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Famous Federal Employees
Our nation is run by some amazing people. The men and women who work for the Federal Government are not only hard workers, but they are dedicated to doing great things for the citizens of our country. Many of them have gone on to become…
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OPM Breach: Update
OPM Hacked You probably remember that in early June, the Obama administration and OPM announced that the OPM systems were breached in April, and that the information of around 4 million Federal Employees was compromised. A Second Breach Unfortunately, we now know about a second,…
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Then and Now: The Stock Market Crashes of 1929 and 2008
Downton Abbey and the Inevitable One of the most popular shows on TV right now is Downton Abbey, the BBC’s historical drama about the residents of a grand manor house in the English countryside from 1912-1924. Since the show first began the family and servants…
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Building a Sufficient Retirement Nest Egg
It’s the same old story: you’re going about your everyday routine and then all of a sudden retirement comes into focus. Turning 50 and not having anything put away for retirement leaves you breaking out in a sweat at night as you try to fall…
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Required Minimum Distribution Deadline
The 15th of April, the nationally known Tax Day, is the deadline for everyone to file their taxes. However, that is not the only deadline this year in April. If you have money in a personal fund, such as an IRA, 401(k), Simplified Employee Pension,…
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Life After Retirement: Wayne Shipley, Filmmaker
An Amazing Second Career For most people, life after retirement is a time a to relax, travel, and spend more time with family and friends. It can really be what you make it, and a certified financial planner can help you plan for what you’d…
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Does Online Financial Planning Really Work? The Dawn of the Robo-Advisor
Just about anything nowadays can be done online, from paying bills to ordering groceries. There’s even been talk of finding ways to perform surgery via the internet. So why not financial planning? Welcome to the dawn of the robo-advisor; an algorithm designed to fill in…
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6 Little-Known Facts About FERS Retirement
More than a Three-Legged Stool Most Federal Employees are familiar with the of the FERS retirement program—the basic annuity, TSP investments, and Social Security. But there’s more to the FERS retirement system than these basic components. We’ve gathered 6 little-known FERS retirement facts to spark…
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The TSP Moves Closer to Offering Mutual Fund Options
Flight from the TSP In 2012, 45% of those who left government work withdrew completely from the TSP, totaling $10 billion in total withdrawals. Federal Employees who are over age 59½, but still working, took out another $2 billion. Much of this $12 billion total…
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CSRS Offset: Who Are You?
CSRS When we talk about federal benefits, we are usually talking about CSRS or FERS employees. In most cases, employees who started government service before January 1, 1984 are CSRS employees, with a retirement benefit based almost solely on a pension. Employees under CSRS don’t…
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Life After Retirement: Shirley Temple More Than a Hollywood Icon
Though Shirley Temple was a child star that faded from the spotlight, she never ceased to be an iconic force in whatever she pursued. She had a career by the age of three and retired by the age of 22 and in a second marriage.…
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529 Plan vs. Life Insurance
The Media Debate It’s hard to turn on the TV or listen to the radio nowadays without hearing a commercial about investing in a 529 plan or buying insurance as a way to pay for college. A certified financial planner is an excellent resource to…
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Retired on a Cruise Ship: The Ultimate Form of Assisted Living
Contributing to a 401k retirement plan, hiring a personal financial adviser, and smart investments are all ways you can prepare for life after the workforce. And if you are lucky, you may be able to plan for a retirement as cool as “Mamma Lee”. Lee…
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Thrift Savings Plan Millionaires: An Example for Us All
The Number In December 2013, the government announced that the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)’s millionaires had reached an all-time high of over 1,600. That may not seem too impressive when you consider that there are currently over 2.7 million Federal Employees. However, no one goes…
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Baby Boomers: Worse Off Than Their Parents in Retirement
2008: The Baby Boomers’ Swan Song A Businessweek Online article tells the story of Lee Manchester. Lee is a 61-year-old Baby Boomer. She worked hard her whole life and even tried to start her own business back in the 80’s. Today, she finds herself with…
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The CSRS Voluntary Contribution Program
This article was written by Federal Navigators and was originally posted on FedSmith.com. The CSRS Voluntary Contribution Program has been available to CSRS or CSRS Offset employees for many years. VCP can be a very useful option for the CSRS employee to significantly increase…
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The Impact of Inflation on Your Federal Employee Retirement
Keeping Inflation in Mind When designing your retirement plan and investment portfolio, it is important to invest with the impact of inflation in mind. Inflation decreases your purchasing power over time and erodes investment returns. To maintain your standard of living over a federal employee…
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The Service Computation Date Comes in Five Flavors
This article was originally posted on FedSmith.com by John Stohlman. John has been working with clients to help them achieve retirement success since 1987 and is designated as a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) and Chartered Federal Employee Benefits Consultant (ChFEBC®). The Service Computation Date (SCD)…
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Will You Outlive Your Money?
There are far more seniors living today than ever before. As a group, they are more active, healthier and more involved than any previous generation. However, this longevity and active lifestyle, which most of us call “livin,’” is expensive. In fact, with gas and food…
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What’s Ahead for the Feds in 2015?
Cliched Investment Strategies In almost every family, there’s a relative who tries to dominate the dinner conversation with cliched investment strategies. Often, these so-called “strategies” just create more confusion, offer few specifics, and fail to provide a plan of action. When you get right down…
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Your 2015 Financial Resolutions
Weight, Taxes, and Memoirs In the weeks before Christmas we often dwell too much on what we don’t have or what we have not accomplished, instead of counting our blessings. We start making goals and resolutions, usually about losing weight, getting our taxes done early,…
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Passing Down the Good Life with Baking Cookies Holiday Traditions
Hawaiian Santa When I was a kid, I always wondered how it was possible to celebrate Christmas in a place where there wasn’t even the slightest chance of snow. If you live in Honolulu, does Santa come down the chimney in a Hawaiian shirt and…
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It’s Not a Bird or a Plane: It’s The S Fund!
Look! Up in the sky! We all remember that catchy 60’s theme song… Faster than a speeding bullet. More powerful than a locomotive. Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. The Superman Fund If they were to print T-shirts for each of the…
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TSP Withdrawal Options: In-Service, Age-Based and Still Trucking
When it comes to TSP withdrawal options, three choices usually come to mind: early withdrawal due to financial problems, early withdrawal for a down payment on a house (exempt from the 10% early withdrawal penalty), or monthly withdrawals in retirement. Federal Employees often forget that…
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FEHB: So Many Options to Choose From
FEHB Open Season is Here The Federal Employee Health Benefits, or FEHB open season is upon us. Federal Employees and retirees have until December 8th to make changes to their health care coverage for the upcoming year. FEHB Covers Many and Has Many Choices According…
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Are Federal Employees Not Putting Enough Money into the TSP?
The Head of BlackRock Speaks Larry Fink, the head of the company that manages all of the TSP funds (except the G fund), stated in the October meeting of the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board that he is concerned that Federal Employees are not putting…
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What Legacy Are You Going To Leave?
I have attended many industry seminars and conferences as a certified financial planner. I enjoy a good motivational speaker, but one that really sticks with me is Dr. Jerry Linenger, a retired U.S. Navy flight surgeon and NASA astronaut. Many Trials His story is reported…
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Service Computation Date: The Effect of Nonpay Status
Nonpay Status Who would have thought that you could still accrue time toward your federal employee retirement benefits while in nonpay status and without having to adjust your service computation date? Well, it turns out that you can. Various Service Computation Dates As we discussed…
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CSRS Voluntary Contribution Program – The Additional Annuity Option
A Big Benefit With a Cinderella Story While the CSRS Voluntary Contribution Program (VCP) can be a great benefit for CSRS employees, it is often given far less attention than the CSRS retirement annuity and the FEHB plan. However, the VCP offers great options like…
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Medicaid and Money
Getting old is not for sissies. Especially if one’s health begins to fail. Yet most of us will agree that getting old sure beats the alternative. Yeah, James Dean, Marilyn Monroe, and Bruce Lee are forever young in our minds, but they missed a whole…
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Halloween Reflections and 3 Scary Facts About Retirement
As a certified financial planner, I have seen some pretty scary things. Forget the ghouls, goblins, and ghosts of Halloween time! They don’t hold a candle to the horror of not planning for retirement. It’s All About the Chocolate There’s a house in my neighborhood…
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The CSRS Survivor Annuity vs. Life Insurance: The Dilemma
When planning for your future, as a Civil Service Retirement System employee, one of the considerations you need to make is which CSRS survivor benefits you want to choose for your spouse. Although there are a few beneficiary designation options to consider such as FEHB…
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TSP Rollovers: A Scandal in the Making?
TSP Rollovers Make Bad Press Lately, there has been a splash of negative articles about feds choosing to roll their TSP accounts over to IRA’s and managing funds themselves. 45% of federal retirees take their money out of the TSP, causing a reduction of about…
Read More in Annuities, Life After Retirement, Retirement, Retirement Planning by
Medallion Group Oct 27, 2014
G and S Funds: The Yin and Yang of the Thrift Savings Plan
The G and S Funds: Part of the TSP Family One of the most frequently voiced complaints about the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) is the lack of variety within the allocation options it offers. However, the G and S Funds alone are very diverse investment…
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Thrift Savings Plan Withdrawal Options: Enjoying the Nest Egg
Time to Withdraw from Your TSP? You have retired from the Federal Government. Your Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) is brimming with your contributions, the government’s matching contributions, and the growth of these investments. The question is, what should you do with this basket full of…
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Kathleen Casey-Kirschling: The First Baby Boomer
If you are a member of the Baby Boomer generation, you are in the process of or perhaps have already began retirement. It can be complicated to navigate, and getting someone to help with with planning your federal employee retirement benefits and policies is a…
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5 Commonly Used Financial Idioms and Their Origins
Did you ever wonder where the phrase “make money hand over fist” comes from? You probably know what it means intuitively, but if you break it down word for word, it just makes no sense. Yet people use it every day on television, at work,…
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Is $1 Million Enough to Retire Today?
One of the most important Financial Planning questions is, “How much money will I need to retire?“ The problem is that there is no magic number that is right for everyone, and it is always a great idea to consult a retirement financial adviser. But…
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Social Security Spousal Benefits for Federal Employees
Social Security for Federal Employees Navigating the Social Security benefits system is difficult enough for an individual, and it becomes even more complicated when trying to coordinate your benefits with your spouse. It is important to analyze your options and create a plan that will…
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Federal Employee Life Insurance Basics
The Value in Just the Basics Federal Employee Life Insurance has many options but what is often lost with having so much choice is the value of the Basic coverage. The Basic Federal Employee life insurance provided by FEGLI is a valuable Federal benefit that…
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Service Computation Date: The Key to Your Federal Benefits
There are potentially five different Service Computation Dates (SCD) that you should be familiar with. They are used to determine your leave accrual rate, career tenure, in grade pay increases, retirement eligibility, retirement annuity, retention position during a reduction in force, and TSP vesting. For…
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CSRS Retirement: The Old Faithful of Pension Plans
Diminishing CSRS Covered Workforce Each year that goes by there are less and less Federal Employees covered under CSRS (Civil Service Retirement System). It may be before the end of the decade when only a few remain to walk about the cavernous corridors of our…
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C Fund, F Fund, and I Fund of the Thrift Savings Plan
The C,F, and I Funds are three of the five funds in the Federal Government’s Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, N.A., of BlackRock, Inc., the largest money manager in the world with over $4.5 trillion under management, manages the C,F, and I…
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Our Charm City Adventure
This past weekend the entire Medallion Group Team made the 45-minute trip up I-95 to the grand ole city of Baltimore for a three-day training conference. We listened to various speakers cover a range of topics related to financial services. Over all, the trip was…
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Reviewing Your SF-50 (with an infographic)
Your SF-50 may be the most important document you have when it comes to your federal benefits. The information on its pages has the power to affect your retirement date, vacation and sick leave accrual, pension vesting, and more. It pays to make sure the…
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Beneficiary Review
Back in 2012, Forbes online published an article titled “ Dead man’s outdated beneficiary documents give one million to ex-wife.” Can you imagine? This guy would probably be turning in his grave if he realized that he accidentally gave one million dollars to the wrong…
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What You Need to Know About DIY Financial Planning
Planning for your own retirement can be stressful, to say the least. Will I have enough money to live? Am I doing it right? What am I missing? Unfortunately, do-it-yourself financial planning often leads to emotional decisions—buying high, selling low, chasing last years’ success stories……
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Understanding Your Survivor Benefits as a Federal Employee
The retirement annuities under CSRS and FERS have a survivor benefit option that can provide your spouse with an annuity after your death. Your spouse’s survivor annuity can be up to 55% of your full retirement annuity if you are a CSRS employee, or up…
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FEGLI: Not Another Pasta Course
When you started your job in one of those cavernous government buildings downtown, you probably knew that you were sacrificing the dream of a corner office or keys to the partners’ restroom in exchange for the infamous federal government employee benefits. The vacation, sick leave,…
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Thrift Savings Plan Funds – A World of Options?
Federal Employees with a Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) have five different funds to choose from. From the ultraconservative G Fund, which invests in short term US Treasuries; to the relatively aggressive I Fund, an investment in a stock index fund that tracks large companies in…
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Is Lunch Killing Your Retirement?
There are so many different retirement savings calculators online. Search the phrase on Google and you’re likely to overload its servers with the possibilities. True, it’s not trending like one of the Kardashian sisters, but we’re talking about retirement savings calculators, not a lead story…
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Medallion Financial Group is Starting a Revolution
Surfing the web to learn about your federal employee retirement benefits? The options don’t look so great, do they? You can try to sift through the textbook-style mountains of data, or read a million articles that are pretty much cut-and-pasted from OPM’s website (and take…
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