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MASON & ASSOCIATES, LLC

Federal Employee Financial Planning: Civil Service Retirement System Part 1 EP3

The Civil Service Retirement System is a public pension fund that was created in January of 1920—and has remained virtually unchanged for over a century. During the coming years, we will see the retirement of the remaining active CSRS employees, so what can they expect? In this episode, Michael, Tommy, and John discuss the benefit calculation, the survivor benefit decision, and the greatest tax loophole ever created.

Listen in as they explain what you should be aware of, as your CSRS employment may be scattered between paper and computer records. You'll learn what happens when you reach the maximum amount of benefits you can get as a CSRS employee, why you should not undervalue a cost of living adjusted guaranteed income stream, and more. 

Listen to the full episode here:

What you will learn:

  • What the employee contribution to CSRS is. (1:49)
  • The hardest part of a retirement calculation as a CSRS employee. (5:35)
  • What happens when you reach the maximum benefit. (11:22)
  • The importance of putting value in a guaranteed income stream. (18:20)
  • The benefit of survivor benefits. (21:24)
  • What you should be aware of if you decline leaving survivor benefits. (26:15)
  • The greatest tax loophole ever created. (28:45)

Ideas worth sharing:

“You can’t just serve two years as a representative in Congress and get a full retirement. You get nothing.” - Mason & Associates, LLC

“You have to have five years [in service] to earn any benefit.” - Mason & Associates, LLC

“The people that get the most out of Social Security are the lowest earning people.” - Mason & Associates, LLC 

Resources from this episode:

 

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