Benchmark Financial Group Blog

Retiring a bit early is something we all dream about, at some point. Who wouldn’t love to skip out of the working world a bit early, and start enjoying a life of leisure? Luckily, for some of us an early retirement is a very real possibility. But because we always caution our readers to consider this decision carefully, from all angles, we did...

Each fall, a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) is announced, and news this impacts Social Security beneficiaries and some federal retirees. Essentially, it means that these individuals will receive a bit more money in their monthly checks. However, current federal employees often get this news mixed up with news regarding their own pay. “Does this...

As you plan for retirement, it’s always a good idea to examine your budget more carefully. You can reap two primary benefits by cutting back on expenses: First, you free up more money that you can use to pay down debt or stash in your Thrift Savings Account. Second, you can reduce your living expenses so that easing into retirement will feel...

The Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) is one of the most comprehensive retirement benefits packages in the country. But with “comprehensive” system, comes “complex” rules and procedures. The FERS system can be confusing to most people, particularly the annuity part. These three facts tend to be misunderstood... Your COLA probably won’t...

When you retire, you will have the opportunity to pull income from three different sources: Your annuity, your Social Security benefits, and your Thrift Savings Plan (if you chose to contribute to it). This three-tiered system might contribute to greater stability, but of course nothing is guaranteed. Thorough planning is still necessary at every...