Benchmark Financial Group Blog

As you have probably heard by now, Congress finally agreed upon a new tax plan. While your own individual circumstances might vary from the norm, the following breakdown of the most major changes can help you see how the new tax laws might affect you. More importantly, this might help you begin to think about your budget for 2018 and following...

There are plenty of financial advisors in the world; it seems there is at least one in every town! For most people, the decision to choose an advisor might come down to who is close to home, who has more experience, and who their friends or co-workers recommend. But when you're a federal employee, you must confront an additional criteria for...

As a federal employee, you have the option to set aside money for retirement via your Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). That's on top of your annuity plus Social Security benefits, meaning you have quite a bit of power to establish a healthy retirement income for yourself! So, deciding to utilize your TSP is probably not a difficult decision... But...

Once you retire, you will rely upon your Social Security benefits, your annuity from years of service as a federal employee, and any money saved in your Thrift Savings Plan. That all sounds pretty straightforward, right? But what if you decide to take on a part-time job, start a home-based business, or even begin a new career after you retire? In...

It feels good to give to the less fortunate, especially at this time of year. But, it also feels good to earn a valuable deduction on your income taxes. You can accomplish both of these goals at the same time, by claiming your charitable contributions as a deduction on your federal income tax return in the spring. But, as with any other deduction...