What you’ll learn
Retirement is in sight. This track focuses on the decisions that happen in the final stretch: the Special Retirement Supplement that bridges you to age 62, choosing a retirement date, claiming Social Security, drawing down the TSP, and stress-testing the whole plan before you commit.
Lessons
10 lessons · 10 available- 01The Special Retirement Supplement (SRS)The bridge payment that approximates Social Security from retirement until age 62, and who qualifies.13 min read
- 02The SRS earnings testHow wages earned after retirement can reduce or eliminate your supplement before age 62.11 min read
- 03Timing your retirement dateHow end-of-month and leave-year rules affect your first annuity check and final leave payout.11 min read
- 04Lump-sum annual leave payout: what to expectHow your final annual-leave balance converts to a one-time payment at your separating pay rate.10 min read
- 05Final survivor benefit decisionLocking in your survivor election at retirement and what it costs over the life of the annuity.9 min read
- 06Social Security claiming alongside your FERS annuityHow claiming age changes your benefit and how it interacts with the SRS and your pension.11 min read
- 07Social Security spousal benefits and who else qualifiesWho else your record can pay: a spouse, an ex-spouse of ten years, your minor children, and a surviving spouse.10 min read
- 08TSP withdrawal strategies and the 4% ruleCommon approaches to drawing income from your TSP without running out of money.10 min read
- 09Sequence-of-returns risk and why Monte Carlo mattersWhy the order of market returns early in retirement can make or break a plan.9 min read
- 10Your retirement-readiness checklistA final pass across income, savings, debt, and timing before you submit your paperwork.9 min read
Common questions
- Who is the late career FERS track for?
This track is for federal employees within about five years of retiring, or with 25 or more years of service. It covers the decisions made in the final stretch: the Special Retirement Supplement that can bridge you to age 62, choosing a retirement date, claiming Social Security alongside your pension, and drawing down your TSP. It ends with a readiness checklist to run before you file your paperwork.
- Where should I start if I plan to retire before 62?
Start with the Special Retirement Supplement lesson. Eligible retirees receive the supplement from retirement until age 62, and it approximates the Social Security benefit earned during federal service. If you plan to work after retiring, read the SRS earnings test next, because wages above an annual limit can reduce the supplement. Then read the Social Security claiming lesson to see how the supplement ending at 62 fits your claiming age.
The Special Retirement SupplementThe SRS earnings testSocial Security claiming
- Does the late career track cover the retirement application?
Not here. The application itself is covered in the Retiring This Year track, which starts where this one ends. It explains the SF-3107 packet, how long OPM takes to finalize your annuity, how interim payments bridge the wait, and what lands in your final paycheck. This track covers the planning decisions, and that one covers the paperwork and the first year after you leave.
Put this track to work
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