When should a federal employee start retirement planning?

Five years before your planned retirement date is ideal. Three years gives you enough time to buy back service if it makes sense, max out TSP catch-up contributions, and time TSP allocation changes. Less than 12 months out is workable but tight.

What does a federal retirement benefits advisor in St. Petersburg do that an HR specialist does not?

HR explains how the rules work. A federal retirement consultant tells you what to do — when to retire, how to elect survivor benefits, when to claim Social Security, and how to draw down TSP given your full financial picture. HR does not give that kind of personalized advice.

Should I roll my TSP into an IRA when I retire?

Sometimes — sometimes not. The TSP has the lowest expense ratios in the retirement industry. Rolling out only makes sense if you need investment options the TSP does not offer (e.g., specific annuity strategies). We model both before recommending.

What is the FERS Special Retirement Supplement?

It is a benefit paid to FERS retirees who retire before 62 — it bridges the gap until Social Security becomes available. It is calculated as if you had earned Social Security only from your federal service, and it stops at age 62 whether or not you start Social Security at that age.

How much does federal retirement planning cost?

Initial consultation is free. We offer fee-only planning, commission-based product implementation, or a hybrid — whichever fits your needs. We disclose all compensation in writing before any work begins.

St. Petersburg, FL

Federal Retirement Consultant in St. Petersburg, FL

FERS, TSP, FEHB, and Social Security — coordinated into one retirement income plan.

Schedule a Free Consultation Call (727) 542-7659

Federal retirement is its own world. Between FERS pension calculations, TSP withdrawal options, FEHB into retirement, the special retirement supplement, and survivor benefit elections, the decisions you make in the 12 months before retirement lock in income for the rest of your life. Advanced Capital Management is a federal retirement consultant in St. Petersburg, FL working specifically with current and former federal employees who want a coordinated plan — not five separate conversations with five separate vendors. We build retirement income planning for federal employees that ties FERS, TSP, Social Security, and any private savings into one strategy.

Why ACM

Federal-specific — we work with FERS, TSP, CSRS, and FERS Transferees regularly, not as a side specialty.

Coordinated — FERS, Social Security, TSP, and any private retirement accounts modeled in one plan.

Fee-transparent — fee-only planning options available; product compensation disclosed in writing when applicable.

Local — based in Florida, available virtually for federal employees throughout the St. Petersburg metro.

What Federal Employee Retirement Planning Actually Covers

Federal Retirement Consultant reviewing FERS and TSP benefits for a St. Petersburg, FL federal employee.

As your federal retirement benefits advisor in St. Petersburg, we walk through every component of your federal benefits before you submit retirement paperwork. FERS pension calculation — high-3 average, years of creditable service, age multiplier — and whether buying back military or temporary service is worth the cost. TSP withdrawal strategy — installment payments, single withdrawal, partial withdrawal, or rollover to IRA — and the tax implications of each. FEHB into retirement — the eligibility rules and how your premiums are paid in retirement. The FERS Special Retirement Supplement — who qualifies, how it is calculated, and when it stops.

Federal employee retirement planning in St. Petersburg also requires coordinating with private-sector strategy. Most federal retirees end up with three income streams: FERS pension, Social Security, and TSP withdrawals. Each is taxed differently. The order in which you draw them affects your lifetime tax bill by tens of thousands of dollars. We model the sequence and recommend the draw-down order that minimizes tax drag.

Survivor benefit elections are another decision that cannot be undone. The FERS survivor annuity reduces your monthly pension in exchange for a continued payment to your spouse if you pass first. Whether to elect full, partial, or no survivor benefit depends on your spouse's own income, your life insurance, and your overall asset base. As a retirement consultant for federal employees, we help you make this decision with full information — not under pressure from an HR deadline.

Serving St. Petersburg & Surrounding Areas

We work with federal employees from the VA, Department of Defense, Social Security Administration, IRS, Postal Service, and other federal agencies based in or near St. Petersburg. The Bay Pines VA Healthcare System is one of the largest federal employers in the area, and we have helped many of their employees navigate FERS retirement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Other Services in St. Petersburg

Looking in Tampa? See our Tampa federal retirement planning advisor.

Schedule a Federal Retirement Planning Consultation

Free 30-minute consultation. Bring your most recent FERS retirement estimate, TSP statement, and Social Security earnings statement — we will review everything and outline next steps.