Case Study

GS-14 Retires 3 Years Early with Full Benefits

[PLACEHOLDER] How a long-tenured federal employee used PlanWell's comprehensive planning to move up their retirement date without giving up a dollar of income.

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Client Profile

Role [PLACEHOLDER] Program Analyst
Agency [PLACEHOLDER] Department of Defense
GS Grade [PLACEHOLDER] GS-14, Step 8
Years of Service [PLACEHOLDER] 28 years
Age at Engagement [PLACEHOLDER] 55
Primary Goal [PLACEHOLDER] Retire as early as possible without reducing income
The Challenge

[PLACEHOLDER] Overwhelmed by Complexity

[PLACEHOLDER] After nearly three decades of federal service, this client felt ready to retire but was unsure whether the numbers actually worked. Like many federal employees approaching retirement, they faced several overlapping concerns:

  • [PLACEHOLDER] Did not fully understand how their FERS pension, TSP, and Social Security fit together
  • [PLACEHOLDER] Worried about a potential income gap between retirement and Social Security eligibility
  • [PLACEHOLDER] Unsure how to sequence TSP withdrawals to minimize taxes
  • [PLACEHOLDER] Had accumulated over 2,000 hours of sick leave but did not know how it applied to their pension calculation
  • [PLACEHOLDER] Spouse had concerns about survivor benefit costs versus actual protection
  • [PLACEHOLDER] Previous advisor had recommended waiting until age 60 with no analysis to support the recommendation
The PlanWell Approach

[PLACEHOLDER] A Three-Phase Engagement

1

FERS Workshop

[PLACEHOLDER] The client first attended our free retirement workshop, where they learned how FERS pension calculations work, how sick leave credits are applied, and how TSP withdrawal strategies can dramatically affect after-tax retirement income.

Free Workshop
2

Personalized Benefits Report

[PLACEHOLDER] We produced a 22-page report analyzing the client's specific situation. The report revealed that their sick leave balance alone added nearly 12 months of creditable service to their pension calculation, which they had not accounted for.

Benefits Report
3

Comprehensive Financial Plan

[PLACEHOLDER] The full plan integrated pension optimization, TSP withdrawal sequencing, Roth conversion strategy, FEHB plan selection, and survivor benefit analysis into a cohesive retirement roadmap that moved their target date from age 60 to age 57.

Comprehensive Planning
The Results

[PLACEHOLDER] Before and After PlanWell

Before PlanWell

  • [PLACEHOLDER] Planning to retire at age 60
  • [PLACEHOLDER] No TSP withdrawal strategy
  • [PLACEHOLDER] Unaware of sick leave pension credit
  • [PLACEHOLDER] Paying for maximum survivor benefits without analysis
  • [PLACEHOLDER] No Roth conversion plan
  • [PLACEHOLDER] Estimated $72,000 in unnecessary taxes over first 5 years

After PlanWell

  • [PLACEHOLDER] Retired at age 57 - three years early
  • [PLACEHOLDER] Optimized TSP withdrawal sequencing by account type
  • [PLACEHOLDER] Sick leave added 12 months of creditable service
  • [PLACEHOLDER] Right-sized survivor benefits saving $3,200/year
  • [PLACEHOLDER] Strategic Roth conversions in low-income bridge years
  • [PLACEHOLDER] Projected $47,000 in tax savings over first 5 years
[PLACEHOLDER] 3 Years Earlier Retirement
[PLACEHOLDER] $47,000 Projected Tax Savings (5 Years)
[PLACEHOLDER] $3,200/yr Survivor Benefit Optimization
[PLACEHOLDER] 12 Months Additional Creditable Service from Sick Leave

"[PLACEHOLDER] I spent 28 years serving my country and assumed I would need to work until 60 to make the numbers work. PlanWell showed me that with the right strategy, I could retire three years early and actually come out ahead financially. The peace of mind alone was worth it."

[PLACEHOLDER] - Client Name [PLACEHOLDER] GS-14, Department of Defense (Retired)

Want Results Like These?

Every federal employee's situation is different, but the approach is the same: understand your benefits, build a strategy, and retire with confidence.

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