Mason & Associates, LLC

10/23/2026

Pension buyout or keep the guaranteed income? It depends, and there's no universal right answer.

Federal and military pensions don't offer a lump sum. But many federal employees, or their spouses, also have a pension from a prior job, and that's where this question often comes up. Before recommending either option, our team looks at:

✓ The pension's internal rate of return
✓ Survivor benefit options and both spouses' ages and health
✓ Whether the pension has a cost-of-living adjustment
✓ How much flexibility you want early in retirement versus guaranteed income for decades

Interest rates matter too. In the past, we often recommended the lump sum for certain pensions. Higher rates have flipped that in many cases, and keeping the monthly pension may now be the better fit.

One more thing worth knowing: advisors paid based on assets under management, including us, have an incentive to recommend the lump sum, since rolling it over adds to the assets they manage. As fiduciaries, we're required to put your interests first, and part of that is putting conflicts like this one on the table. Every situation is different.

10/21/2026

When a spouse passes away, the household doesn't keep both Social Security checks. The survivor keeps the higher of the two, and the other one stops.

In this clip, John Mason, CFP®, explains why that's where a Social Security break-even analysis can fall short for federal employees.

The surviving spouse may be left with one Social Security check, reduced pension income depending on the survivor elections, and a TSP and investment portfolio they've never managed. Add a market that's down 20 to 25%, and they may be selling investments during one of the most stressful times of their life.

At Mason, we believe the decision about when to claim Social Security should plan for one, not just for two. Every situation is different.

👉 Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/aXzzfZERCvM

10/19/2026

Thinking about retiring at 57 under FERS? John Mason, CFP®, walks through how to tell if your pension, FERS supplement, and TSP can support it.

👉 Watch the full video:

Thinking about retiring at 57 under FERS? Learn how an MRA + 30 ret...

10/19/2026

A lot of federal employees I meet think they're behind on retirement. Most of them are in a better position than they realize.

Join Mason & Associates on Tuesday, November 17, in the West Loop to learn what your pension is worth, avoid common TSP and FEGLI mistakes, and understand your survivor benefit and Social Security decisions.

This is not your typical dinner invitation that includes a steak and a sales pitch. Instead, we’ll provide pizza and federal employee-specific education.

Find the details and register here: https://forms.gle/e9Sn2J2PiuSDLKrk9

10/15/2026

Federal employees in the Chicago area: we're coming to you.

Join the Mason team for an in-person lunch and learn: "Ready to Retire? Avoid the Most Common Financial Mistakes Made by Federal Employees."

📅 Tuesday, November 17 | 12:00 PM CT
10 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 875 (West Loop)

This is an educational session, not a sales pitch. Come with your questions about FERS, TSP, Social Security, and the decisions that often trip people up on the way to retirement.

Seating is limited.

👉 Reserve your spot: https://forms.gle/JCToQZZirX2CfE5Q8

Know a federal employee in Chicago who's thinking about retirement? Tag them below.

10/13/2026

Turning 70.5 this year? If giving to charity is part of your plan, there's a strategy worth understanding before you do anything else with your IRA.

It's called a Qualified Charitable Distribution, or QCD, and for many federal employees it's one of the most effective ways to give.

✓ You must be 70.5 or older to use it
✓ It works with Traditional IRAs and Inherited IRAs
✓ Unlike a regular IRA withdrawal, it isn't added to your Adjusted Gross Income or taxable income
✓ It doesn't require itemizing deductions to get the benefit

One thing to know: you can't initiate a QCD directly from a 401(k) or the Thrift Savings Plan, so timing and account structure matter.

10/05/2026

Is claiming Social Security at 62 a mistake for federal employees? A break-even calculation only tells part of the story.

In our latest video, John Mason, CFP®, draws on 17 years of helping people retire to explain why the decision about when to claim should come from your full financial plan and tax plan, not a single calculation.

Here's what's covered:
✓ Why claiming at 62 together could cost you
✓ The advisor conflict of interest few people mention
✓ Questions federal employees and military retirees need to answer first
✓ What happens to Social Security when a spouse dies
✓ The hybrid strategy: one spouse claims at 62, the other at 70
✓ How to delay Social Security without living on less

Every situation is different, and the right timing depends on the full picture.

👉 Watch the full video:

Is claiming Social Security at 62 a mistake for federal retirees?...

09/29/2026

Federal employees often walk into retirement thinking they're behind. In our experience, many are in a stronger position than they realize.

This Thursday, John Mason, CFP®, is hosting a webinar to help you see exactly where you stand.

📅 Avoiding the Common Financial Mistakes Made by Federal Employees
Thursday, October 1 | 12:00 PM ET

He'll cover:
✓ The value of your federal pension
✓ Common TSP and FEGLI mistakes
✓ In-service and retirement survivor benefits
✓ Social Security claiming and tax planning

This is an educational session, not a sales pitch. Come with questions.

👉 Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_v2db94eUR3SEtyK1WGxTaA

09/28/2026

Insurance is one of the least exciting parts of a financial plan. It's also one of the most important.

On this week's episode, John Mason, CFP®, and Tommy Blackburn, CFP®, CPA, PFS, sat down with Broc Buckles, co-founder of BC Brokerage, to talk about why insurance belongs at the foundation. Getting coverage wrong can have a bigger impact than choosing the wrong investment.

For federal employees, that often starts with a few questions:
✓ If your income stopped tomorrow, would your family be covered?
✓ Has your coverage kept up as your assets have grown?
✓ Do you have a plan for potential long-term care costs?

As Broc put it: "Having a plan is the most important thing."

At Mason, we look at insurance as part of the full picture, not a separate product decision. If you'd like a second set of eyes on yours, it's worth a conversation. https://youtu.be/MKffoDjF7bw

09/25/2026

Here's a Social Security claiming strategy our team comes back to again and again: have the lower-earning spouse claim at 62, and have the higher-earning spouse delay until 70.

The higher benefit grows 6 to 8% a year while you wait, plus cost of living adjustments, and whichever spouse lives longer keeps that larger amount for good. With two lifespans in the mix, the odds are good that someone benefits from that decision for a long time.

There's real math behind this strategy, and we always run the numbers. But we also think about what happens emotionally if a spouse passes away and the surviving partner is suddenly managing money alone, especially if the market happens to be down at that moment. Guaranteed income matters in that scenario just as much as growth potential.

Peace of mind is part of the plan, not separate from it.