Federal Employee Financial Planning Podcast
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Financial Planning & Education
John Mason, CFP®, Tommy Blackburn, CFP®, CPA, PFS, and Ben Raikes, CFP®, EA bring over four decades of combined experience in financial planning and tax strategy to Mason & Associates, specializing in helping federal employees navigate their unique benefits and retirement decisions. They’re honored to answer your most pressing financial questions on the podcast!
Ready to work with us? If you’re a federal employee looking for comprehensive financial planning, we’d love to talk.
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Have a question for the show? We love hearing from listeners. Send us your questions by emailing masonfp@masonllc.net, and it may be featured in a future episode!
Real Financial Planners. Real Stories.
Mason & Associates is an independent, fee-only financial planning firm located in Newport News, Virginia. Our team holds credentials including CFP®, CPA, EA, RICP, and BFA™, and we specialize in providing financial planning and tax planning advice to federal employees. We serve clients locally and throughout the United States.
We’re financial planners first – actively serving clients and accepting new relationships – who share our real-world experience through educational content. The Federal Employee Financial Planning Podcast isn’t theory; it’s decades of hands-on experience helping federal employees navigate FERS, TSP, and retirement planning. Every episode draws from actual client situations and the complex benefits questions we help solve daily.
Are you ready to move from general education to personalized advice? We’re here to help!
Federal Employee Financial Planning Podcast
John Mason, CFP®, Michael Mason, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, Tommy Blackburn, CFP®, CPA, PFS, and Ben Raikes, CFP®, EA, host the Federal Employee Financial Planning Podcast. The episodes discuss a wide range of federal benefits, tax and financial planning strategies, and at times features guests from other areas of the financial industry.
Latest Podcast Episode
FEFP: When Should I Start Taking Social Security? (EP126)
Posted September 14, 2026
When should you claim Social Security, and how do you know if the “optimal” strategy actually fits your retirement plan? In this episode, we react to a White Coat Investor article exploring whether Social Security should be claimed early and invested or delayed for a larger guaranteed benefit. You’ll learn why Social Security optimization is about more than a simple break-even calculation, how delaying one spouse’s benefit to age 70 can create higher lifetime and survivor income, and why federal employees may have more flexibility because of their pensions and other guaranteed income sources. Listen in to hear about the…
YouTube Channel
Federal Employee YouTube Favorites- Best Retirement Days, TSP Mistakes, and Survivor Tips
Don’t Close Thrift Savings Plan
Federal Employees- Do Not Decline Survivor Benefits!
Avoid the Common Financial Planning Mistakes Made by Federal Employees
Financial Planning and
Federal Employee Benefits Education
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