Fee-Only Financial Advisor for Federal Employees in Arizona

Arizona's federal civilian workforce

Beyond the civilian staff at Luke Air Force Base and Davis-Monthan Air Force Base — covered in our military families guide — Arizona is home to a substantial federal civilian workforce: the VA health system serving Phoenix and Tucson veterans, the Bureau of Reclamation managing the Colorado River system, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Social Security Administration, IRS offices, National Park Service staff at the Grand Canyon and elsewhere, and Border Patrol and other Department of Homeland Security personnel along Arizona's border with Mexico.

Understanding FERS

The Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) — covering most federal employees hired since 1987 — combines three income sources: a modest defined-benefit pension (the "Basic Benefit"), Social Security, and the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), a 401(k)-style account with government matching. Getting the most out of all three pieces together, rather than optimizing any one in isolation, is the core of FERS retirement planning.

Key decisions a fee-only advisor helps with

TSP allocation and rollover decisions at career transitions, weighing the TSP's low costs against a wider fund lineup elsewhere.
FERS Supplement eligibility and timing for those retiring before 62, since eligibility rules exclude some early-retirement paths.
FEHB continuation and Medicare coordination at 65, including the enrollment requirements that must be met before retirement to keep FEHB coverage.
Survivor benefit elections for a spouse, modeled against alternatives like term life insurance.

How to find one

Browse the Arizona Fee Only directory and ask candidates directly about experience with FERS, TSP, and FEHB planning specifically.

Frequently asked questions

Which Arizona employers count as federal civilian employers?

Arizona has a substantial federal civilian workforce beyond its military installations, including civilian staff at Luke Air Force Base and Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, the VA health system in Phoenix and Tucson, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Social Security Administration, the IRS, National Park Service staff at the Grand Canyon and other Arizona parks, and Border Patrol and other Department of Homeland Security personnel along Arizona's border with Mexico.

What is FERS, and how is it different from a typical 401(k)?

The Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) combines three income sources: a modest defined-benefit pension (the 'Basic Benefit'), Social Security, and the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), a 401(k)-style account with government matching. Most federal employees hired since 1987 are covered by FERS rather than the older CSRS system, which had no TSP matching component.

Is the TSP a good place to keep retirement savings, or should I roll it into an IRA?

The TSP has some of the lowest expense ratios available anywhere, so keeping funds there through retirement is often perfectly reasonable rather than automatically rolling into an IRA at separation. The right answer depends on the investment options you'd move to, how much you value the TSP's specific withdrawal rules, and whether you want access to a wider fund lineup. A fee-only advisor evaluates this without an incentive to move your assets onto their own platform.

What is the FERS Supplement, and who gets it?

The FERS Supplement is an additional payment some federal employees who retire before age 62 receive, designed to approximate the Social Security benefit they've earned under FERS until they become eligible for actual Social Security at 62. Eligibility rules are specific (they generally exclude MRA+10 early retirees, for example), so confirm your own eligibility rather than assuming based on a colleague's situation.

How does FEHB (federal health insurance) factor into retirement planning?

Continuing Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) coverage into retirement requires meeting specific enrollment requirements before you retire, and coordinating FEHB with Medicare at 65 is its own decision with several viable strategies. This is a common and valuable fee-only planning conversation for federal employees approaching retirement.