Your Federal Benefits Are More Complex Than a Standard Retirement Plan. We Know the Difference.
Federal retirement comes with a system built entirely on its own rules — and getting it wrong costs you years of income, benefits, and security you've already earned. At PDR Planners, we work with federal employees nationwide to bring every piece of your benefits picture into a coordinated plan that's built around your life, not a generic template.
What Makes Federal Retirement Planning Different
Most financial advisors understand IRAs and 401(k)s. Federal employee retirement planning requires a different depth of knowledge entirely. FERS pension calculations, TSP contribution strategies, FEHB coverage decisions at retirement, FEGLI conversion windows, and the interaction between your federal annuity and Social Security all require careful coordination — and a single misstep in timing or elections can permanently reduce what you receive.
We hold the Federal Retirement Coach (FRC) designation, which reflects specialized training in the federal benefits system. That foundation shapes how we approach every client relationship.



Federal Benefits We Help You Plan Around
Why a Retirement Strategy Is Different from a Savings Plan
Your retirement isn't built on one benefit — it's built on several working together. We help federal employees understand, coordinate, and maximize each component of the federal system:
FERS & CSRS Pension: calculating your annuity, understanding survivor benefit elections, and timing your retirement date for maximum benefit
Thrift Savings Plan (TSP): contribution strategy, fund allocation, and rollover decisions as you approach and enter retirement
FEHB in retirement: evaluating whether to carry coverage into retirement, how it interacts with Medicare, and what it costs over time
FEGLI life insurance: reviewing your coverage elections and understanding conversion and portability options before your window closes
Social Security: coordinating your Social Security claiming strategy with your federal annuity to optimize lifetime income
Frequently Asked Questions
When should a federal employee start working with a retirement planner?
What is the Federal Retirement Coach (FRC) designation?
Do you work with federal employees outside of Virginia?
How does FERS retirement differ from a standard 401(k)-based retirement?
Can you help me decide whether to keep FEHB coverage when I retire?
