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.

Access the full show notes at Mason & Associates, LLC

Resources Mentioned:

• Federal Survivor Benefits eBook
• Refer a Friend
• Webinar Registration
• Episode 73: Maximizing Social Security with Elaine Floyd
• Social Security Shake-Up: What Proposed Changes Mean for Federal Employees
• Mason & Associates: LinkedIn
• John Mason: LinkedIn
• Tommy Blackburn: LinkedIn

What if being financially ready for retirement is only half of the equation? In this episode, we sit down with Bob Laura, financial planner, speaker, author of Retirement Intelligence, and pioneer in the psychology and social science of retirement and legacy planning. He joins us to share how to prepare for the transition beyond the numbers and create a meaningful retirement before you leave the workforce.

Access the full show notes at Mason & Associates, LLC

Resources Mentioned:

• Fill out the Mason & Associates Podcast Listener Survey for a chance to win a copy of Retirement Intelligence
• Retirement Intelligence by Bob Laura
• Bob Laura: LinkedIn
• Mason & Associates: LinkedIn
• John Mason: LinkedIn
• Tommy Blackburn: LinkedIn

How do you know if you're truly on track for retirement? And what should you be doing differently at 30, 40, 50… or just six months from leaving federal service? In this episode, John and Tommy break down retirement readiness by life stage, exploring the financial, tax, investment, insurance, and estate planning decisions that matter at different points in your career.

Access the full show notes at Mason & Associates, LLC

Resources Mentioned:

• Mason & Associates: LinkedIn
• John Mason: LinkedIn
• Tommy Blackburn: LinkedIn

Could a single dollar cost you hundreds more in Medicare premiums? In this mailbag episode, we answer some of the most common retirement planning questions from listeners, beginning with how to avoid IRMAA surcharges and why Medicare planning really starts at age 63. You'll learn how strategies like Roth conversions, bracket-topping, and Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) work and why every strategy should be tailored to your individual financial plan.

Access the full show notes at Mason & Associates, LLC

Resources Mentioned:

• Mason & Associates: LinkedIn
• John Mason: LinkedIn
• Tommy Blackburn: LinkedIn

What questions do federal employees need answered before making major retirement decisions? In this mailbag episode, John and Tommy tackle listener questions about the FERS annuity supplement, Social Security taxes, Social Security claiming strategies, and retirement income planning. You'll learn how returning to work after retirement can impact your supplement, how to manage Social Security tax withholding, and why retirement decisions require more than a simple one-size-fits-all answer.

Access the full show notes at Mason & Associates, LLC

Resources Mentioned:

• Mason & Associates: LinkedIn
• John Mason: LinkedIn
• Tommy Blackburn: LinkedIn

What really happens behind the scenes after 350+ client meetings in just six weeks—and what do those conversations reveal about how people are thinking about money, life, and the future? John and Tommy wrapped up their 2026 Strategic Planning Meeting season earlier this quarter, and in this episode, they are going over some of the top questions their federal employee clients asked.

Access the full show notes at Mason & Associates, LLC

Resources Mentioned:

• Mason & Associates: LinkedIn
• John Mason: LinkedIn
• Tommy Blackburn: LinkedIn

Saving for retirement is only half the battle; knowing how to get your money out without getting burned by taxes or rigid rules is where things get complicated. In this episode, John and Tommy dive deep into the specific Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) mistakes that are rarely talked about but can cost federal employees thousands. From the operational headaches of unfair tax withholdings to the danger of default account selections, they share exactly how to maintain control of your wealth.

Access the full show notes at Mason & Associates, LLC

Resources Mentioned:

• Mason & Associates: LinkedIn
• John Mason: LinkedIn
• Tommy Blackburn: LinkedIn

Are you maximizing the true value of your federal benefits, or are you unintentionally leaving money on the table? In this special episode, John and Tommy present an updated version of a classic seminar originally created by the firm's founders in the 1990s—now made current for 2026. They break down the unique complexities of the FERS system and expose the critical blind spots that often lead federal employees to make major, irreversible retirement mistakes.

Access the full show notes at Mason & Associates, LLC

Resources Mentioned:

• Mason & Associates: LinkedIn
• John Mason: LinkedIn
• Tommy Blackburn: LinkedIn