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 Federal Employees Claim Social Security? (EP114)
Posted March 30, 2026
Is claiming Social Security early really the smartest move, or could it cost you more in the long run? In this episode, you’ll learn how financial planners actually think about claiming strategies beyond the headlines and viral YouTube advice. We break down the real factors that matter and why there’s no “one-size-fits-all” answer when it comes to turning on your benefits. Listen in to hear how claiming decisions fit into a bigger financial plan, from protecting a surviving spouse to managing investment risk and building reliable income. We also walk through real scenarios, the pros and cons of claiming at 62 vs.…
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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