r/govfire

Financial snapshot
37m and 36f. Two kids (17 and 4). Our annual salary is 280-300k. Our monthly spending is about 7k with groceries and everything else. Take home around 15k after maxing 401ks, healthcare and taxes. Saving approximately 8k a month but living very frugal that is costing us our marriage being cheap

Assets:
- 330k in retirement vehicles. (100k Roth rest traditional)
- 120k taxable brokerage
- 40k emergency fund
- 15k precious metals
- 260K townhome fully paid off
- 40k 529 for 17 year old daughter (going to community college and state school while living with us
- 15k 529 for 4 year old
- own two other vehicles free and clear

Debts
- one car for 26k at 0% interest.

Notes: I work for the federal government so will be able to get healthcare during retirement beginning at 57. I will receive around 3600 with survivor benefit for wife for a pension and anticipate I’ll need around 10k a month in retirement.

Question - have we hit our coast fire number? Can we now just do the employer match while continue to max our Roth IRAs (60k in Roth IRA specifically) to retire by 57 in 20 years?

I didn’t start investing until 2024 and grew our net worth pretty considerable over the last two years but it’s costing me my marriage. We don’t go out to eat or do vacations just been saving and I need to find a better balance but not sure if I can let off the gas pedal yet to make up for lost time

Coast fire calculators each tell me something different as to how close I am. Calculating with a pension might be what’s throwing it off as I think I believe I’m close using the 25 yrs/4% math. I’m looking to spread extra savings around but unsure of best spot which is why I’m trying to get an accurate picture. Here are some details:

TSP: 505k
RothTSP: 45k
HSA: 7k
HYSA: 36k
Spend*: 74k after retirement savings (max TSP and HSA). In retirement, want spend to be higher, 85-90k.
41M, no kids

Have ~1k/month* to invest outside of TSP/HSA, debating brokerage or IRA. Put extra funds in a brokerage since all money is tied into 401k/ROTH TSP to help with bridge before 57? I guess ROTH TSP is not as easy to access early as a regular ROTH IRA…an argument for back door IRA? Pension I estimate between 50-65k, pending whether I defer retirement with 20+ yrs or at MRA & 30, and in a HCOL. Looking to be done done between 53-57.

Given the above + pension, I think I’m pretty close to coast FIRE? Spend includes the extra 1k per month. If I am indeed at coast, I might reduce some of the 401k contributions for brokerage or HYSA as I’d like a little more lifestyle creep..not much, but a little. I will have a mortgage into retirement..low interest so I haven’t thought of aggressively paying it off.

For the govfire people who either retired overseas or seriously considered it, did any of you decide the extra years for FEHB just weren’t worth it?

We already know we want to retire overseas either way. Right now the plan is to stay until around 50 because that should maximize our investments pretty substantially, and ideally both kids will be through college by then with us covering most or all of it. Beyond that though, I keep questioning whether staying all the way until MRA + 30 actually makes sense for us.

I understand the value of FEHB and the immediate pension, but healthcare costs in many countries overseas are dramatically lower than in the US, so it feels like the calculation changes a bit compared to retiring stateside.

At some point it starts feeling less like a math problem and more like weighing healthy years versus additional security. Curious how others approached that decision, especially people who retired abroad and walked away from the "golden handcuffs."

Hello, I am a Federal Employee looking for referrals/recommendations of financial planners with the ChFEBC/CFP designations for fee-only financial advice. Any guidance will be much appreciated.

I have worked for the Veterans Health Administration for almost 12 years (currently 38 years old) and I had intended to work there until I retired, but I don't think I can stay any longer. Since the beginning of 2025 my department has lost several staff members that we've been told could not be replaced due to the hiring freeze and now due to budget/productivity issues. We are continuously blamed for the productivity issues which we basically can't solve without more staff, and I have been yelled at by my boss so frequently that I just can't take any more. I'm planning to start getting things together so I can put in my 30 days notice around the beginning of June.

I know I will need to transfer my retirement funds to some kind of management company outside of the VA, though I don't fully understand that process based on what I've read about it. I will be able to get insurance through my husband, so that's covered. I have a life insurance policy, not sure if I can transfer that somewhere or if I just lose the money that's been put it. I feel like there are probably other things I need to do before I leave (financially speaking) and I'm worried that I'm going to miss something. I never thought I would leave the VA and now I feel unprepared but I think I have to do it for the sake of my health.

I am 44 and my TSP balance just hit $1 million! I can’t really tell anyone in real life except my husband, so wanted to share here. My plan is to work til MRA unless they offer a VERA at 55.

Retired from VA. Using FEHB health insurance. Turning 65 soon. I'm expected to start paying into Medicare B. What is the benefit of paying for both? I know the secondary covers leftover bills from the primary. But, how likely is it that we will come out ahead after paying for Medicare B. FEHB is great. It covers both of us for life. Has anyone just used it?

Hello all, I'm military so don't have FERS obviously and don't know the ins and outs. My wife has worked about 5 years with the gov but switched agencies, and has had some messed up W2s in the past so it's hard to see the total amount she's contributed to FERS. Is there any site that will show her total contributions? She's not sure she wants to stick with federal service long term.

TIA

We use my SO's health insurance so I have never used the insurance provided. I still have over 10 years until I can retire but want to be able to take fed health insurance into retirement. What is the cheapest health plan I can sign up for to make sure I have insurance 5 years prior to retirement?

How much liquid cash in a money market (4.5%) / HYS bank account (3%) should you have? How do you decide to invest vs keep cash on hand? Trying to decide if i should invest more of the cash or leave myself as is.

Looking for an answer in terms of multiple of gross / net / expenses, and for strategies when a large purchase shows up? Do you reduce investments and take a loan? Do you plan ahead or have some saved?

I have been following the common advice of 6 months of expenses in an 'emergency' fund, which i have fortunately not had to touch, except a little during the last furlough.

I have essentially another 6 month supply of expenses, but it was originally for large purchases I might want to buy / planning to buy in 3-5 years (home upgrades, an extended vacation), but it seems i've just been holding it so starting to think to invest more of it, and when i do buy those things, just reduce my investments for a few months or take a small loan, which might be better long term.

Trying to figure out how to factor in my pensions into retirement savings. I'm currently 32. From my city job I'm eligible to collect at 48, and I tried to estimate a reasonable position based on expected promotions and the current pay rate for that position, but potentially I could advance past that and stay longer and acrue a higher rate. For the national guard pension with my deployment time I can collect 2 years early at 58, after an 18 year gap if I retire from that at 40. Also a rough estimate based on expected points and today's pay rates. I'll also get some amount of social security but it's hard to calculate how much to expect right now. Here's where I'm at right now in terms of retirement:

City Pension estimated value today's dollars: $5480/month at age 48

VA disability: $2074/mo currently receiving

National Guard pension estimated value today's dollars: $1250/mo at age 58

Social security: ???

Current retirement specific accounts:

457b: 105k pretax

Roth TSP: 124k

Roth IRA: 125k

Not sure if I'm at the point where I should dial back the retirement contributions and focus on other avenues. I also have some investments outside of the retirement accounts I might want to tap for things prior to retiring.

Hi All,

I'm reflecting on my career, I graduated from MIT (bachelors and masters) 21 years ago and have 11 years of working as an engineer in the federal gov. I'm 45 now, and live in a high cost location (San Diego). I'm a topped out GS-13 and after breaking my back doing so many additional collateral duties for the last 6 years, I was recently told I can't be promoted without taking on bigger projects and they don't just appear out of thin air. I'm at the burnt out stage now and taking a break isn't the answer, I'll be coming back to frustrations (traffic, parking nightmares, office BS politics, stupid micromanagement, turmoil from the administration, etc).

I estimate FEHB in retirement being worth $600k but maybe I'm off (I don't know how to estimate this). I also don't know if I want to stay another 12 years to reach MRA and keep FEHB. Each year longer I stay, the less it makes sense to leave though if I start to consider the FERS pension/FEHB together!

I could cash out (sell house etc) and have $1.3M plus the $441k that's in my TSP, plus ~$45k FERS contributions I should get back and ~$30k in comp/vacation time (after taxes).

I'm single, chances of starting a family and getting married seem shot... I could buy a house in areas like Melbourne Florida for $350k cash and still get to surf (a big passion of mine) and have decent leftover, but the health insurance worries me. I should be able to work as a contractor from anywhere since I have a connection that works with my current gov org that said to reach out if I want to leave fed service but not sure if my frustrations will just follow me. I could also maybe day trade stock with some of my nest and avoid having any actual job or start a surf school 😄

If I was earlier in my career I'd just bail when I find something else. If I was closer to retirement the answer is obvious, stay to retain FEHB but I'm right damn in the middle and not quite at the typical $2M number most say is needed to reach financial independence! I also feel time passing quick and I don't want to be unhappy frequently either.

Does anyone have advice? I don't really think leaving and coming back 5 years before MRA is easy.. also I left gov service in 2008 and came back in 2016 and that may make it harder. If I leave San Diego I'm not returning unless I'm really rich but I don't want to live anywhere I can't surf.

Hi All,

I'm reflecting on my career, I graduated from MIT (bachelors and masters) 21 years ago and have 11 years of working as an engineer in the federal gov. I'm 45 now, and live in a high cost location (San Diego). I'm a topped out GS-13 and after breaking my back doing so many additional collateral duties for the last 6 years, I was recently told I can't be promoted without taking on bigger projects and they don't just appear out of thin air. I'm at the burnt out stage now and taking a break isn't the answer, I'll be coming back to frustrations (traffic, parking nightmares, office BS politics, stupid micromanagement, turmoil from the administration, etc).

I estimate FEHB in retirement being worth $600k but maybe I'm off (I don't know how to estimate this). I also don't know if I want to stay another 12 years to reach MRA and keep FEHB. Each year longer I stay, the less it makes sense to leave though if I start to consider the FERS pension/FEHB together!

I could cash out (sell house etc) and have $1.3M plus the $441k that's in my TSP, plus ~$45k FERS contributions I should get back and ~$30k in comp/vacation time (after taxes).

I'm single, chances of starting a family and getting married seem shot... I could buy a house in areas like Melbourne Florida for $350k cash and still get to surf (a big passion of mine) and have decent leftover, but the health insurance worries me. I should be able to work as a contractor from anywhere since I have a connection that works with my current gov org that said to reach out if I want to leave fed service but not sure if my frustrations will just follow me. I could also maybe day trade stock with some of my nest and avoid having any actual job or start a surf school 😄

If I was earlier in my career I'd just bail when I find something else. If I was closer to retirement the answer is obvious, stay to retain FEHB but I'm right damn in the middle and not quite at the typical $2M number most say is needed to reach financial independence! I also feel time passing quick and I don't want to be unhappy frequently either.

Does anyone have advice? I don't really think leaving and coming back 5 years before MRA is easy.. also I left gov service in 2008 and came back in 2016 and that may make it harder. If I leave San Diego I'm not returning unless I'm really rich but I don't want to live anywhere I can't surf.

What are you doing when you're 6 months from retirement?

Do you have a checklist of things to take care of and/or button up before you retire early (aside of what is required from personnel/HR)?

I meet with my retirement office on the 27th of this month (our retirement system suggests we start this process 6 months out). We'll go over numbers. They'll direct me to HR who will give me a list of things to do, forms to complete, etc.

I'd guess that HR will tell my agency so the real stand-up thing to do is to go ahead and tell my supervisor (before HR does). (Our retirement system doesn't actually state at what timeframe we should tell our employer/supervisor.)

Other than run your numbers (which I have a million times), what else are you doing/taking care of when you're 6 months out/have a free months to go until retiring early?

I'm 50 and will be 51 when I retire.

On 1/2/27 make 30 years which will put me at 75% of FAC.

My last day will be 12/23 and official retirement date is 1/2/27.

(State government with civil service protections as of now. Our state is putting classified civil servants' protections up for vote this Saturday. Yes, the same state that tossed 45K ballots for Saturday's election.)

Is it just after tax tsp with all the same investment options, or is there another platform that allows you to invest in other things? I can’t find anything on this?

Considering pulling the plug soon. Curious to know some opinions from others about my numbers/situation.

52/M/divorced/no kids. No family, no real friends. Just a few people I talk to now and then. Pretty much just sitting in my house everyday alone. I’m a current fed, GS12 step 10. I’m well beyond burnout. Have around 19 years of service right now.

TSP: $505k 70% C, 30% I.

Brokerage: $720k

Cash: $30k

Crypto: $10k

Gold/silver: $60k

I’m medically retired from the military so I’m 100% P&T rated ($4k monthly.)

Only debt is my house ($400k…$2800 monthly.)

I own another property outright that’s currently worth around $400k. It isn’t a rental. It’s just land. It will be sold at some point just not sure when yet.

Monthly expenses are about $6k average.

Healthcare is covered since I’m medically retired from the military.

My thought is; I can live on my 100% and brokerage for seven years until I’m 59.5, then have access to my TSP. By then, it should be around $800k or so. Between now and then, I anticipate selling my land. That will add a nice cushion. I’ve already had several offers for the land even though it isn’t advertised for sale. There’s a lot of interest so I’m confident it will sell. It’s zoned commercial and the development in the area is exploding. It will likely sell for more than what it’s worth right now, depending on how long I wait. Then at 62, I have social security and fers. According to ssa, my SS at 62 will be around $1900 per month and fers will be around $2200 if I stop working this year. The only thing I want to do is focus on maintaining my health (I have a home gym so I want to really step up my workouts) want to focus more on what I eat, and I want to travel. I want to stop buying the wine, stop buying the occasional junk that I eat, start hitting the treadmill a couple times each day rather than 3-4 times per week…just want to focus on being healthy.

My financial advisor says I’m good to go. AI says I’m good to go. What do you think?