Federal Employee Retirement: FERS, TSP & the Pension Explained

Federal employees have one of the most misunderstood retirement setups out there — and most navigate it alone, with advice from a coworker or a Google search. Branden DuCharme sits down with Trevor Trebbien of Encompass More, who specializes in federal retirement planning, to break down FERS, the TSP, and the pension in plain terms.

In this episode:
- How the FERS pension is calculated (the high-3, years of service, ~1% per year)
- Minimum retirement age (57) and the 20-year mark
- The TSP match — why hitting 5% is a 100% return you can't skip
- The five TSP funds explained: G, F, C, S, and I
- Life cycle funds and the mutual fund window
- Buying back military time to boost your pension
- The Social Security supplement for early federal retirees
- Roth conversion windows and the low-tax years people miss

A practical map of the federal retirement plan, whether you're just starting or close to the finish line.

Chapters:
(00:00) Cold open: the "do it yourself" trap
(00:54) Intro: meet Trevor Trebbien
(01:29) Why federal retirement is do-it-yourself
(02:38) FERS explained: pension, Social Security & TSP
(03:01) How the pension is calculated (age 57, the high-3)
(05:59) The TSP and the three-legged stool
(06:23) The match: why you have to hit 5%
(08:03) The five TSP funds (G, F, C, S, I)
(11:34) Market-cap vs. price weighting: S&P 500 vs. Dow
(13:34) International investing and the US dollar
(17:34) Mutual fund window & life cycle funds
(21:09) The landmines: military buyback & Social Security timing
(23:35) Roth conversions and the low-tax window
(27:16) Where to find Trevor

Contact Us at Ducharmewealth.com
Connect with Trevor Trebbien on LinkedIn (search "Trevor Trebbien").

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Information presented on this program is believed to be factual and up to date, but we do not guarantee its accuracy and it should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subjects discussed. Discussions and answers to questions do not involve the rendering of personalized investment advice, but are limited to the dissemination of general information. A professional advisor should be consulted before implementing any of the options presented. Encompass More Asset Management, LLC is a registered investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and only transacts business in states where it is properly registered, or is excluded or exempted from registration requirements.