What Should My Spouse Know Before I Retire From The Firehouse?
The pension election packet doesn’t look dramatic when it lands on the kitchen table. It usually looks like ordinary paperwork, with a few pages of estimates, a handful of boxes to check, maybe a signature line for your spouse, and a deadline that feels far enough away to ignore for another week. Inside that packet, […]
What Happens Financially If I Get Hurt Off Duty?
What Happens Financially If I Get Hurt Off Duty? Lieutenant Williams Never Thought The Lake Would Be The Problem Lieutenant Williams had the kind of life that looked solid from the street. A beautiful family. A house in the suburbs. A clean truck in the driveway. A boat he used on weekends. A pension estimate […]
Should I Use My Overtime to Pay Off Debt or Build My 457(b)?
You just opened your paycheck and saw the overtime hit. The number is larger than usual, and for a moment it feels like breathing room. Then the math walks back into the room. The credit card balance is still sitting there. The truck payment still wants its cut. Maybe there’s a personal loan from a […]
I’m Retiring at 54. Should I Leave My Money in the 457(b) or Roll It Over?
You’re 54. The pager’s done screaming, the pension decision is staring at you, and the 457(b) balance you built over years of overtime, skipped weekends, and smoke-soaked shifts is finally in play. Now comes the question that sounds simple and can get expensive fast. Do you leave the money where it is, or do you […]
The 457(b) Exit Strategy: What to Leave, What to Roll, and What Not to Touch
The most expensive mistake with a 457(b) is usually not the investment pick. It is the box you check when you leave the job. If a distribution is paid to you instead of being sent straight to the new account, many employer plans must withhold 20% for federal income taxes, even if you intend to […]
Roth vs Traditional 457(b) Plans: What Firefighters Need to Know
In 1789, Benjamin Franklin wrote a letter to a French physicist regarding the permanency of the newly minted U.S. Constitution but lamented that only two things in life are certain – death and taxes. That statement rings as true today as it did in 1789, perhaps even more so. The U.S. Government now collects taxes […]
Understanding the Benefits of a 457(b) Plan for Firefighters
As a firefighter, securing the retirement you deserve involves exploring every available option. If your state or local government offers a 457(b) Deferred Compensation plan, consider yourself lucky. This plan provides an excellent opportunity to potentially increase your retirement savings, a benefit not all firefighters have access to. The 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan The 457(b) […]