AI tools promise faster threat detection, reduced analyst workload and greater resilience, but government agencies often lack clear frameworks for setting objectives or assessing impact.
In this webinar, government and industry experts explore how federal organizations can establish mission-aligned goals for AI systems, measure REAL cybersecurity outcomes and track effectiveness over time.
Learning objectives:
Identifying needs and setting goals to make sure mission outcomes are driving AI efforts
Measuring and understanding progress and performance of AI-oriented goals
Linking the building blocks and best practices of successful programs that enable ROI
Complimentary Registration
Please register using the form on this page. Participants can earn 1 CPE credit in Information Technology. To receive CPE credit you must arrive on time and participate in the attendance surveys throughout the webinar. In accordance with the standards of the National Registry of CPE Sponsors, 50 minutes equals 1 CPE. For more information regarding complaint and program cancellation policies, please contact FederalNewsNetwork.com at (202) 895-5023. Due to this program being offered free of charge, there will be no refunds issued.
Additional Information Prerequisites and Advance Preparation: Basic experience in federal IT recommended, but not required. Program Level: Beginner Delivery Method: Group Internet-Based Training
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How are high impact service providers driving digital excellence across government?
Federal agencies designated as HISPs are leading the charge to deliver seamless, secure and human-centered services. Our new Federal News Network Expert Edition brings together insights from leaders who are shaping the future of customer experience in government.
Get tips and insights from:
Donald Bauer, former chief technology officer, Global Talent Management, State Department
Stan Kowalski, director of organizational excellence and strategic delivery, International Trade Administration
James McCament, chief digital transformation officer, Customs and Border Protection
Barbara Morton, deputy chief veterans experience officer, Department of Veterans Affairs
Jonathan Alboum, federal chief technology officer, ServiceNow
Steven Boberski, public sector chief technology officer, Genesys
Amanda Chavez, vice president of strategy, Qualtrics
Jake Dempsey, CEO and co-founder, Project Broadcast
Sean Hetherington, director of federal civilian, Adobe
Matt Mandrgoc, head of U.S. public sector, Zoom
Angy Peterson, vice president of experience services, Granicus
Explore how these leaders are leveraging AI, data and design thinking to simplify service delivery, scale personalization and build trust with the public.
While OPM processes a record 140,000 retirement applications in 2025, more than any year in at least two decades, federal employees face mounting concerns about market volatility and inflation protection.
According to a 2024 survey by the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE), 68% of FERS employees cite these as top retirement planning concerns.
The good news is a lesser-known provision of the TSP Modernization Act has quietly opened a door most federal employees don’t realize exists, and it helps protect against these concerns.
For FERS employees over 59½ and federal retirees, that door leads to a powerful diversification strategy: diversifying your TSP with physical gold backed by the U.S. Mint.
What changed in 2019 (and why it matters now)
Before 2019, the TSP operated under what retirement advisors called the “one-and-done” rule. If you were over 59½ and still working, you could take only one age-based in-service withdrawal. Use it once, even for an emergency, and you’d forfeit future access to your own money until retirement.
But Public Law 115-84, aka the “TSP Modernization Act”, eliminated that restriction entirely.
Now, FERS employees over 59½ can execute unlimited partial withdrawals. You can move money out as often as every 30 days. No penalties. No mandatory distributions.
For federal retirees, the change is equally significant. You’re no longer forced to make a single, all-or-nothing withdrawal election. You can take partial withdrawals every 30 days, giving you complete control over your retirement assets.
The government designed this flexibility so people could access their savings. But there’s another use: strategic asset reallocation.
The TSP Modernization Act allows you to move a portion of your TSP into a Gold IRA and own physical gold that protects against inflation while keeping all your tax advantages.
Most federal employees and retirees don’t know this option exists. The TSP doesn’t advertise it. Your HR office probably hasn’t mentioned it. But it’s there, written into federal law.
The G-Fund’s silent erosion
Let’s talk about the G-Fund. It’s the most popular TSP fund for a reason. It guarantees you won’t lose principal. For risk-averse federal employees, that’s comforting.
But that guarantee comes with a hidden cost.
The G-Fund’s yield is calculated using the weighted average of Treasury securities with four or more years to maturity. When inflation runs hot, the G-Fund historically delivers negative real returns. Your balance grows on paper, but your purchasing power shrinks.
Here’s what that looks like in practice. Between 2021 and 2023, inflation averaged 3.9% annually. The G-Fund yielded an average of 3.1%. That’s almost a 1% loss on the value of your savings every year.
Compound that over a decade, and you’re looking at roughly 10% erosion of buying power.
The G-Fund isn’t a savings account. It’s a slow leak. It’s mathematically designed to underperform inflation during what economists call “super-cycles.”
With rising national debt, expanded money supply, and persistent inflation concerns, this erosion matters more than ever. For federal employees approaching retirement and retirees already drawing from their accounts, protecting purchasing power isn’t optional. It’s essential.
The TSP’s structural limitations
The TSP is an excellent accumulation vehicle. Low fees. Simple structure. Automatic payroll deductions. But it also has limitations most people don’t discover until they need flexibility.
The pro-rata trap
Here’s one most federal employees don’t know about: when you take a withdrawal from the TSP, you can’t choose which fund to sell.
Let’s say your portfolio is 60% C-Fund (stocks) and 40% G-Fund (bonds). You need $20,000. You’d probably want to sell from the G-Fund and protect your stock position, right?
The TSP won’t let you. It forces a pro-rata distribution. You have to sell 60% from the C-Fund and 40% from the G-Fund.
In a down market, this means you’re forced to liquidate equities at a loss just to access cash. You have zero surgical control.
A Gold IRA works differently. You decide exactly what you want to sell and when.
The mutual fund window failure
In 2022, the TSP introduced a mutual fund window to allow more diversification. It sounded promising. In practice, high fees and restrictions have made it a disappointment.
For starters, there’s a $55 annual fee, plus a $95 maintenance fee. Then the big one: a fee of $28.75 per trade.
You can only invest 25% of your total balance. And you still can’t buy physical precious metals. You’re limited to paper assets like ETFs, which hold the same risks as the G-Fund.
The mutual fund window proves the TSP knows people want outside options. But because of those fees and restrictions, it’s impractical for most people.
A Gold IRA solves this. You get direct ownership of physical gold with no TSP middleman and no extra fees.
The Gold IRA Strategy
For FERS employees over 59½ and federal retirees, the TSP Modernization Act created a unique opportunity that didn’t exist before.
You can use an age-based in-service withdrawal (or a standard rollover if you’re retired) to move a portion of your TSP balance into a self-directed IRA that holds IRS-approved gold.
It’s known as a Gold IRA.
That means you can own American Gold Eagles (and American Silver Eagles) in your retirement account. These are coins minted and guaranteed for weight and purity by the U.S. Mint.
You’re not abandoning the safety of government-backed systems. You’re simply shifting from government paper (Treasury securities in the G-Fund) to government metal (American Eagles issued by the U.S. Mint).
Both are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. The difference? One is designed to preserve purchasing power during inflationary cycles. The other isn’t.
Who this strategy fits
If you’re working and between ages 59½ and 65, or if you’re already retired, then this is for you. It’s a unique opportunity that very few people know about.
You’ve spent decades building your TSP balance. But the reality is because it’s based on the markets, a single market correction or another inflation spike could wipe out years of progress in months.
The TSP Modernization Act lets you move a portion of your TSP into a Gold IRA, so you can own physical gold that protects against inflation and market crashes, and keep all your tax advantages. No penalties. No taxes due at transfer.
You don’t have to move everything. Most advisors recommend keeping 60-70% in traditional TSP funds and moving 10-30% into gold for protection and diversification.
The strategy is simple: use a portion of your TSP to diversify into an asset the government mints, the central banks hoard, and that has protected wealth for thousands of years.
The bottom line
The TSP is a good plan. Low fees. Simple structure. Solid way to build a retirement portfolio.
But it’s not a complete plan. It lacks a preservation vehicle. You’re 100% exposed to the dollar and the stock market, with clear signs of economic volatility ahead.
For federal employees who’ve spent decades in public service, the question isn’t whether the system will work.
The question is whether you’ve positioned your money to withstand the things the system can’t control: inflation, market corrections, currency devaluation.
That’s why the TSP Modernization Act was created.
How to learn more
Most federal employees have no idea this option exists. TSP doesn’t advertise it. Your HR office probably doesn’t mention it. And financial advisors who only manage TSP funds have no incentive to bring it up (gold doesn’t pay fees).
That’s why National Gold Group created a free guide written specifically for federal employees and retirees, called “The TSP Gold Guide.”
Inside this free guide, you’ll discover:
The real cost breakdown of a Gold IRA, including the one fee structure that lets you avoid ongoing charges entirely (and why most companies won’t tell you about it).
The exact 3-step process to execute a tax-free TSP rollover, so you can move your money without triggering penalties, taxes, or costly mistakes.
How to verify your gold is actually safe, including IRS regulations, insured depositories, and the buyback guarantee that gives you total control and peace of mind.
How to take physical delivery of your gold or sell it back with zero fees, giving you total control and maximum liquidity.
You’ve earned your retirement. This guide shows you how to protect it.
Artificial intelligence is no longer a future promise for federal agencies — it is delivering measurable results today. From improving decision-making to increasing efficiency and preventing waste, fraud and abuse, agencies are moving beyond pilot projects to real-world impact.
At the Defense Department, AI is reshaping logistics and supporting faster, better-informed decisions. Across civilian agencies, AI is boosting employee productivity, modernizing customer experience and helping leaders tackle long-standing operational challenges.
During two afternoons, Federal News Network’s AI & Data Exchange will examine how agencies are applying the latest AI tools — including generative and agentic AI — to reduce administrative burdens, accelerate data analysis and drive mission outcomes.
Through in-depth conversations with Federal News Network journalists, government and industry leaders will share practical insights on how agencies can:
Integrate AI responsibly and effectively into government workflows.
Prepare and train employees to fully leverage AI-driven tools.
Measure performance and outcomes for evolving AI technologies.
Scale successful AI use cases across programs and agencies.
Join us to explore how federal leaders are turning AI and data into real impact — and what it takes to move from experimentation to enterprise-wide results.
The Defense Department has made maintaining its competitive edge in an increasingly software-defined battlespace a central focus of its most recent transformation efforts. A major theme of this wide-ranging effort is to transform how it delivers software by modernizing its processes, empowering teams and fostering innovation throughout the lifecycle.
Federal News Network will devote March 24 and 25 to exploring the programs currently underway to achieve these transformation initiatives.
Our journalists will talk to DoD and industry leaders about how the department intends to:
Accelerate capabilities in their cloud environments to take advantage of artificial intelligence; low-code, no-code development platforms; and secure data accessibility.
Establish, staff and mature departmentwide and agency-specific software factories, and use DevSecOps and agile pipeline approaches to development.
Transform development processes to enable resiliency, security and speed to deliver capabilities.
A detailed 3D wireframe model of a military helicopter floats against a solid blue background, revealing its complex internal structure and mechanical blueprint.
Artificial intelligence continues to accelerate — expanding both its capabilities and its use across government. How are federal agencies applying AI to advance mission outcomes, manage risk and prepare for what’s next?
During this webinar, you’ll hear directly from senior government technology leaders on the strategies shaping AI adoption today:
Donald Coulter, Senior Science Advisor for Cybersecurity, Science and Technology Directorate, Department of Homeland Security (Confirmed, pending final approval)
Israel Soong, Deputy Director, Office of Artificial Intelligence, Central Intelligence Agency (Confirmed, pending final approval)
Dr. Omar Hatamleh, Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer, Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA (Invited) or Matt Dosberg, Deputy Artificial Intelligence Officer, Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA (Invited)
Susan Davenport, Chief Data and Artificial Intelligence Officer, Air Force (Invited)
Rachael Martin, Director, MAVEN Office, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (Invited)
Chad Cisco, Chief Customer Officer, DataRobot (Invited)
Nate Riley, Field Sales Manager, Public Sector, BMC Helix (Invited)
ICF Executive (Invited)
Moderator: Luke McCormack, Host of the Federal Executive Forum
Panelists also will share lessons learned, challenges and solutions, and a vision for the future.
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Ready for the next wave of secure, AI-driven development?
Our latest e-book, Future-ready development: Secure, smart, AI-driven, brings together insights from leading voices shaping technology and cybersecurity.
Inside, you’ll find expert perspectives:
Pentagon rolls out RMF replacement, the Cybersecurity Risk Management Construct – Katie Arrington on the Defense Department’s cultural shift toward automation and continuous monitoring
Trust but verify: Managing the risks of AI-generated code – Prasenjit Sarkar of Sonar on why more code doesn’t equal more progress
CISA SBOM update reflects steady rise in adoption across government – Chris Butera of CISA and Julie Davila of GitLab on transparency as the new perimeter
When AI learns bad habits: How code-generating models perpetuate security risks – Cody Bertram of Veracode on why insecure training data matters
Successful mainframe modernization: Taking a behavior-first, AI-powered approach – Edward Hieatt of Mechanical Orchard on why modernization starts with behavior, not translation
How the administration is bringing much needed change to software license management – Ryan Triplette of the Coalition for Fair Software Licensing on OneGov and SAMOSA driving smarter procurement
AI and DevSecOps: How agencies can accelerate secure development – Jeff Wang of Windsurf on shifting left and embedding security early
The conversations in our Federal News Network Expert Edition explore the common thread across these stories: Speed without security is a false economy. Learn how agencies can harness automation, AI and modern frameworks without inheriting risks.
Quantum computing has quietly advanced to a level of maturity and capability that many technologists, and policymakers, still underestimate. Long dismissed as a “future” technology, quantum is already delivering value in select use cases today.
“We’ve got real quantum computers,” said Scott Crowder, Vice President of Quantum Adoption at IBM Research. “We’ve come a long way in a very short period of time.”
Just nine years ago, Crowder noted, there were no quantum developers and no way to write quantum software. “Since then, we’ve gone from five-qubit systems to machines capable of running programs too complex for the world’s largest supercomputers,” he said.
While quantum computing is becoming more commercially available, it remains an emerging technology. The development curve, however, is accelerating thanks to ongoing improvements in qubit quality, system architecture, and software. Experts expect practical uses in the next five years, especially in medicine, energy, and materials science.
Act now: Modernization and quantum-safe security
Quantum computing will bring benefits before it becomes powerful enough to break today’s encryption – but that risk is coming. Future quantum computers could crack the cryptographic systems that protect government data. In fact, malicious actors can already steal encrypted data and wait until quantum technology makes it easy to unlock.
That’s why agencies should include quantum-safe cryptography as part their modernization efforts.
“There is risk today already for not changing your crypto standards,” Crowder warned. “Incorporating quantum considerations now ensures they become part of your IT strategy, not an afterthought.”
Crowder’s advice:
Make quantum-safe cryptography part of your modernization plans.
Find out what encryption you use (your “crypto bill of materials”).
Start switching to quantum-safe algorithms based on NIST standards.
The bottom line
Quantum computing is no longer just a theory, it’s real, it’s advancing fast, and it will change how we solve complex problems. For government agencies, the opportunity is huge, but so is the responsibility. Preparing now, by planning for quantum-safe security as part of modernization efforts, will ensure readiness for both the technology’s benefits and risks.
Modernization isn’t just about tech — it’s about ensuring transformation that helps people.
In the latest Federal News Network Expert Edition, leaders from Tyler Technologies share what it really takes to modernize government systems in ways that stick.
CTO Russell Gainford reminds us that modernization must empower people — not just upgrade infrastructure. If tools don’t work for the workforce, they won’t work at all, he says.
SVP Mike Cerniglia breaks down how “thinking smaller” leads to bigger wins. He explains how incremental modernization reduces risk, builds momentum and delivers value faster.
Federal Portfolio Manager Darreisha Harper emphasizes that communication is the key to adoption. Engaging knowledge workers early and often ensures tech aligns with real-world workflows, she says.
VP of Engineering Sonia Sanghavi shows how mobile-first fieldwork platforms are transforming inspections, disaster response and compliance — without replacing human intuition.
Comprehensive acquisition reform proposed by the Trump administration has broad and bipartisan backing. Designed to strengthen both the military itself and its supporting defense industrial base (DIB), the initiative as outlined in Defense Department documents issued in November has been long in gestation.
Among those championing the reforms: Mac Thornberry, the former chairman of the House Armed Services Committee and advisor to Amazon Leo for Government. The Texas Republican retired from Congress a few years ago but remains active in defense and procurement reforms – issues he pushed for during his congressional days.
Looking at the community of suppliers to the Defense Department, Thornberry said in a recent interview, reform must do more than ease a few Federal Acquisition Regulation rules. That’s because of the mass of what constitutes the DIB.
“I think that the defense industrial base is far broader than we’ve thought about before,” he said. That is, it goes wider and deeper than the large, prime contractors who make airplanes, ships and tanks.
“Now it includes everything from communications and batteries and minerals to space and cyber. There are more players than there have ever been before,” Thornberry said.
More than the breadth of the DIB favors reform, though, according to Thornberry. A perhaps more important factor is the innovation coming in so many technologies from the private sector – innovation often aimed at commercial use but which also proves essential for the deterrence and lethality of U.S. forces.
“It used to be that the government would be the leader in making the best tank or the best ship or the best fighter jet,” Thornberry said. “But now it’s often private industry that is the best at artificial intelligence or quantum or a lot of things in space.” Ergo, “If private industry is the best at making a lot of the stuff we need to protect the country, relationships have to evolve between government and industry and also among allies.”
Add in the speed at which the technology front is moving, and the need for faster, more streamlined acquisition becomes more pronounced. In the Cold War era, much innovation was sparked by defense needs in the first place – things like stealth coatings, radar guidance and revolutionary energetics. Now, Thornberry points out, innovations occur whether the Defense Department takes two weeks or two decades to acquire them and turn them into capabilities for troops.
Thornberry cited still another factor in favor of acquisition reform: “How interconnected it all is. We tend to think of the separate military services, separate domains, separate theaters around the globe,” he said. “In a way, it’s all interconnected, one global theater right now, especially when you talk about space and cyber.”
The result? “We can’t just fall back on the way we’ve done things in the past,” Thornberry said. “We’ve got to change. Partnership is the key word. It must not just be a label. It’s got to be a reality for us to take advantage of everything that the best in the country can produce.”
Make room for space
Among the policy updates the administration emphasizes is greater use of the very commercial technologies driving the economy. Much commercial innovation occurs in space, specifically in the burgeoning technologies of low earth orbit (LEO) satellites. Competing vendors, including Amazon Leo, have launched hundreds of small LEO satellites that robustly fill a missing link in the worldwide communications network.
As for defense, Thornberry said, “The only way we can do a lot of what needs to be done for the country’s national security is in and from space.” The LEO capacity stands as a case in point for the need to more readily adopt commercial technologies.
“If you’re going to provide the best that the whole country can produce for the benefit of the war fighter,” Thornberry said, “you’ve got to take advantage of that commercial part of space.”
He added, “I’ve been surprised, as I have left government, at how much investment is going into space, from both the companies and the investment community.”
Two advantages of technology pursued by multiple companies are the resulting levels of competition and the resiliency of not depending on a sole supplier.
“That is true in space as well,” Thornberry said. “If you’re going to rely on commercial space providers, as we must, then you’ve got to make sure you have the resilience of multiple providers.”
In fact, he said, the Defense Department needs greater supplier diversity in all of the domains in which it operates.
“We’re not going to have one company or two or three companies that are going to solve all our national security issues,” Thornberry said. “We need to have this diverse ecosystem with partnerships of various kinds.”
He added, “And that’s especially true, I think, in space.”
Within the ecosystem of suppliers and technologies in space, Thornberry said, the government will require disparate systems to interconnect. He cited Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s reference to modular, open systems architecture.
That means, Thornberry said, “you can have different capabilities, but they have an interface that means you can put a plug in whatever sort of capability you need to; and that interface is something that’s available to everybody.”
The open systems approach, which he said Congress tried and ultimately failed to codify a few years back, is now needed for projects such as the Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control (CJADC2) project and the Golden Dome missile protection program. Both Defense initiatives are essentially integrations of multiple existing systems and capabilities.
Acquisition for speed
Space has become a highly contested environment, Thornberry said.
“Anything that is valuable is threatened and gets under attack,” he said, “and we see adversaries doing that. They have demonstrated anti-satellite weapons. We’re seeing a whole variety of capabilities to deny us the advantages of space.”
Moreover, this is happening “at an incredibly fast rate,” he said. It all gets to a key goal of acquisition reform. Hegseth “talked about the importance of speed, and I do agree that that is a characteristic we have not placed at the top of the pecking order, but we have to now.”
That includes the speed at which commercial technologies get adapted and turned into capabilities. Thornberry called Ukraine and its war with Russia a masterclass in agility afforded by speed of adaptation.
“Ukraine can adjust their drones with a week’s time,” he said. “We’ve got to get better at adapting to meet the circumstances and working through commercial providers is the only way that can happen.”
Ukraine shows what’s possible and needed everywhere.
“A few years ago, it became clear that adversaries were moving at an incredible rate to improve their capability,” Thornberry said. “At the same time, technology in general was advancing at an amazing rate.” He noted that the Pentagon had programs here and there to speed technology adoption. These include the Defense Innovation Unit and the Air Force’s Kessel Run.
Thornberry said those efforts produced results, but not systemically. He said there’s evidence of resistance deep within the bureaucracy then and now. Therefore, he said, the latest effort to reform acquisition throughout the Defense Department requires comprehensive adoption to succeed.
“The tendency is to do things the way we’ve always done them. If we do that, we will not be able to defend the nation,” he said.
Besides speed, the acquisition system must produce a market attractive to companies in the first place, Thornberry said.
The old-line defense companies have learned the existing system, “and they’ve done some pretty innovative things in limited spheres,” he said. “But they’re oriented towards the rules and requirements that the current process gives them.”
By expanding use of other transactional authority (OTA) and, as Thornberry put it, letting off some of the procurement shackles, more defense-focused innovation would flow from commercial companies and startups.
Equally crucial, the Pentagon must find a way to send clear and consistent demand signals to maintain the attractiveness of the defense sector to the investment world.
“They need to have some wins. It doesn’t mean everybody wins, but these folks need to see that there is the potential for a profit in making these investments,” Thornberry said.
He added, “The purpose of all this is to get the very best that the whole country can produce into the hands of the war fighters so they can defend the country.”
As for acquisition reform, Thornberry said, “Will the investors continue to invest? Will the commercial companies be willing to work in defense? Is there a chance for startups to earn enough business to stay in business? All of that is yet to be determined.”
The past few years have shaken the idea that federal income is always steady. Shutdown threats, a shutdown, hiring freezes, delayed backfills and outright job cuts have reminded people that a long federal career does not guarantee a smooth landing into retirement.
That uncertainty has pushed more federal employees to ask a simple but uncomfortable question: How do I build income I can count on once the federal paycheck stops?
If you want to see how these choices play out with real numbers, we’re hosting two federal-employee sessions that break down the actual trade-offs. This article lays out the core framework; the sessions delve even deeper so you can evaluate your own situation with real numbers.
As you approach the age where you can access your TSP without penalty, the stakes change. You shift from saving to asking if what you have accumulated is enough to support your retirement. Certainly, a source of stress as your working days begin to dwindle. The TSP is a strong accumulation tool, but does it answer the most important retirement question: How do I turn this balance into a predictable income stream that will last?
And this is where things get more complicated than most people expect.
The two paths every federal employee faces
Whether you have $350,000 in your TSP or $1.5 million, retirement income comes down to two basic paths:
Path 1: Protect what you have already saved so a bad market doesn’t derail your plans.
Path 2: Create a reliable retirement paycheck you can count on every month.
Everything else – investments, withdrawals, annuities, cash reserves, Social Security timing, taxes, wealth transfer, fits – under one of those two umbrellas.
These paths are not always obvious to most Federal Employees because the focus tends to be on investment choices and fund performance. But when approaching retirement, the conversation shifts from “How much can my account grow?” to “How do I avoid losing ground, and how do I get paid?”
Each path comes with its own rules and trade-offs. We cover both in detail in our upcoming federal-employee workshops, including how to evaluate income options inside and outside the TSP.
Most people discover that one small timing decision can change their entire income picture, which is why this stage is worth understanding before you lock anything in.
Path 1: Protecting what you’ve built
This is the path for the person who has worked too hard to let one ugly market year erase a decade or more of saving.
Protection does not always mean going to cash or abandoning your investments. Protection is about have proper strategies that prevent a bad market stretch from forcing withdrawals at the wrong time.
Federal employees often underestimate this risk.
Once you start taking monthly withdrawals, a market downturn hits you twice:
Your balance falls, and
You’re still pulling money out
That combination can shorten the life of a portfolio, even when long-term averages look fine.
Shifting to more conservative allocations inside the TSP is an approach used by some to mitigate this. Others use a portion of their savings (not all of it) to create guardrails outside the TSP – tools designed to reduce the impact of down years without giving up potential growth.
Retirement income planning rarely requires moving everything. Most federal employees explore options with a portion of their savings and keep the rest invested in an IRA or the TSP
Path 2: Creating a predictable retirement paycheck
This path is about building stability, not chasing returns.
Federal employees often assume their pension and Social Security will cover the bulk of their income needs, but the math might not stretch as far as expected – especially when survivor options, taxes, FEHB premiums, long term care and lifestyle decisions factor in.
At this stage, people start looking for ways to create a fixed monthly check that is not dependent on market performance. That is where guaranteed-income annuities enter the conversation. They are not investments; they are contracts that convert a portion of your savings into a defined lifetime monthly income stream without giving up full control of your money.
They can make sense for certain people and not for others.
The key is understanding:
How the income is calculated
What is real vs. what’s marketing hype
Whether the income is joint (for both spouses) or single
What flexibility you give up
What fees or trade-offs exist
This is the part most federal employees feel under-informed about. And understandably so. No one should make a lifetime income decision based on a pamphlet or a quick online calculator.
Why timing matters once you have penalty-free access to your TSP
When you reach the age where you can access your TSP without penalty, you have more choices but also added responsibility.
This is when people start asking:
How much can I safely withdraw each year?
Will my portfolio last if there is a recession early in retirement?
Should I take Social Security early or delay it?
How do I build income without locking up everything?
Do I need guaranteed income, or can my investments carry the load?
Most federal employees do not realize how different their situation becomes at this stage, or how the rules around withdrawals, required minimum distributions and survivor income planning interact with each other.
That’s why we’re hosting two webinars for federal employees: to walk through the decisions that matter most while there’s still time to adjust. Both sessions are free and led by experts who specialize in federal retirement planning. If you want help applying these principles to your own numbers, that’s what these sessions are designed to do.
Both sessions are free and led by experts who specialize in federal retirement planning. These are educational sessions – no sales presentations, no commitments.
Retirement Distribution Strategies to Avoid Outliving Your Money: Tues Jan 27 at 12pm ET
People register when they think longevity risk is real for them personally, not just theoretical
Retirement Ready? What TSP Holders 59½+ Must Know Before Buying an Annuity: Thurs Jan 29 at 12pm ET People register when they believe they might miss a key rule, misjudge a trade-off, or overpay.
Government cybersecurity strategies are evolving as threats become more complex. The Defense and Homeland Security departments emphasize proactive security, including building protections into development, adopting zero trust and strengthening threat intelligence, workforce skills and infrastructure. How are agencies adapting their cyber strategies to stay ahead of emerging risks?
During this webinar, you will hear about those strategies and more from the unique perspective of these top government security experts:
Brig. Gen. Brian Wisniewski, Army Cyber Command (Invited)
Robert Costello, Chief Information Officer, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (Invited)
Michael “Barry” Tanner, Acting Chief Information Officer, Navy (Invited) or Damen Hofheinz, Acting Chief Information Security Officer, Navy (Invited)
Sudha Vyas, Deputy Chief Information Security Officer, Department of Defense (Invited)
Timothy Sydnor, Defense Intelligence Agency (Invited) or Deidra Bass, Chief Information Security Officer, Defense Intelligence Agency (Invited)
Lamont Copeland, Senior Director, Federal Solutions Architecture, Verizon Business Group
John Sourk, Regional Director, Federal, Abnormal AI
CrowdStrike Executive (Invited)
Moderator: Luke McCormack, Host of the Federal Executive Forum
Panelists also will share lessons learned, challenges and solutions, and a vision for the future.
Federal agencies manage vast amounts of data. The challenge is turning that information into mission-critical insights — quickly, securely and at scale.
Join Federal News Network on Feb. 9, 2026, where federal IT leaders examine how agencies are advancing data strategies to meet rising mission, security and policy demands.
This virtual event will explore the platforms and policy shifts shaping the next phase of federal data modernization.
Topics include:
Building flexible, AI-ready data architectures
Using open-source tools to improve scale and performance
Balancing innovation with security and compliance
Turning mission data into real-time, actionable insights
Enabling secure interoperability across cloud environments
Who should attend: Federal IT decision-makers, data leaders and systems architects focused on maximizing the value of agency data.
Register now to hear how federal agencies are strengthening data foundations and using insights to support faster, smarter decisions in 2026.
Cyberthreats aren’t slowing down. Federal agencies face a pivotal moment: How can they modernize fast enough to stay ahead of adversaries while managing legacy systems, tight budgets and workforce challenges?
Our new e-book dives into the strategies shaping the next era of cybersecurity and shared on Day 2 of our Cyber Leaders Exchange 2025, presented by Carahsoft and Palo Alto Networks. From preparing for quantum computing risks to implementing zero trust, securing DNS and building AI expertise, these insights from federal and industry innovators will help chart a path forward.
Featured voices include:
Kelvin Brewer, director of public sector sales engineering, Ping Identity
Garfield Jones, associate chief of strategic technology, CISA
Bill Newhouse, cybersecurity engineer, National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence, NIST
Christopher Paul, U.S. Marine Corps chair for information, Naval Postgraduate School
Egon Rinderer, senior vice president, federal and enterprise growth, NinjaOne
Jim Smid, principal architect for DoD and the IC, Palo Alto Networks
Chris Usserman, chief technologist for public sector, Infoblox
Merrick Watchorn, chief cyber, quantum and cognitive information services architect, Air Force
As Brian O’Donnell of Carahsoft said, “Cybersecurity remains a top priority for CIOs and senior leaders across every sector. It’s not just a technical concern — it’s a strategic imperative.”
Don’t wait for tomorrow’s threats to become today’s crisis. Download the full e-book now and discover how agencies are turning complexity into resilience.
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