Case Study: Jack & Susanna

The following case study is a hypothetical example for illustrative purposes only and is not representative of any specific client or outcome. It is intended to demonstrate how Good Life Financial Advisors may work with individuals and families facing similar circumstances. Actual strategies and results vary based on individual goals, financial situations, and market conditions. No outcome is guaranteed.

Who They Are

Jack is a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. Susanna is an air traffic controller with the FAA.

They’ve been consistent savers. Ten percent of every paycheck goes to their Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) accounts. They’ve built up additional savings too — money they haven’t yet integrated into a broader plan.

What They Want

At 58 and 55, Jack and Susanna hope to retire within 5-8 years. They’re looking forward to stepping away from federal service and enjoying the flexibility of retirement — traveling more, connecting with family, and having the freedom to spend their time as they choose.

But between here and there, there are a lot of questions:

–  What are our FERS pensions actually worth, and how do they fit into a retirement timeline?

–  When should we start Social Security, and how does that decision affect the surviving spouse later on?

–  Do more Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) contributions make sense at this point?

–  Should we consider long-term care insurance while we still have the ability to qualify?

Additionally, they have no will or trust in place, and their kids are carrying student loan debt they’d like to help with, if the numbers support it.

What Was in the Way

Jack and Susanna have done a lot of things right. Decades of consistent savings, two solid federal careers, and retirement on the horizon.

But everything they’ve worked so hard to build is sitting in separate silos with no clear way to translate those pieces into a reliable income. 

How Good Life Helps

When we work with couples like Jack and Susanna, the first step is getting the full financial picture. TSP allocations, outside savings, insurance gaps, and estate planning don’t exist in separate buckets. They feed into each other, especially from a tax perspective.

Our job is to connect those dots to build a comprehensive retirement strategy.

We dive into their numbers, their timeline, and most importantly, how they define a good retirement. That includes coordinating with their tax professional to structure support for their children’s student loans in a way that avoids unnecessary tax consequences or unintended trade-offs in their own plan.

We also work alongside their estate attorney to align beneficiary designations and account titling with their current intentions, not decisions that were made years ago and never revisited.

The goal is clarity. They leave knowing exactly where they stand before making decisions that carry long-term consequences.

Map Out Your Retirement

You’re close enough to retirement that the details matter. Pensions, TSP, Social Security, taxes — they all need to work together. We’ll map it out so you can see what your retirement looks like. Connect with Good Life Financial Advisors of NOVA for more.