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Trusted Specialist

If you need further financial assistance, here are Financial Planners, Estate Planning Attorneys, and other federal retirement experts we recommend who are familiar with federal benefits.

Trusted Referrals

Chris A. Barfield

Chris A. Barfield

Financial Planner & Investment Advisor

Barfield Financial

Justin B Dean

Justin B Dean

Financial Planner & Investment Advisor

Edward Jones

Nick Onder

Nick Onder

Financial Planner & Investment Advisor

Edward Jones

 Arthur Stein

Arthur Stein

Financial Planner & Investment Advisor

Arthur Stein Financial, LLC

Aaron Troup

Aaron Troup

Financial Planner & Investment Advisor

Ameriprise Financial

Dan Jamison

Dan Jamison

Divorce Retirement Specialist & Author

FERS Guide

Neil Cain

Neil Cain

Financial Planner & Investment Advisor

Capital Financial Planners

David Fei

David Fei

Financial Planner & Investment Advisor

PlanWell Financial Planning

Carol L. Petrov

Carol L. Petrov

Financial Planner & Investment Advisor

Kendall Capital

Karen & Rick Schaeffer

Karen & Rick Schaeffer

Financial Planner & Investment Advisor

Schaeffer Financial, LLC

Marc Levine

Marc Levine

Estate Planning in the Washington, DC Area

Handler & Levine, LLC

Dennis Damp

Dennis Damp

Author & Financial Resource Counselor

Federal Retirement Network

Wes Battle

Wes Battle

Financial Planner & Investment Advisor

Financial Advantage Associates

Greg Klingler

Greg Klingler

Financial Planner & Investment Advisor

GEBA Wealth Management

Brennan Rhule

Brennan Rhule

Financial Planner & Investment Advisor

PlanWell Financial Planning

Joe Sullender

Joe Sullender

Financial Planner & Investment Advisor

Sullender Utley Financial Group

Lacey D. Yegen

Lacey D. Yegen

Estate Planning in the Washington, DC Area

Handler & Levine, LLC

Skyscrappers

Need Additional Information?

Our resources page is a great place to start. 

Disclaimer

The experts on this page and Tammy Flangan, LLC (dba Retire Federal) provide advice and guidance on how federal benefits work within the confines of the rules and regulations published by the Office of Personnel Management, the Social Security Administration, and the Thrift Savings Plan.  The experts listed on this page are not affiliated with Tammy Flanagan, LLC (dba Retire Federal). Neither Mrs. Flannagan, or any of the experts on this page work for the federal government. 

 

All content on this site is for information purposes only. This website does not provide personalized investment advice. Securities investing involves risks, including the potential for loss of principal. There is no guarantee that any investment plan or strategy will be successful. Please do your due diligence before contacting us for important information about our services and fees.  Here are some recommendations from FINRA.  FINRA is a self-regulatory organization for U.S. broker-dealers responsible for supervising our member firms under federal law. Since the 1930s, FINRA has been under the oversight of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). 

 

Work with registered firms and individuals. A vital step in selecting an investment professional is to see if the individual and their firm are registered.BrokerCheck is a good place to start when researching professionals who sell securities, provide advice or both. It provides an overview of an individual’s work history, as well as their firm’s history. It’s a good idea to also consult your state securities regulator.

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For other professionals, check the bar association or other licensing or regulatory entity, especially if an individual or firm isn’t found in BrokerCheck. For example, learn more about commodities, futures and other derivatives professionals from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and National Futures Association (NFA), and use the National Mortgage Licensing System (NMLS) to search for licensed mortgage professionals.

For more information, use our Ask and Check resource. The SEC also has helpful information and tips on how to select an investment professional.

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Ask key questions. These include:

  • What experience do you have working with people like me?

  • Who are you registered with and in what capacity? Do you hold any other professional credentials?

  • Do you have any disciplinary actions, arbitration awards or customer complaints? If so, please explain them. (Also compare their responses to information found in BrokerCheck and other third-party sources.)

  • Do you or your firm have an overarching investment philosophy?

  • What type of investment products and services do you offer? Are there any products or services you don’t offer? Why?

  • Do you or your firm impose any minimum account balances on customers? If so, what happens if my portfolio falls below the minimum?

  • How do you get paid? Do you receive commissions on products I buy or sell? A percentage of the amount of my assets you manage? A flat or an hourly fee? Any other method?​​

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Articulate your financial goals and objectives. Explain what you hope to accomplish financially and over what time frame(s). Level with your professional about your investing experience and the amount of risk you’re willing to take.

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Don’t give in to pressure. Steer clear of any investment professional who pushes you to invest quickly or refuses to provide information for you to consider carefully. Be alert to high-pressure tactics that are frequently used by financial fraudsters.

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Use caution if you get a “cold call.” Be wary of unsolicited communications—regardless of the channel used—and exaggerated claims (e.g., "your money will double in six months"), and never send money to a firm or individual that you’re hearing from for the first time simply based on a sales pitch or free lunch.

 

A Successful Partnership

Once you select an investment professional, it’s a good idea to keep in contact regularly and touch base if you experience a life change. In addition, taking the following steps can help ensure that you maintain a productive relationship with your investment professional:

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  • Do your own homework. If an investment has been recommended, request a prospectus, regulatory filings or research information, and read materials carefully. Discuss potential risks and rewards with your professional.

  • Discuss fees. These may include sales commissions, subscription-based fees, markups or markdowns, administrative and management charges, and costs associated with the sale or redemption of an investment. Understanding fee arrangements is also essential in evaluating a professional's independence in making investment recommendations—ask whether the person or their firm will receive any additional compensation for selling you a particular product, service or type of account.

  • Define your needs. For example, consider how much and what type of advice you want, as well as how often you intend to trade. If you trade fairly often, you might save money using a fee-based account, which may entitle you to additional advice or services from your investment professional than a commission-based account. That's less likely to be the case if you trade only rarely—or if you trade primarily through an account with low or zero commissions.

  • Read and retain your monthly account statements, confirmations, and any other information you receive about your investment transactions.

  • Contact your investment professional immediately about any transaction you didn’t authorize or item on the account statement that you don’t understand. Notify the firm's compliance department in writing if you’re unsatisfied with your investment professional’s response.

  • Let your investment team know of any significant changes in your income, time horizon, risk tolerance, or other factors that might impact your financial situation. For instance, the birth of a child might mean you connect with a lawyer to make or change a will, and with a registered financial professional or investment adviser regarding saving and investing for college.

  • If you suspect improper business conduct at any time during your working relationship, contact the firm's compliance department in writing. Retain a copy of your letter and other related correspondence with the firm. If you don’t receive a satisfactory response to your complaint from the firm, contact FINRA.

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