Retirement Are the current natca retirement seminars legit?

[GMX]

There are several of these going on this year and we're allowed to get excused absence for them. They may have already done a couple this year already. They're put on in association with Foursquare Financial Solutions. Go to the natca portal and select events to see the availability.

I want to retire sooner rather than later so I'm thinking of registering. A guy I work with said he's doing one next month and he "just finished faxing his information to Foursquare". I thought it was odd since it looked like one just registers on the natca portal so I asked him what he had to give to this other entity. He was kind of vague about why they needed what sounded like personal info and some of his financial numbers.

I was hoping this was an informational seminar about how the actual process of retirement works and what to expect when I turn in my paperwork, and maybe some facts about what happens if I want to take a staff job or another federal job or anything like that. However, it sounds like they want to pitch something to the attendees.

A little history:

Many years ago when I first hired in I did several consultations with another natca "associate", Cambridge Financial Partners, LLC thinking I was going to get great financial advising, specifically related to ATC. What they were proposing seemed pretty confusing, and with what I know now, investing does NOT need to be confusing and one can become very wealthy with extremely simple, time tested means. Ultimately it resulted in them wanting to sell me whole life insurance of some sort and they even tried to discourage me from buying a house. Well, it felt like a used car sale so I told them to kick rocks. Buying my first house was one of the best financial decisions I ever made and I made a LOT of money when I sold it.

I am somewhat ignorant of the entire retirement process so I need to learn some stuff to start formulating my escape as soon as I'm able. I want to try this seminar but after hearing the requests from Foursquare I'm getting the vibes that they are just the new Cambridge. Interestingly enough, Foursquare and Cambridge are both located in Newport Beach, CA. ?

Has anyone attended one of these these seminars online, or in person, in 2023? Is it actually good information or are they selling timeshares life insurance? Thanks!

 

[CoffeeIV]

I've heard positive things from others that have gone but I personally haven't attended one yet.

 

[32andBelow]

Max out your tsp. That’s all you can really control

 

[Termine]

You don't have to send them anything, at least I didn't when I attended a virtual session a couple years ago. That's only if you want them to give you more specific advice. The general presentation covers general information and strategies on FERS, TSP, Social Security, FEGLI, and post-employment FEHB. It wasn't a sales pitch at all. I would recommend it.

 

[MJ]

Yes, go. I have never done this NATCA one specifically, but have gone to other ones targeted to federal workers. The way I've seen these things work is it is an informational presentation, with the financial firm basically pitching you to use them, but 1) you don't have to, and 2) normally there's some services they provide for free for the relationship with the agency/union/whatever if you want.

 

[Logical_Mongoose]

There are several of these going on this year and we're allowed to get excused absence for them. They may have already done a couple this year already. They're put on in association with Foursquare Financial Solutions. Go to the natca portal and select events to see the availability.

I want to retire sooner rather than later so I'm thinking of registering. A guy I work with said he's doing one next month and he "just finished faxing his information to Foursquare". I thought it was odd since it looked like one just registers on the natca portal so I asked him what he had to give to this other entity. He was kind of vague about why they needed what sounded like personal info and some of his financial numbers.

I was hoping this was an informational seminar about how the actual process of retirement works and what to expect when I turn in my paperwork, and maybe some facts about what happens if I want to take a staff job or another federal job or anything like that. However, it sounds like they want to pitch something to the attendees.

A little history:

Many years ago when I first hired in I did several consultations with another natca "associate", Cambridge Financial Partners, LLC thinking I was going to get great financial advising, specifically related to ATC. What they were proposing seemed pretty confusing, and with what I know now, investing does NOT need to be confusing and one can become very wealthy with extremely simple, time tested means. Ultimately it resulted in them wanting to sell me whole life insurance of some sort and they even tried to discourage me from buying a house. Well, it felt like a used car sale so I told them to kick rocks. Buying my first house was one of the best financial decisions I ever made and I made a LOT of money when I sold it.

I am somewhat ignorant of the entire retirement process so I need to learn some stuff to start formulating my escape as soon as I'm able. I want to try this seminar but after hearing the requests from Foursquare I'm getting the vibes that they are just the new Cambridge. Interestingly enough, Foursquare and Cambridge are both located in Newport Beach, CA. ?

Has anyone attended one of these these seminars online, or in person, in 2023? Is it actually good information or are they selling timeshares life insurance? Thanks!

I signed up for the virtual class that took place in January and was only able to virtually attend the latter half of the presentation. It did not seem like a pitch to me, but rather a decent overview of what to financially expect when it comes to retirement and what you'll need to have for your ducks to be in a row. They had a list of additional resources they recommend if your facing more specific situations (divorce, wills, long term care, etc.), but it seemed more like a "these are people we recommend for better information on these things" and not a sales pitch to utilize all of them. I asked them about missing the first half of the presentation and they said I could just re-register for another session with no problem.

I can't speak to what happened during the first half, but the second half all seemed like decent information to write down and keep for reference. And it was free, so your time is the only thing potentially wasted if you get nothing out of it.

 

[TimShady]

I went to one a few years ago in person and I did it again virtually I think last year. It’s good info and you can definitely learn some stuff and have the opportunity to ask questions. I never felt pressured by anything or like I was being sold to in any way.

It’s optional to send some of your specific numbers (with personal info redacted) ahead of time and they’ll prepare a little packet with what you can expect for your pension and social security and whatnot. You have to guess at future raises and stuff so it’s just a rough estimate anyway.

 

[GMX]

Okay great. It sounds a little more like what I was hoping for so I'm gonna sign up for one. I was just wary about it turning into those other guys or them actually being the same company just renamed or something.

I want to try and bounce by age 50 but am not against working a staff job or some other federal job if there's no conflicts, but I need to know how all works together with pension amounts and everything.

Getting so close now.

Thanks!

 

[JackTBP]

As others have mentioned, you can attend all or part of any of these seminars, including catching multiple dates. I have attended multiple times and learned something new each time. Sometimes it really helps to get the perspective of different presenters on retirement subjects, taxes, etc.