Mason & Associates, LLC

06/02/2026

Rising mortgage delinquencies are a reminder that getting approved for a loan and being ready to take it on are two very different things.

Mason & Associates partner Tommy Blackburn, CFP®, CPA, was recently quoted in CNBC on what homebuyers often miss: lender approval reflects what you can bear, not what's comfortable. That gap, plus rising insurance costs, property taxes, and everyday expenses, is squeezing more homeowners than the headlines let on.

Whether you're a federal employee considering a home purchase or approaching retirement with a mortgage still in the picture, your housing costs are part of a bigger financial plan. The goal is a plan that works, not just one that qualifies.

Read the full CNBC article:

While the overall share of delinquencies among all mortgages remains small, the growth is occurring faster than late payments for other types of consumer loans.

06/01/2026

FEGLI Option B can be a great benefit when you're young. But as federal employees approach retirement, the premiums increase significantly, and the decisions you make at that point can cost you if you're not prepared.

In this video, John Mason breaks down how Option B works, when it makes sense to keep it, and the mistake that catches a lot of federal employees off guard at retirement.

The key takeaway: don't drop it without shopping first. And don't keep it without understanding what it's actually costing you.

Watch now:

FEGLI Option B can be great life insurance for federal employees when you're young, but it gets expensive as you age. Here's what you need to know.Most feder...

05/29/2026

Most federal employees know retirement adjudication takes time. But knowing it and being financially prepared for it are two different things.

In this clip, John Mason, CFP® at Mason, walks through what to have in place before you retire so the wait doesn't catch you off guard:
✅ Cash on hand for 3 to 6 months (or longer for special circumstances like divorce)
✅ Why an in-service TSP to IRA transfer may give you more flexibility during the transition
✅ What "game on, I'm retiring" actually has to look like financially

The adjudication process hasn't gotten as fast as we'd all hoped. The preparation piece is still on you.

05/28/2026

Not all advice is *good* advice.

John Mason learned this firsthand after years of jaw pain, a partial mouth guard from his dentist, and an open bite that took almost a decade to resolve. He could stick a Dorito between his front teeth, and it wouldn't touch. Eventually, an orthodontist recommended Invisalign to address the open bite caused by his partial mouthguard. The results were fantastic: open bite fixed, reduced daytime snacking, and a boost to his confidence.

The original advice wasn't wrong. It just wasn't comprehensive. One problem got fixed. Another got created as a result.

Sound familiar?

Many of the federal employees we work with have received financial guidance before they found us. Some of it was solid. Some of it missed the mark. And occasionally, a well-intentioned recommendation created a new problem down the road.

That's not a reason to avoid seeking advice. It's a reason to find the right team.

At Mason, when we identify a gap or a misstep from prior guidance, we'll name it clearly so you understand the full picture. Then we move forward. Because the goal isn't to relitigate the past. The goal is to build a retirement plan that actually works for you.

The worst outcome isn't bad advice. It's letting bad advice become a reason to go without any guidance at all.

Ready to take a fresh look at your federal retirement plan? Start the conversation at masonllc.net/get-started.

05/27/2026

Community partnerships like this are what it's all about.

Thanks to everyone who came out for Military Weekend. 182 guests were admitted with military discounts, and 19 new military families joined as members. It's an honor to support organizations that serve those who've served our country.

To the military families who protect and serve: thank you.

05/26/2026

Our Strategic Planning Meeting season is officially complete for 2026!

To our clients: thank you for trusting us with your financial future and for the time you invested in these conversations. These meetings are where the real work happens, where we dig into your goals and map out the path forward together.

To our team: you showed up, stayed focused, and delivered for every single client. (Tommy and Kyle weren't in the office when we snapped this, but we couldn't leave them out! And yes, that's Bailey the pup, our unofficial team mascot, making sure we didn't forget the most important team member.)

Here's to another successful season!

05/25/2026

Your financial plan isn't a museum piece. It's a living strategy that should change as your life changes.

In this episode, John and Tommy tackle an important truth most people overlook: the plan you built five years ago might not fit the life you're living today. Career pivots, market shifts, unexpected opportunities, and evolving retirement goals all demand a fresh look at your strategy.

Through real client stories, they walk through how federal employees navigate major transitions with confidence.

You'll hear how ongoing planning relationships help with everything from Roth conversion timing to TSP distribution strategies, equity compensation decisions, and the emotional side of making big money moves.

Key topics covered:
-Why static plans fail when life doesn't stand still
-How planners evaluate risk in changing circumstances
-The role of AI in modern financial planning
-Why financial confidence comes from having both a strategy and a trusted guide

Listen to the full episode on the Federal Employee Financial Planning Podcast.

What happens when the financial plan you created five years ago no ...

05/22/2026

Most federal employees make the survivor benefit election without fully understanding what's at stake. This decision is permanent, and it affects your spouse's financial security for the rest of their life.

The Mason team has spent more than 40 years sitting across the table from couples navigating this exact choice. This guide reflects what the team has learned from real client outcomes.

Get the free Federal Employee Guide to Survivor Benefits at the link below.

https://www.masonllc.net/federal-employee-guide-to-survivor-benefits/

05/21/2026

Six weeks. 400+ client meetings. Every spring.

That's what Strategic Planning Meeting season looks like at Mason & Associates, and it's one of the things we're most intentional about as a firm.

During SPM season, our entire focus shifts to existing clients. No new client onboarding. No distractions. Just dedicated time to deliver comprehensive planning across our full client base, including tax projections, tax reviews, RMD planning, and QCD strategies, all early enough in the year to actually act on them.

The result is a repeatable process that lets our team deliver massive value, consistently, to every client we serve.

It also makes us a better firm in every direction. Clients get a better experience. The team has more focused, predictable time outside of SPM season. And a process this intentional makes growing the firm and training new advisors significantly easier.

If you're a federal employee wondering what working with a firm that plans this deliberately actually feels like, we'd love to show you. Our SPM season is wrapping up, and we're excited to take on new relationships. https://www.masonllc.net/get-started/

05/20/2026

The financial checklist for federal retirement is long. But there's something else worth preparing for that doesn't get talked about as much: the emotional shift.

John Mason, CFP®, shares why so many federal employees go through a real grieving period when they retire — and why recognizing it ahead of time can make all the difference.