Financial planning for the Foreign Service community

Wherever you are posted, know where you stand.

Help with your TSP, your FSPS annuity, your investment strategy, overseas allowances, EFM career changes, Roth vs. traditional savings, rental income while at post, home leave and R&R planning, your next PCS, uneven cash flow, dual-career families, Social Security timing, college savings, and legacy planning.

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Generic advice is everywhere. Yours shouldn't be.
  • Fee-only fiduciary
  • Virtual-first, across every post
  • No account minimums
What we hear most

Sound familiar?

Six things Foreign Service households bring to us most often. If one sounds like you, you're in the right place.

You live in diplomatic housing, so your largest expense is covered, and the extra cash just sits idle in your checking account.
Our approach
We put a number on it: what stays liquid for the next PCS, what goes to work, and where. Idle cash gets a job, and you know why each dollar sits where it does.

You are unsure whether to save in your Roth or traditional TSP.
Our approach
The answer depends on how your pension, TSP, and Social Security come together, and how that gets taxed. We run your numbers and tell you what they say, so the choice is part of your plan rather than a rule of thumb.

Your TSP is invested in the L Fund, and you wonder if that's a plan or just the default.
Our approach
The L Fund doesn't know about your other investments, your goals, or the rest of your situation. We look at everything the L Fund can't see, so your TSP is set around your goals, not just a target date.

Your pay increased after you PCS'd, but the next post could look completely different.
Our approach
Differentials and allowances come and go with each assignment. We build your plan around income that changes, so the surplus from a high-paying post is put to work before the next assignment takes it away.

You're unsure about big decisions, or how one choice affects the rest of your finances.
Our approach
Every big yes rules something else out. We put numbers on each choice, what it costs, what it changes, what it closes off, so you can see the trade before you make it.

Your situation isn't on this list.
Our approach
It rarely is. Tandem couples, EFM careers, rental properties, leaving the Service early. Bring it to the call and we'll talk it through.
Let's talk
The first call is not for making decisions. It's for finding out whether there's a fit.
How we are paid

One flat fee. Simple by design.

We only charge a flat fee for our services. No percentage of your portfolio, no hidden layers, and no charge that rises just because your investments do.

  • No percentage fees

    Markets don't move your fee.

    One flat dollar amount, known in advance. It doesn't rise because your portfolio grew, or because you saved more into it.

  • Fee-only

    We get paid by you. Only.

    No commissions or product kickbacks. Our advice is based on what fits your situation, not what pays us.

  • Built to adapt

    Planning that moves with you.

    Foreign Service life changes every two to three years. Your plan adapts with each PCS, promotion, and post.

What it costs

Your fee is based on complexity,
not assets.

Every household is different. Your fee reflects the moving parts of your situation: accounts, properties, benefits, business interests, career stage. Not the size of your portfolio.

The services page shows example engagements, from early career through retirement, so you can see roughly where a household like yours tends to land before we speak.

Those are examples, not a menu. If your situation isn't listed, or you're looking for a different type of engagement, send a message or book a call and we'll tell you what we can do.

And if the fee doesn't make sense for your situation, we'll tell you that too.

See services & fees

We serve our clients on an ongoing basis. We also offer one-time comprehensive plans for households that prefer a project-based engagement, using the same flat-fee approach.

Founder bridge preview
Warren Covert, founder of FSO Wealth
Who you'll work with

Built by an EFM, for the Foreign Service community.

Warren Covert here, fiduciary advisor and EFM, currently at post with my own family. After years in the Foreign Service, one pattern stands out: two families can have identical salaries and identical benefits, and still retire into completely different financial realities. That's why your specific situation matters more than any generic rule of thumb.

Meet Warren
How we work together

Start with a conversation.

One 20-minute call. Here's exactly how it goes, whether you're weighing your first post or planning your last one.

  1. You talk first

    Bring whatever question brought you here: FSPS benefits, an overseas assignment, a TSP decision, a spouse's career. That's the agenda.

    No prep and no documents needed.

  2. Then we ask a few questions

    About your goals, accounts, and moving parts. Enough to understand your situation and talk through your questions directly, so we know how we can best serve you.

    Nothing is too specific. Specific is the point.

  3. Get to know our process

    You'll receive access to our client portal so you can see exactly how we work before making any decisions. We'll guide you through the process every step of the way.

    See how we work before you decide.
From your first assignment to your last, we help Foreign Service households make sense of FSPS, TSP, and everything in between. The first step is a conversation.
Book your call

Grab a time that works for you.

Pick a slot below and we'll take it from there.

The question we hear most

"How much should I put in my TSP, and should it be Roth or traditional?"

It depends on your tax bracket today versus in retirement, and with a pension in the picture, that math surprises many officers. If that's the kind of thing on your mind, leave your information below and we'll be in touch.

Who this is for

Is this a fit?

This practice does its best work when:

  • Your household has a connection to the Foreign Service, with one or both of you working for or affiliated with State, FAS, FCS, or a related agency.

  • You need a plan that survives a PCS, not one built for a household that stays put.

  • You'd rather pay a predictable flat fee than a percentage of your accounts.

  • You have questions someone should have answered at A-100, but nobody did.

Not ready for a call?

Start with the webinar.

Can Foreign Service Officers Retire Early? A F.I.R.E. Strategy Guide

Foreign Service officers ask us this question all the time. This webinar explains how FSPS, TSP, and retirement eligibility rules work together, where the real constraints are, and the questions worth answering before you set a target retirement date.

The recording arrives in your inbox right away. You'll also receive The Pouch, our newsletter on Foreign Service finances. Unsubscribe anytime. By subscribing you agree to FSO Wealth's privacy policy.

Virtual-first planning

See your financial life
in one place.

Financial planning should not feel like scattered PDFs, emails, and spreadsheets.

We use a secure portal to organize your accounts, benefits, goals, documents, and next steps, so your plan stays visible as life changes.

  • Accounts
  • Benefits
  • Goals
  • Documents
  • Next Steps
Schedule a Call Try the portal free

Create a free account and look around. No card needed.

TSP rebalance flagged Reviewed before your next PCS
FSO Wealth planning portal
FSO Newsletter Section
From our desk to your post

Get The Pouch.

Occasional emails on the financial decisions that come with Foreign Service life: TSP, pensions, taxes at post, investing, and more. You'll also receive invitations to our live webinars.

Written by Warren. Unsubscribe anytime, from anywhere you're posted. By subscribing you agree to FSO Wealth's privacy policy.