The Sirmium Podcast

Retirement, explained for
the people who serve New York

Short, plain-English briefings on the pension, the 457(b), and the taxes that move the most money, organized by who you are. Pick your group below.

Tap your group above to jump straight to it, or scroll down to find your niche.

FDNY

FDNY retirement, in plain English

For active and retired FDNY: the pension, the 457(b), the 15-year bridge to Social Security, and the September 11, 2026 9/11/WTC deadline.

LatestRoth windowTaxesAudio briefing

The FDNY 457(b) Retirement Tax Playbook

The Roth conversion window: filling the low-tax years between your last paycheck and your first RMD, without tripping the cliffs.

457(b) rolloverPenalty-free accessAudio briefing

The Firefighter's Penalty-Free Retirement Superpower

Why the 457(b) at separation gives you penalty-free access at any age, and what you give up by rolling everything to an IRA.

NYPD

NYPD retirement, in plain English

For active and retired NYPD: Tier 2 vs 3, the Death Gamble, the VSF, the 457(b), and the September 11, 2026 9/11/WTC deadline.

PaycheckVSFBridge yearsAudio briefing

Securing Your NYPD Retirement Financial Bridge

Pension, the Variable Supplements Fund, the 457(b), and Social Security timing: building the years before Social Security on a plan, not a guess.

9/11 / WTCSept 11, 2026 deadlineAudio briefing

Stacking NYPD 9/11 Benefits for 2026

The WTC Accidental Disability swing and the September 11, 2026 Notice of Participation deadline that governs it. Eligibility is medical and procedural; the date is not.

Veterans

Veteran retirement, in plain English

For veterans and military families: the TSP rollover-vs-stay decision, the FERS sick-leave trap, VA disability, and the SBP election.

9/11 Families

The 9/11 family playbook, in plain English

For 9/11 families and the VCF community: how an award is built, what is taxable and what is not, and the steps that protect it.

In production

9/11 family briefings are on the way

Plain-English walkthroughs of the VCF and USVSST award (how it is built, what is taxable and what is not, and the steps that protect it) are being produced. Get the first one the day it drops.

Get the first 9/11 families briefing the day it launches.
Learn more about how we help 9/11 families

Nurses & EMTs

Nurse & EMT retirement, in plain English

For nurses and EMTs: the 403(b)-plus-457(b) double deferral, travel-nurse taxes, and Public Service Loan Forgiveness.

In production

Nurse & EMT briefings are on the way

Plain-English walkthroughs for the 403(b)/457(b) and PSLF are being produced. Get the first one the day it drops.

Get the first Nurse & EMT briefing the day it launches.
Learn more about how we help nurses and EMTs

NPs & PAs

NP & PA retirement, in plain English

For nurse practitioners and physician assistants: PSLF traps, 1099 and locum setup, and own-occupation disability.

In production

NP & PA briefings are on the way

Walkthroughs for PSLF, 1099 setup, and disability are being produced. Get the first one the day it drops.

Get the first NP & PA briefing the day it launches.
Learn more about how we help NPs and PAs

Physicians

Physician retirement, in plain English

For physicians: the backdoor and mega-backdoor Roth, the PSLF-vs-refinance fork, and asset protection.

In production

Physician briefings are on the way

Walkthroughs for the backdoor Roth, the PSLF fork, and asset protection are being produced. Get the first one the day it drops.

Get the first Physician briefing the day it launches.
Learn more about how we help physicians

Firm & Markets

For everyone

General planning and market briefings that apply across every group, one idea at a time, in plain English.

In production

General briefings are on the way

Firm-wide planning and market briefings are being produced. Get the first one the day it drops.

Get general briefings the day they launch.

The Sirmium Podcast is produced for general education only and is not investment, tax, or legal advice, and is not a personal recommendation. Sirmium Capital LLC is a New York State-registered investment adviser; registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. Eslyn Hernandez is Vice President, Head of Marketing. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. All investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal.