This is a sponsored column by attorneys John Berry and Kimberly Berry of Berry & Berry, PLLC, an employment and labor law firm located in Northern Virginia that specializes in federal employee, security clearance, retirement and private sector employee matters.

By John V. Berry, Esq.

A psychological condition can become a security clearance concern for government contractors and federal employees.

The good news is that federal agencies, especially over the past 10-15 years, have responded to such concerns with more empathy and consideration than ever before. However, there are some considerations to be aware of when these issues arise.

We all know that a mental health condition can enter an individual’s life at any time and for any reason. It can be genetic or can be triggered by a death, divorce, loss of employment or injury. When a psychological condition arises in the context of applying for or attempting to retain a security clearance, the individual needs to seek legal advice to enable the person the best opportunity to maintain or obtain their security clearance.

Being diagnosed with a mental health illness doesn’t mean that the individual can’t obtain or continue to hold a security clearance. Thousands upon thousands of clearance holders retain their security clearances even if they have psychological conditions. These days, the best way for a security clearance holder to address psychological issues is to disclose them where appropriate and demonstrate that any psychological issues are under control or no longer an issue. There are many ways to do this.

Furthermore, the revised Adjudicative Guidelines (SEAD 4) for Psychological Concerns (Guideline I) state that “no negative inference concerning the standards in this guideline may be raised solely on the basis of mental health counseling.”

The key for an individual is to be upfront and honest in completing security clearance forms and in speaking with investigators about such issues. It is often the case that an individual can lose a security clearance because they did not disclose a serious psychological condition (dishonesty) when had they disclosed the psychological concern they would have obtained their security clearance.

The following are examples of the potential mitigation evidence that can be used in security clearance cases involving psychological conditions, depending on the specific facts or condition at issue. These can include:

1. Medical opinions issued by mental health professionals (psychiatrists, psychologists, counselors) showing that a psychological condition is under control
2. Evidence that demonstrates that an individual has complied with medical treatment and recommendations related to a psychological condition
3. Evidence that the individual has entered counseling, therapy or other treatment programs administered by medical professionals
4. Evidence that a psychological condition no longer affects the individual

Each case under Guideline I is different, but we have found that most cases can be mitigated with the proper attention to treatment and the preparation of documentation showing that any major psychological condition is under control or in the past.

Conclusion

If you are in need of security clearance representation or advice, please contact our office at 703-668-0070 or through our contact page to schedule a consultation. Please also visit and like us on Security Clearance Blog, Facebook or Twitter.

Three Stones Residential agents pride ourselves on our consultative service approach, local expertise and real estate market knowledge. With over 26 years of business experience in the DMV, we have consistently performed in the top 2% of local Realtors and are currently the #1 group at Keller Williams Metro Center. 

8380 Greensboro Drive Unit 412, McLean
3 BD/2 BA
Agent: Kw Metro Center
Listed: $614,900
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

8419 Stonewall Drive, Vienna
4 BD/2.5 BA
Agent: Weichert Realtors
Listed: $764,500
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

322 Park Street NE, Vienna
4 BD/3.5 BA
Agent: Samson Properties
Listed: $1,300,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

210 Park Terrace Court SE Unit 59, Vienna
1 BD/1 BA
Agent: Weichert Realtors
Listed: $249,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

7221 Arthur Drive, Falls Church
5 BD/4.5 BA
Agent: RLAH Real Estate
Listed: $1,299,000
Open: Sunday 12-2 p.m.

6813 Jefferson Avenue, Falls Church
5 BD/4 BA
Agent: Century 21 Redwood Realty
Listed: $750,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

7220 Magpie Lane, Falls Church
3 BD/3.5 BA
Agent: Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc
Listed: $1,235,000
Open: Sunday 12-3 p.m.

6602 McLean Court, McLean
3 BD/3.5 BA
Agent: McEnearney Associates, Inc
Listed: $759,900
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

6018 Balsam Drive, McLean
5 BD/3 BA
Agent: Avery-Hess Realtors
Listed: $1,000,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

Our role is to offer sound advice and guidance to our clients in order for them to achieve their goals in either buying, selling, leasing or managing real estate. We are truly “Your Home… for Everything Real Estate.” To schedule a private showing of these or any other properties of interest please do not hesitate to contact us here or email us at [email protected].

Three Stones Residential agents pride ourselves on our consultative service approach, local expertise and real estate market knowledge. With over 26 years of business experience in the DMV, we have consistently performed in the top 2% of local Realtors and are currently the #1 group at Keller Williams Metro Center. 

The following properties were recently listed in the Tysons, McLean, Vienna and Falls Church areas.

• 7221 Arthur Drive, Falls Church — $1,299,000
• 7406 Bethune Street, Falls Church — $1,520,000
• 8419 Stonewall Drive, Vienna — $764,500
• 8657 Dellway Lane, Vienna — $529,990
• 6601 Jerry Place, McLean — $1,099,000
• 6018 Balsam Drive, McLean — $1,000,000
• 7321 Georgetown Pike, McLean — $1,950,000

Our role is to offer sound advice and guidance to our clients in order for them to achieve their goals in either buying, selling, leasing or managing real estate. We are truly “Your Home… for Everything Real Estate.” To schedule a private showing of these or any other properties of interest please do not hesitate to contact us here or email us at [email protected].

This is a sponsored column by 3Summit Investment Management, LLC based in Vienna, VA. 3Summit designs custom, modern investment portfolios and has unique expertise in managing investment risk.

By Dan Irvine | Principal, 3Summit Investment Management

Deciding what age to begin claiming your Social Security benefits is one of the most important retirement decisions you will need to make. Your decision can change the amount you receive in your monthly benefits check by as much as 76%!

You reach full retirement age for your Social Security benefits when you turn 66 and 6 months. However, you are eligible to begin claiming your Social Security benefits beginning at the age of 62 in exchange for lower monthly benefit checks for the rest of your life. You may also choose to defer claiming your benefits beyond full retirement age until the age of 70 and receive higher monthly benefit checks for the rest of your life.

Every year after the age of 62 that you defer claiming your benefits; the monthly benefit check you will receive until death increases by an average of 7.4%. The important takeaway is that if you defer claiming benefits from the time you are eligible at 62 to the date you turn 70 years old, your monthly check will be 76% higher each month for the rest of your life.

Of course, like most things in life, to get larger benefit checks you must forgo the smaller benefit checks you would have otherwise received if you claimed earlier. To really understand the decision of when to claim benefits, we need to calculate the age at which you would break-even in total benefits collected if you chose to defer receiving your Social Security benefits until you are 70 versus claiming at 62 when you become eligible.

The table below presents these calculations and the analysis assumes you would be turning 62 in 2020 and eligible to begin claiming your Social Security. Of course, your total monthly benefit will vary depending on your income history, however the math would still work the same regardless of the monthly benefit you are entitled to receive.

Social Security Deferral Break-Even Analysis (Assumes a $1,000 benefit at full retirement age of 66 and 6 months)

The last column of the chart shows the age at which you would break-even in total benefits received as a result of forgoing monthly benefit checks by deferring your claim for an additional year. To receive the maximum benefit by waiting until age 70 to claim, you would have to live to 80 years old to break-even in total benefits collected to make up for the eight years you did not receive smaller benefit checks.

The average life expectancy is just under 80 years old in the United States, but you should take your health, family history, marital status and the importance of your Social Security benefits to fund your retirement into account before making your final claim decision. There is a 50/50 chance at least one spouse will live to 90, so do not make the mistake of underestimating your potential lifespan.

If you live to 90 and claimed Social Security benefits at 70 you would receive 26% more in total benefits than if you had claimed at 62.

Total Benefits Collected at Age 90 (Assumes a $1,000 benefit at full retirement age of 66 and 6 months)

You should always plan to live longer than you expect because running out of money at the end of life is not a desirable outcome. Think of deferring Social Security to age 70 as longevity insurance that you can “buy” from the federal government by paying for retirement out of your retirement savings until you begin receiving Social Security at age 70.

The check you receive will be much larger when you begin collecting Social Security and it is inflation adjusted! If you plan to work past the full retirement age of 66 and 6 months, the decision to defer is obviously much easier and would be the best option.

Costs can skyrocket towards the end of life, deferring Social Security is a high-quality insurance policy that may help cover higher than expected costs and ensure you continue to live comfortably regardless of how long you live. If you have the financial ability to defer Social Security until the age of 70, the Social Security deferral option is the best longevity insurance you can buy and you should have little concern about not living past the break-even age of 80 years old.

Not maximizing your benefits in the event you should pass away before 80 years old is a small price to pay for the extra financial stability  you will enjoy should you have the good fortune to live much longer than you expect.

Learn More

If you would like professional assistance in evaluating your investment strategy and portfolio or would like help planning for retirement, please call (571) 565-2161 or email us, we are always happy to help. Also, consider learning more about this topic and gaining unique investing insights by listening to our popular podcast or viewing our investing video series.

3Summit Investment Management is a fiduciary investment advisor providing clients with an alternative to outdated, conventional investment portfolios. We design custom, modern portfolios capable of delivering greater wealth accumulation with much lower levels of risk. To learn more about how we can help you improve your long-term investing results call (571) 565-2161, email ([email protected]) or visit 3Summit.com.

This regularly-scheduled sponsored Q&A column is written by Val Sotillo, Northern Virginia-based Realtor and Falls Church resident. Please submit your questions to her via email for response in future columns. Enjoy!

It’s that time again; to kiss away the old year and embrace a new one.

I can’t believe 2019 is over already. Every New Year brings a time of reflection — of what we’ve accomplished, what our new goals will be and for what we are grateful. For me, I extend my thanks to you, and I hope that you have gained something from my many posts.

I have enjoyed writing this column for the past year and I’m excited by what lies ahead. It has been a very rewarding experience writing this column and I’m looking forward to a new year of answering your real estate questions.

If you have real estate goals that you want to accomplish in 2020, this is the time to talk to a professional and make a plan to make those goals a reality. I’ll be happy to help you with that. If you don’t know where to begin, this past column will be helpful.

My first column in 2020 will be a real estate review for 2019. Stay tuned!

For now, here are the 5 Highest Priced Homes and the 5 Lowest Priced Homes that sold in 2019 within a 6 mile radius from Tysons.

Please keep submitting your questions to [email protected]. I look forward to answering all of them.

Happy New Year!

Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in McLean. Reach the office at 703-790-9090.

Two days left in this decade!

I usually let my kids watch a YouTube video of fireworks while drinking sparkling apple cider, then put them to bed at their normal time, but if you’re a parent who is more fun than I am, here are some suggestions on how to ring in the new year with your family. Some local places around town have various versions of celebrations:

Jammin Java: 13th Annual Rocknoceros New Years Eve Party at 2 p.m. on December 31 (the 11 a.m. show is already sold out). The band will do a countdown and an apple juice toast.

Caboose Tavern: Family Friendly Celebration with a ball drop at 9 p.m. and live music. Event starts at 7 p.m. Kids 2-12 drink free all night. They’ll also have crafts for the kids.

McLean Bible Church, The Rock NYE 2020: Event is for 6-12th graders from 9 p.m. on. Liability forms and information can be found online.

Watch Night, Falls Church City: Huge party along West Broad Street starting at 7 p.m., which includes live music, karaoke, popcorn, hot chocolate, coup, bungee jump, Velcro wall, log jam, bounce house for kids and a slide, and so much more.

Busy Bees New Year’s Party (Falls Church Location): Live band, Chick-fil-A food and an apple cider toast! From 3-5 p.m. for $30/child.

Dave & Busters (Fairfax) New Years Eve Party: Starts at 5 p.m. with 2 packages available to help with the video ball drop!

Children’s Science Center Lab (Fairfax): New Year’s Eve around the world, ring in 2020 with STEM style noisemakers and confetti throwers. Choose a 2-hour window (10 a.m.-12 p.m., 1-3 p.m., 3:30-5:30 p.m.).

Once Upon A Dream (Vienna): Decorate a 2020 party hat at 11 a.m. on December 31 or join the New Year Party at 11 a.m. on the January 1, with a countdown at noon with an apple cider toast, Princess visit and costume party.

No matter how you choose to celebrate — wishing you a very happy New Year!

Welcome to New Homes, a monthly column highlighting the new construction real estate market, written by Conor Sullivan and Dave Moya of Three Stones Residential at Keller Williams Realty. We are here to share our experience and expertise in lot acquisition, financing and construction of custom homes. 

Trends come and go, especially in home design.

Remember shag carpeting? While many of the new home construction that we see is customized to the client, we do see trends in most new homes that are consistent. As we begin to close out this decade, we are sharing trends we’ve seen really take over the past several years.

• Wide Open Spaces: Open Concept. It’s been a popular design preference by many homeowners over the past several years. We like to be in one area of the home, and still be able to keep an eye on everything else that’s going on. The kitchen tends to be the center of the household, so having open lines and views from this room is the most desired when designing a home.
• Smart Technology: There are so many options these days to help make your home a Smart Home by installing new technology, helping to make it efficient and easy to operate — even when you’re not home! Let’s face it, busy lifestyles can lead us to forget to turn off the lights before we leave the house every now and then. With new smart technology, you can control almost anything from an app on your phone! Turn the heat down, lock or unlock the doors, turn off the lights, the list goes on.
• Low Maintenance & Sustainable Materials: When choosing the materials you want to finish your home with, many are looking to the types that can last years without needing any updating, and that have a reduced impact on the environment during production. This includes countertops, hardware and paint — select finishes that can be cleaned easily and don’t require maintenance. Sustainable flooring options include bamboo and hemp, made from durable plant fibers.
• Master Suite Oasis: While we seek an openness on the main level to live and entertain in, sometimes we just want somewhere to escape to. Enter — the Master Suite. Most new construction homes feature a large spa-like bathroom with a large soaking tub, shower complete with multiple shower heads and wide dual-sink vanities. This oasis is the perfect relaxing space to start and end your day.
• Gas Fireplaces: A fireplace can really set the mood for a room, adding a coziness factor that is enjoyed by so many. The days of finding firewood and kindling, stacking the logs just right and taming to the roaring fire all night are behind us. We can still get that cozy feeling (and heat!) from a gas fireplace. With the click of a button, you can easily turn the fireplace on or off, providing heat much more efficiently and quickly!

If you’re interested in new home construction going into the new year, we would love to help you find your dream home, or dream lot to build on! We’ve worked with many builders and new construction clients, and we’d love to be a part of your journey. Give us a call to schedule a consultation today! (571) 429-7670 or [email protected].

Below is a list of new homes in the Falls Church, Vienna, McLean and Tysons area:

• 914 Myers Circle SW, Vienna — $1,580,000 — 6,728 sq. ft.
• 303 Meadow Lane SW, Vienna — $1,649,000 — 5,450 sq. ft.
• 408 Yeonas Drive SW, Vienna — $1,639,888 — 6,286 sq. ft.
• 519 S. Spring Street, Falls Church — $1,499,900 — 5,540 sq. ft.
• 2122 Boxwood Drive, Falls Church — $1,828,000 — 6,030 sq. ft.
• 7534 Lisle Avenue, Falls Church — $1,249,700 — 3,829 sq. ft.
• 1838 Dalmation Drive, McLean — $1,695,000 — 4,952 sq. ft.
• 1849 Macarthur Drive, McLean — $1,795,000 — 5,254 sq. ft.

Want to learn more about financing a New Home build? McLean Mortgage (NMLS ID: 99665) can handle all of your construction financing needs. You can build your new home with as little as 5% down. Contact construction loan expert Troy Toureau (NMLS ID: 5618) at 301-440-4261 or AnyHomeLoans.com to learn more.

Three Stones Residential agents pride ourselves on our consultative service approach, local expertise and real estate market knowledge. With over 26 years of business experience in the DMV, we have consistently performed in the top 2% of local Realtors and are currently the #1 group at Keller Williams Metro Center. 

2694 Salem Oak Lane, Vienna
5 BD/5.5 BA
Agent: Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
Listed: $1,369,000
Open: Sunday 2-4pm

9520 Leemay Street, Vienna
4 BD/4 BA
Agent: Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
Listed: $1,150,000
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

7731 Falstaff Road, McLean
6 BD/6.5 BA
Agent: Redfin Corporation
Listed: $1,350,000
Open: Sunday 2-5 p.m.

7022 Hector Road, McLean
6 BD/6.5BA
Agent: Kw Metro Center
Listed: $2,299,999
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

2714 Earls Court, Vienna
3 BD/3.5 BA
Agent: Kw Metro Center
Listed: $739,999
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

Our role is to offer sound advice and guidance to our clients in order for them to achieve their goals in either buying, selling, leasing or managing real estate. We are truly “Your Home… for Everything Real Estate.” To schedule a private showing of these or any other properties of interest please do not hesitate to contact us here or email us at [email protected].

Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in McLean. Reach the office at 703-790-9090.

I want to wish each of you a Happy Holiday season. May the coming days bring you peace, love and joy and may you be surrounded by happiness heading into 2020!

I have loved every time someone has told me in person they read this column. If you like it, please let me know! If you want a specific topic addressed, let me know! I’m open to suggestions and content to keep you informed and involved!

A quick note about the upcoming start to a new decade.

Real estate is local, but it’s also very cyclical. Normally the market goes quiet during the winter months, with a large increase in activity around March, which sustains through June. July and August are usually quiet months again, followed by activity in September and October before going quiet again into November.

Not this year!

Our inventory shortage has been ongoing for so long now, paired with low interest rates again (under 4%!), that the market hasn’t really stopped. Good homes come on the market and they’re being snatched up quickly! Some lingering inventory obviously remains, but the Vienna and McLean markets are still active.

This leads me to my predictions heading into January. The market will pop early. It will start with a bang and it’ll probably keep going that way making for an early “Spring Market.” Don’t wait for April or May, unless you have to. There are creative ways to stay in your home if you need to for the school year. Buyers are ready!

In November in 22180 (mostly town of Vienna), 1/3 of the sold homes went under contract in a week, which resulted in an increase in average sale price of 7%. In 22182, the numbers were a little larger but the average sale price was also up 17% from this time last year. In McLean, prices increased 19% in 22101 and 47% in 22102 (I have a degree in Statistics, if you want to get into these numbers more, let’s talk!). The homes in 22102 span a great deal in price, which can cause this large increase. I can attribute almost all of the data points to the fact that active inventory is down by double digit percentages across the board.

If you’re sitting on a home to sell, stop waiting!

If you have new years resolution to change where you live, there’s no time like the present.

Now that I’ve used too many exclamation points (I’m really excited for winter break apparently), again, Happy Holidays!

This is a sponsored column by attorneys John Berry and Kimberly Berry of Berry & Berry, PLLC, an employment and labor law firm located in Northern Virginia that specializes in federal employee, security clearance, retirement and private sector employee matters.

By John V. Berry, Esq.

With the change in control of the Virginia House of Delegates and Senate, there is an opportunity to modernize employment laws in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

While there are a number of other suggestions out there already regarding the raising wages, right to work laws and other wage-related issues, I think that there are also some less contentious fixes that could offer employees enhanced protections.

Here are some suggestions for the Virginia Legislature to consider:

Enact a Whistleblower Law: Virginia has been one of those states where whistleblower laws for the private sector are nearly non-existent. Currently, there is no general statute where an individual employed in the private sector is terminated because of disclosures about illegal activities.

There has been a common-law cause of action known as a Bowman claim but the courts have long avoided holding employers accountable without a statute in place. We are hopeful that the legislature is able to accomplish this. New York has a very good law that protects private-sector employees from whistleblower retaliation that should be considered. NY Consolidated Laws, Labor Law – LAB § 740.

Add Sexual Orientation Discrimination to the Virginia Human Rights Act: The Virginia Human Rights Act does not currently protect workers from sexual orientation discrimination. It is past time for the Commonwealth of Virginia to change this. Doing so would only require a minor addition to VA Code § 2.2-3900.

Provide an Employee the Right to Dispute Termination Allegations: While Virginia and other jurisdictions remain at-will states, there is no reason why an employee should not be permitted to rebut false allegations made against them in a termination matter which have been placed on file with the employer. Massachusetts has an excellent law (MGL Ch. 149, Section 52C) on this subject which provides an employee a complete copy of their personnel file and the opportunity to negotiate what their final employment record will reflect.

Alternatively, the law provides the employee the opportunity to respond to negative termination allegations that would be kept in their employment file. If a third party requests information about the person’s former employment, both the termination letter and the former employee’s response would be provided, not just the termination letter. While amended recently, the Virginia Legislature would likely have to amend VA Code § 8.01-413.1 to accomplish this needed reform.

Revamp the Administrative Grievance Process for State/Public Employees: Presently, while there is a process that allows public employees to file a grievance and seek a hearing in termination cases, the truth is that the process is heavily slanted to the public employer. The hearing officers rule overwhelmingly on an employer’s behalf even when a termination is flawed. There is no reason why the hearing process cannot provide a level playing field for public sector employees. This would not require legislation, only changes and training at the hearing official level at the Virginia Office of Equal Employment and Dispute Resolution.

Conclusion

If you are in need of employment law representation or advice, please contact our office at 703-668-0070 or through our contact page to schedule a consultation. Please also visit and like us on Facebook or Twitter.