Q. I am a federal employee with more than 34 years of service under CSRS. I am planning on retiring Jan. 3, 2013. The amounts I earn in pay period 26 (Dec. 16-29, 2012) and pay period 27 (Dec. 30, 2012-Jan. 12, 2013) will not be paid to me until after Jan. 1, 2013, and will therefore be shown as taxable income on my 2013 W-2. Can I designate 100 percent of my net earnings for those two pay periods to my Thrift Savings Plan to reduce my taxable income for 2013 and maximize my TSP account?
A. You may defer as much of your income as you like to the TSP, until the annual contribution limit is reached. You should check with your payroll office to make sure you know which tax year will be affected by the deferral.
