Q. I am a 64-year-old CSRS employee. If I transfer some of my Thrift Savings Plan into an IRA with a private company, does it need to go into a traditional IRA, or can it be transferred into a Roth IRA? A. It can go into either, but check with a CPA before proceeding.
Monthly Archives: January, 2013
Q. I recently took out a $40,000 Thrift Savings Plan loan so I could refinance my house. I had a first 4.875 percent and a second 8.5 percent. This lowered my monthly house payment by $1,000. I am paying it back over five years at $309 per payment. Would it be better to lower the amount I contribute from 10 percent to 5 percent and put that amount toward the loan? I did a quick calculation, and the taxes would be an additional $1,250 a year (approximately) since I would lose the pretax exclusion on the $5,000. A. I think I’d stick with the…
Q. I am taking the Voluntary Early Retirement Authority from the Postal Service and am trying to decide how to withdraw funds from my Thrift Savings Plan. I have about $300,000 in my account and have a mortgage of $150,000 with about 10 years until payoff. Should I take a lump sum and pay off my mortgage and keep the remaining money in TSP? Or should I just start withdrawing approximately $2,000 monthly to cover mortgage payments? I am afraid if I pay off my mortgage, the tax hit would be to great. A. I suggest that, as long as your mortgage…
Q. I will be retiring Jan. 31 from the Postal Service. In May, I will receive $10,000 and in May 2014, I will receive $5,000. Can this compensation be used to fund an IRA in years 2013 and 2014 even though I will be retired and not working another job? Is this considered earned income? I know federal and state tax will be deducted. I don’t know yet if Social Security will be deducted, too. What are your thoughts on this? A. I believe that these payments are considered retirement income, and, therefore are not considered the basis for IRA contributions, but you should consult…
Q. I am in CSRS. Can I still invest after-tax money in the Voluntary Contributions Program and then convert it to a Roth IRA, or have things changed in 2013? A. To the best of my knowledge, you can.
Q. I am 47 years old and retired from the uniformed services almost three years ago. I work as a federal civilian. I have two Thrift Savings Plan accounts and two questions. 1. Can I roll my uniformed service account balance into my federal civilian account balance? If yes, how? If no … 2. If I don’t reinvest in another tax-deferred retirement account, and elect to withdraw 100 percent of my uniformed service balance, what penalties will I pay (if any) in addition to taxes? A. You may combine your uniformed services TSP account into your civilian TSP account. Use Form TSP-65, which…
Q. I have a friend who has been receiving workers’ compensation benefits for about 25 years but is not yet separated from service and worked under CSRS. Can he apply to the Office of Personnel Management to receive the monies in TSP in a lump-sum payment without having to retire? Or will he have to apply for disability retirement first? A. As long as he is employed, the in-service withdrawal rules will apply.
Q. In our divorce settlement, my wife wants to have her marital share available to spend on housing. What would the total penalty amount on her portion be? A. If there’s no exception for a court order, an early withdrawal will generate a penalty equal to 10 percent of the earnings withdrawn. Consult a tax accountant for advice.
Q. I’ve been with the federal government going on 27 years and am a FERS employee. I don’t have much in my Thrift Savings Plan — barely over $30,000. Shouldn’t I have more? Due to my grade level, I can only contribute 1 percent, maybe 2 percent. How should I distribute the percentage to get the most out of it? Should I put in 50 percent into the G Fund, 10 percent into the F Fund, 10 percent into the C Fund and so on? Where should my percentage go that will give me the best return on my investment?…
Q. Should I put some or all my TSP money into a Roth TSP? I’m almost 30, make around $59,000 a year and want to make aggressive choices so my money can grow. What should I do? A. The answer depends entirely upon your predictions about your future income tax rates.