Q. I am 41 and a “gray area retiree from the Maryland Army National Guard. I am employed with the Postal Service (FERS) and have about 19 years of service (including five years active duty, which I already paid back). I also collect 30 percent disability from the Veterans Affairs Department. In planning my final retirement living, it seems if I retire at my minimum retirement age of 57, I should be immediately eligible for full annuities of the following, with no penalties or offsets: FERS basic annuity Social Security offset (until 62) TSP annuity (no IRS penalty) VA compensation…
Monthly Archives: June, 2013
Q. I am a Postal Service employee under FERS. I am going to retire soon with 26½ years at age 60. Do I have to take the special retirement supplement, or can I waive it? If I take it, do I have to start taking Social Security at 62, or do I have an option to wait until I am older? If I decide to purchase an annuity with my Thrift Savings Plan balance from MetLife, is that annuity protected if MetLife folds? A. Mike: A MetLife annuity is backed by MetLife. Your state may also offer some backstop in…
Q. I am 35 years old and am using L2040 for my fund allocation through the Thrift Savings Plan. I have been reading that I should be diversifying between C, S and I funds for a larger return, but I am not sure how to split the percentages between the three funds. How can I do that since I have 30 years or so until retirement? A. About 77 percent of your L 2040 investment is already in the C, S and I funds. You could switch to the L 2050 fund and increase that allocation to about 87 percent. If you…
Q. I am a 66-year-old CSRS retiree with approximately $200,000 in the F Fund. I have no debts, and will likely leave my Thrift Savings Plan untouched until I am forced to start withdrawing it. I am concerned that when interest rates start to rise, bonds will drop and the value of my TSP account may fall. I am considering moving my TSP into the G Fund. However, since I don’t plan on a withdrawal soon, should I put move it to one of the L funds? A. The G Fund is the only TSP fund that does not pose…
Q. I am 59½ and would like to take advantage of the opportunity to take a one-time withdrawal. What are the tax consequences of taking a withdrawal of, say, $50,000? Does it have to all be rolled to an IRA to avoid a tax penalty, or can it come out as cash and part of it be put into an IRA and part put into a spending account for paying down bills/mortgage? A. Taking a withdrawal from your TSP account after reaching age 59½ will not generate a penalty. Any amount withdrawn and not rolled over will be treated as ordinary, taxable…
Q. I am a 50-year-old 6(c). I am eligible to retire on an immediate unreduced annuity this year and plan to do so. I plan to eventually access my Thrift Savings Plan funds, and I understand that I am able to do 72(t)-type withdrawals and avoid early withdrawal penalties. But I’m not interested in 72(t) systematic payments. I also know I could roll over the account to an IRA, but that is not my desired intention. Since I am retiring at age 50, what is the first date that I could begin to access my TSP via lump sum or monthly withdrawals without…
Q. My boyfriend worked as a civilian marine electrician in the Navy and he has a 401(k) plan or a Thrift Savings Plan. He’s not working with them anymore, and he wants to withdraw some money to start a new life. He does have a job, but it’s not enough to pay his bills, and he wants to get a divorce from his wife but has no money to even file it. I’ve read several articles and I think his best option is to directly roll over the plan to a traditional IRA, which avoids any penalty fees, but he…
Q. I will turn 70 in July 2014. Is 2015 the first year I will be required to receive the required minimum distribution? Who decides the date and month of annual distributions? A. You must complete your first RMD by April 1 of the year following the calendar year in which you reach age 70½. You may take the distribution however and whenever you like, as long as the required minimum amount has been withdrawn by the deadline for each year.
Q. If you have a Thrift Savings Plan loan and have paid three of the four years but want to remodel a house, can you change the existing loan to get the money? A. Only one general purpose loan at a time is allowed.
Q. As someone who has more then $100,000 in the G Fund in my Thrift Savings Plan account, should I be taking any actions due to the Treasury’s suspension of G Fund investments? A. There is no substitute for the G Fund.