Q. Is it possible to pay all taxes on the Thrift Savings Plan at retirement and then still keep money in a Roth TSP? If not, is there any way to convert money in TSP before I turn 70 to avoid having to take minimum distribution? I do not want to pay taxes again on money that I may not need if it is paid out as a minimum distribution.
A. You may not convert a traditional TSP balance to a Roth TSP balance. You should also reconsider the logic of what you’re trying to do, which is electing to pay tax on a large sum now rather than pay tax on a series of much smaller sums later. There is no risk of double taxation, and you’re likely to wind up paying a higher rate using your proposed strategy.
