Q. I am soon to be 65 and plan to retire within the year and have debt in the amount of $67,000. This is not including my home, car, etc. I have been considering withdrawing a large amount from my Thrift Savings Plan to pay this debt. With my pension and Social Security benefits, if I figured correctly, I would be bringing home about what I do now after taxes. I know it’s personal preference, but is it a wise decision?
A. I can’t say if it’s the best course of action, but the debt needs to be paid. The issue is whether it’s better to take the tax hit for a lump-sum withdrawal to avoid the interest on the debt or to take monthly withdrawals to reduce the taxable income in any one year and pay the debt down over time. The correct answer will depend upon the cost of the debt and your tax returns. If you won’t significantly increase the amount of tax you’ll pay on the withdrawn TSP money by taking it all at once, it’s probably a good idea to go ahead and retire the debt.
