Q. I am a FERS employee with a retirement date of May 2018. I will reach my minimum retirement age of 56 at that time, with 36 years of service. Am I eligible, at that point, to receive nonpenalized withdrawals, either payments or lump sum from my Thrift Savings Plan account? Or do I have to wait until I reach age 59½ to not be penalized?
A. You will be exempt from the early withdrawal penalty under those circumstances.
