Q. Are all TSP withdrawals subject to the 20 percent federal tax withholding? Including full withdrawal by way of monthly payments? And is this done automatically when you set up your payout options with TSP or do you need to complete a form? A. Not all TSP withdrawals are subject to mandatory withholding. See the table on Page 3 of the notice at https://www.tsp.gov/PDF/formspubs/tsp-536.pdf for the rules. Mandatory and default withholding happens automatically. Anything else, you’ll have to request.
Yearly Archives: 2014
Q. I have a TSP residential loan. I sold the property associated with that loan and bought a new one. Am I obligated to pay back the loan all in one lump sum now, or may I simply continue making the payments, in effect switching out the primary property with which the loan is associated?
Q. I retired in December at age 60 under FERS and my TSP is in the L fund because I plan to start drawing down to supplement my pension. My plan is to withdraw 4 percent per year based on a rate of return of 4.46 percent. The amount of my account is $249,972, which has not been touched yet. I’ve sought the advice of several financial planners who have consistently advised me to roll over my account into a self-directed IRA due to the risk of interest/inflation’s effect on the bonds in the L portfolio, as well as the…
Q. My mother recently passed away and left me $30,000 from her traditional IRA. Can I transfer this to my TSP? Would there be any penalties or tax hits? A. Special distributions rules apply to a Beneficiary IRA account, and it is not eligible to be transferred into your TSP account.
Q. I heard someone mention the 2020 fund and that they also invest normally. All I can figure is that she invests in the L2020 fund. Is that possible, and how does that work? I did not think you could have a regular investment like the G and C fund, for example, and still have and L fund. A. You may allocate all or a portion of your account to one or more of the L Funds, just like any of the basic TSP funds.
Q. If I’m still working at 70-1/2, do I have to start drawing my TSP, or can I wait until I retire at 72 or 73? A. You may wait until you retire. Your first RMD payment is due by April 1 of the year following the calendar year in which you reach age 70-1/2 or retire, whichever is later.
Q. I am a firefighter with a county department, and also prior military. Since being discharged and starting my new career, I haven’t been able to figure out how to continue investing money into my TSP. Am I unable to do so, now that I am out of the armed services? Or am I just not looking in the right place?
Q. I was told I can’t take money out of my thrift savings while I’m out of work on disability. Why not? A. If you are still a federal employee, you are subject to the rules governing in-service withdrawals.
Q. I retire in less than a month under FERS. As soon as I retire, I plan to use the option to withdraw my TSP in monthly increments that I decide every year (I am not using the life expectancy or annuity options). I also want to do a partial withdrawal (not much of it, just enough so I have a good savings account to fall back on). I know I can only do it once. I assumed, or read, that the one time had to be immediately upon separation. I do not really need the partial-withdraw funds right away,…
Q. I am going to retire soon and plan to roll over my voluntary contributions to an existing Roth IRA. Can the voluntary contributions be rolled over to a TSP Roth account instead? A. No.