Q. I am a 54-year-old FERS employee and have 27 years of federal service. I have a TSP account and would like to start a Roth TSP this year. I will probably work until I am 62 years old. At age 60, when my girls start college, can I take a withdraw from my Roth TSP to pay for their college without penalty?
A. Under the circumstances you describe — being over age 59½ and having held a Roth TSP balance for at least 5 years — you will be eligible, under the current rules, to withdraw funds without penalty. You will be subject to the TSP’s rules governing in-service withdrawals, however, and unless the rules change between now and then, you will not be permitted to specify the source of your withdrawn funds. The money will come from both your traditional and Roth balances.
