Q. I am thinking of applying for a VERA/VSIP my current federal employer is offering. I have a TSP loan with a balance of $25,500, which I am still paying. Can I still apply for this early retirement if I have a TSP loan balance? If so, how do I continue to pay that loan?
Author Mike Miles
Mike Miles
Mike Miles is a Certified Financial Planner licensee and principal adviser for Variplan LLC, an independent fiduciary in Vienna, Virginia. Email your financial questions to fedexperts@federaltimes.com and view his blog at money.federaltimes.com.
Q. I am planning on retiring at the end of December of this year at 56 years old with 35 years. If I get the Special Retirement Supplement till I turn 62, when would I would I start getting my Thrift Savings Plan?
Q. I work for the Department of Interior and have accepted a VERA Early Out. I would like to take my whole TSP account and rollover to an IRA. Some say there is not a 10 percent penalty for simply rolling over to an IRA, and some say there will be a 10 percent penalty for rolling over to an IRA. I am age 50, which is why I’m asking.
Q. I will be retiring in 2019 under FERS. I’m not a pick fan of annuities but I have read in the past that the MetLife annuity tied into the TSP plan is relatively a good annuity with low costs. I also understand that this MetLife annuity might get even better and easier with the changes now being put into place under the new TSP distribution changes. Can you comment on this specifically?
Q. I have been found disabled by the Social Security Administration (FERS claim is pending). Can I make a withdrawal from my TSP account without the 10 percent penalty? What documentation is needed? I am 52 with 26 years of service.
Q. I am retired from the U.S. Postal Service. I have a Roth, TSP, some old brokerage accounts and too much cash. I’ve been trying to find a fee-only advisor, but the offered services are far more that I want to start out with; I only want advice on re-positioning my investments for today. Do you have any suggestions?
Q. I understand that earned income (i.e., wages from a job) above a threshold may reduce or eliminate the special retirement supplement (SRS). What about passive forms of income from interest, dividends or rent?
Q. I want to fully fund a Roth IRA outside of TSP. Can I roll over $5,500 from TSP to fund my Roth, paying the taxes, of course?
Q. I understand that I will be required to take a TSP withdrawal at age 70. However, if I am still working and have not yet retired at age 70, do I still have to take a withdrawal?
Q. Many years ago I withdrew money from a previous employers retirement system (not federal) and rolled over to a private mutual fund company, where the fund was put into a 403(b) and tagged with a USDA title. It is not an account associated with USDA, but since I was starting work with USDA at the time somehow that label got assigned to the account. I want to roll over these funds from the current private mutual fund company to another private mutual fund company. The first company said I can’t do it until a live qualifying event happens, but…