Browsing: CSRS

Q. I am a federal employee under CSRS, eligible to retire with max benefits in 2024 (41 years and 11 months) at the age of 60. My TSP distribution is 50 percent L 2020, 15 percent C fund, 15 percent S and 15 percent I funds. At the close of 2018 my balance was $340,295, which reflects a loss of $47,753. Should I move everything to the L Fund?

Q. I began federal civil service 10/22/1983 and retired from the U.S. Department of Agriculture 5/13/2013 on an “early out” offer. For my nearly 30 years of service, I never left CSRS, paid Social Security, and qualified fully for CSRS Benefits at my retirement. I did, however, participate in the employee-only [no match from my agency] paid deduction that was an “option” for CSRS to build a THRIFT Saving Program that currently has an approximate current value of $235,000. I retired early and have been receiving monthly retirement benefits since 5/13/2013 [and thus a substantially reduced monthly benefit, but at my…

Q. I am employed by the federal government under the CSRS system, with 44 years of service. My ex-husband recently died in December 2017 and I am getting his Social Security benefits of $1,365 per month. If I retired at the end of December 2018 would I still continue to get his SSI benefits at that same amount or would they be drastically cut, or I may not even get any? My ex-husband never worked for the federal government; he was only a veteran. I only have 24 credits worked toward my SSI benefits.

Q. I currently am a GS employee and have a TSP residential loan; however, I may be transferring to an Overseas NAF job. Does anyone know if I can continue to pay on my TSP loan or do I have to pay it back to avoid penalties? I know NAF is federal but unsure about the TSP aspects. 

Q. I am 55 and retired CSRS this past January. When it comes to my TSP investment, 50 percent is in G, 40 percent in C, and 10 percent in S. Should I move any or all of my G Fund to C? It goes against the “buy low, sell high” philosophy, but I feel like I would earn more over time before I have to take minimum distribution if I put my G Funds back into C.

Q. I’ve been reading your archives for CSRS Voluntary Contributions Program (VCP) and the strategy of rolling its balance over into a Roth. Since TSP offers such low management rates, a TSP Roth is my intended destination for these VCP funds. But as of your 2012 guidance, the VCP cannot be directly into a TSP Roth, as the VCP is not a “designated Roth account.” Has this guidance changed? If not, then can this still be done by transferring the VCP funds twice – from the VCP into a generic non-TSP (commercial) Roth and from that non-TSP Roth into the TSP…

Q. I want to deposit 10 percent aggregate base pay into the CSRS Voluntary Contribution Program (VCP). How do I get my total accumulated pay over my entire CSRS work history? I worked at three Veterans Affairs centers. What forms are needed to roll the contributions into a Roth IRA? I have a traditional TSP, also.

Q. I divorced five years ago, after my retirement. My ex-spouse received 50 percent of my TSP. I’m now remarried. I would like to do a full withdraw option now that I’m going to quit my second career (have reached the age of 64), but am confused on the options. Do I have to select the 50 percent survivor benefit and, if so, should our marriage not work out in the long run will I, again, lose half of my TSP?

Q. You’ve mentioned in the past that if a person does not know which funds are best to invest their TSP money, they should invest in the Lifecycle fund that closely matches their life expectancy. I’m 58, retired CSRS and currently in the L2030. I plan to start generating a monthly income stream from the $470,000 balance and begin payments of 3.5 percent of the balance to meet expenses. When commencing monthly payments, do you recommend keeping the funds in the corresponding L Fund or should I look at a more conservative strategy during the draw-down phase?

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