Q: In the article titled, “Make most of your TSP for 2010 retirement savings,” it is indicated that the maximum contribution for 2010 is $16,500. However, I thought the amount was lowered to $16,000 for 2010. Please clarify. A: On Dec. 1, the Thrift Savings Plan confirmed that the 2010 limit will be $16,500.

This is my last Money Matters column for 2009, so I’ll take the opportunity to remind those of you who are still active federal employees to carefully plan your retirement savings contributions for the coming year. Unless there is a compelling reason to do otherwise, I strongly recommend you first direct your retirement savings contributions into your Thrift Savings Plan account — before you contribute to any other accounts. You should contribute the maximum allowed to your TSP account — which in 2010 is $16,500 if you are under age 50, or $22,000 if age 50 or older — before…

Q: I am a postal worker for 23-plus years of service. I am 45 years old. Is there a way to withdraw all my Thrift Savings Plan funds without penalties? If I can do this, I can bring down my mortgage and not be in a foreclosure situation. I do remember that President Obama, in his campaigning days, promised we could withdraw from our retirement funds. What happened to that? A: As an active employee, you would only be able to withdraw funds from your TSP account under the financial hardship allowance. Your withdrawal will be subject to penalty, however,…

Q: I plan on retiring in 2010 under the Civil Service Retirement System. I have recently opened a voluntary contribution (VC) account but only have put $25 into the VC account. I plan on putting a large amount of money in the VC account once I retire and then roll over only the after-tax contributions in the VC account into a Roth IRA. Will conversion of the VC account into a Roth IRA require that I aggregate my other IRA balances for the purpose of figuring out the taxable amount of this conversion? A: This is really a question for…

Q: I plan to retire at the end of December 2009, and am thinking about cashing in some or all of my Thrift Savings Plan in 2010. I am on the Federal Employees Retirement System and I turned 62 this year. How much will I be penalized by TSP? I know I will pay income taxes on it in 2010, but I am wondering if I’ll get penalized, as well. A: You’ll pay taxes, but no penalties.

Q: If I leave before I reach my Minimum Retirement Age, will I be able to start withdrawing from my Thrift Savings Plan when I reach my MRA without a penalty? A: Yes, but restrictions will apply if you separate from service before the calendar year in which you reach age 55. See the notice at http://www.tsp.gov/forms/octax92-32.pdf for more details.

Q: I am a 59-year-old Federal Employees Retirement System employee and have 35 years of service. I am considering retirement next year after reaching my 36th year. I would like to know my options concerning the Thrift Savings Plan. The questions I have deal with both leaving the funds in the TSP and moving them to another form of retirement account, which would not result in an immediate tax liability. Could you please explain the options available and what the benefits are to each? A: You may leave your money in the TSP or roll the balance over to any…

Q: I have mutual funds and Roth IRAs with an outside company. Could I roll everything into my Thrift Savings Plan account? A: You can transfer traditional IRA or Qualified Employer Retirement plan balances that contain no post-tax dollars (non-deductible contributions) into your TSP account. You may not transfer Roth IRA money or non-IRA mutual fund balances into the TSP.

Q: I have recently taken Voluntary Early Retirement from the Postal Service as of Oct. 31, 2009. I want to withdraw money from my Thrift Savings Plan account under the 72(t) section, but am having difficulty filling out the TSP 70 form correctly. I want to do it right the first time so that my case is handled properly and I do not have to encounter any complications later on. Can you guide me on how to fill out this form correctly? I turn 55 on Dec. 2, I am married, and my TSP balance is approximately $400,000. A: The…

Q: I read your column about getting expert advice on financial planning for retirement from someone who will not have a conflict of interest. I am planning on retiring from the Civil Service Retirement System in February after 40 years of service and suddenly realize I need some help. I will also be rehired as an annuitant and will have another income stream for at least another year. Can you provide help or at least a recommendation to whom to contact? A: You can contact me through my Web site at http://www.variplan.com or at mmiles@variplan.com.

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