Q. So if I follow all the rules related to my current Thrift Savings Plan account, and I begin making systematic withdrawals under the annuity factor method at age 55: 1. Can I contribute to my new employer’s 401(k) while drawing from my TSP? (I may want to take a downscaled job and subsidize the lower income with my TSP distributions.) 2. Are any Internal Revenue Service restrictions in place regarding my Roth IRA because I am taking distributions from my 401(k) at age 55? A. Yes, you may contribute to a 401(k) while taking distributions from your TSP account,…
Browsing: annuity
Q. I am a federal law enforcement officer covered by FERS and, by Sept. 30, I will have more than 29 years of service plus more than a year of sick leave. To obtain my annuity beginning Oct. 1, I would like to retire on Sept. 30, but it is in the middle of a pay period. I plan on front-loading my Thrift Savings Plan and TSP catch-up contributions starting in April for the rest of this year to reach the maximum for both. Would there be any TSP match in my last, partial pay period, or should I just…
Q. I am a letter carrier, age 52, started in 1985 and have 28 years of creditable service. If I understand what I’ve gleaned from the posts here and the Postal Service were to offer me a Voluntary Early Retirement Authority this year, 1. Would I begin my annuity immediately? 2. Would I have no reductions in calculations of my annuity? (average high-3 x 1 percent x 28) 3. Would I receive credit for half of my sick leave and all of my annual leave? (How are these applied?) 4. Would I receive the special retirement supplement beginning at age…
Q. On March 11, you wrote a response to a gentleman who was retiring from the Postal Service and had a question about moving his Thrift Savings Program to a civilian account. In your response you wrote, “You are not required to roll over your TSP account and may continue it for life. You should do everything you can to keep your money in the TSP for as long as possible, since it is superior to any other investment account you will find. Your TSP should be the last account you tap for retirement income.” That response raised a few…
Q. Can I take $20,000 out and get a monthly annuity from the rest of the money? A. Yes.
Q. I will be retiring very soon. Can I withdraw some of the money in the Thrift Savings Plan and leave the rest there to buy an annuity later when the interest rate is better? A. Yes.
Q. I am a 53-year-old recent retiree (I was offered a Voluntary Early Retirement Authority through the Postal Service and accepted it). Is there a penalty to move my Thrift Savings Plan account to an immediate fixed annuity? If so, what would that penalty be? Additionally, I heard that within one year of retirement, my TSP account should be transferred to a civilian account (IRA, savings, etc.) What exactly is the time frame for that? A. The only penalty for using your TSP account to purchase an immediate fixed annuity in retirement is that you’ll be locking in historically low…
Q. I am a GS-04, Step 10. My account balance as of Dec. 31 would provide me with a lifetime Thrift Savings Plan monthly amount of $451. As of this time, I contribute $300 every pay period to TSP. Let’s say my goal is to have a lifetime TSP monthly amount of $1,000. By how much would I have to increase my TSP amount each pay period? I am 52 years old. I am under FERS. If I was offered an early retirement, should I take it? Or should take the chance of getting furloughed for an uncertain amount of time? A. Unfortunately,…
Q. I worked for the federal government for over 28 years. I retired last year under Voluntary Separation Incentive Pay provisions June 30, 2012. I am considering re-employing/reinstating. Am I eligible to return to work on July 1, one year after retiring? Can I repay the VSIP in cash or in payments? I read once that you can make payments for up to 36 months upon re-employment but am not sure whether this is correct. I understand the VSIP must be paid back before I return to work. Upon re-employing with the government, will I be able to contribute to…
Q. I am a retired federal employee, having worked for the Social Security Administration. I have funds accumulated in the Thrift Savings Plans. I am getting close to age 70 and am considering the purchase of a life annuity with some or all of those funds, and know that those payments will be taxed by the Internal Revenue Service. But what about the states — particularly, for me, Alabama? Are these TSP annuity payments taxable by Alabama? A. I don’t give state tax advice for each of the 50 states. You should ask an Alabama CPA for specific advice.