Q. The Internal Revenue Service is penalizing me for withdrawing my Thrift Savings Plan. I am less than 59 years old, but I retired under a Voluntary Early Retirement Authority. It is my understanding that I do not have to pay an early withdrawal penalty because I am retired. Please correct me if I am wrong. I also need to find the regulations for the IRS if I am exempt from paying this penalty. A. Unless you retired during or after the year in which you reached age 55, or meet one of the other special exceptions, your withdrawals will…
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Q. In IRS Publication 575 on page 33, they list an exception from the 10 percent penalty on withdrawing from the Thrift Savings Plan fund for qualified public safety employees. As a federal agent, if I retire in the year in which I turn 50, am I exempt from the 10 percent early withdrawal penalty based on the qualified public safety employee clause? IRS Publication 721, pages 17-18 lists a law enforcement officer as a qualified public safety employee. If this is the case, why do they not mention this when doing pre-retirement seminars? A. The exception only applies to defined benefit…
Q. I am in FERS and I am planning to pay in full my CSRS redeposit service balance for my 17 years of prior CSRS service. I want to pay via direct transfer of a check sent on my behalf from the Thrift Savings Plan to the Office of Personnel Management. TSP tells me it is permissible, and all I need OPM to do is to fill out TSP Form 75 and have OPM check that it is an eligible retirement plan and include the address where to mail the check. This would be a trustee-to-trustee direct transfer. Three different…
Q. The Internal Revenue Service deferral limitation for 401(k) accounts is based upon a dollar limitation, which is the same for government and service members who contribute to the Thrift Savings Plan. For federal employees wanting to maximize their TSP contributions, this is a simple process on Form TSP-1: You merely take the current IRS limit ($17,000) and divide it by the number of pay periods (26) and you get the amount you should withhold in each pay period ($653.84). If you receive a step increase, or get promoted, or anything else that changes your pay, there are no effects…
Q. I will retire this year at age 70 and will request one on the following: 1.) monthly payments for 10 years or more, or 2.) monthly payments based on the Internal Revenue Service’s life expectancy table. My withholding rate will be the same as if I were married with three children but at what tax percentage? Let’s say my annual payout is $10,000. What is my annual tax liability as it pertains to Thrift Savings Plan payments? Will I be paying less than 10 percent? A. The default withholding rate is not fixed and will depend upon the amount of the distribution. You…
Q. I just separated from the military and have an outstanding loan. I recently mailed in the “intent not to repay” form. How long will it take for the Thrift Savings Plan to claim a taxable distribution and close out the loan? Also, if the entire sum of the loan was accrued in a tax-free combat zone, will they still tax the remaining balance? A. I checked with the TSP, and it should take one to two weeks for TSP to declare a taxable distribution once it receives an “intent not to repay” notice. Only the outstanding loan principal and…
Q. During a retirement seminar, I was told that federal employees who retire during the year they turn 55 but before age 59½ have a one-time opportunity to withdraw funds from the Thrift Savings Plan without paying the 10 percent tax penalty. Is this correct? If so, how should this withdrawal be reported to the Internal Revenue Service so that the penalty is not assessed? I am a retired federal law enforcement officer, which may or may not be relevant. A. This is bunk. If you retire during or after the calendar year in which you reach age 55, any and…
Q. My mom, who doesn’t know English, turned 70½ on Aug. 4, 2011. She has IRAs at two different places: Vanguard and Bank of America. My mom has already satisfied her 2011 Vanguard required minimum distribution before April 1, 2012, because it was her first RMD. The Vanguard 2011 RMD was calculated by Vanguard and mailed to my mom, by the way. Was she also required to take a Bank of America RMD? If so, oh no! What’s the best way to proceed? A. In general, an RMD must be calculated for each IRA, and the total RMD for all…
Q. Are there any competent financial advisers in the Washington, D.C., metro area who are experts on rolling Thrift Savings Plan money into an Individual Retirement Account and withdrawing it under Internal Revenue Service Rule 72(t) before age 59½? A. If all you want is 72(t) support, the best option is to engage a CPA to do your taxes and have them provide you with the support. That way, they’re responsible for defending the return if it is questioned. The 72(t) rules are strict, so you shouldn’t cut corners in this area. Any good adviser who isn’t preparing your tax…
Q. I am a Postal Service employee, age 57, and I currently contribute $6,000 a year to a Roth Individual Retirement Account. Am I also allowed to contribute to the Thrift Savings Plan, or would that be considered an excess contribution? A. You are permitted to contribute the maximum to the TSP, but, depending upon your circumstances, this may limit your ability to contribute to a Roth IRA. See Internal Revenue Service Publication 590 for the rules.