Browsing: rollover

Q. I am almost 57-1/2 years old, and I have more than 30 years with the Defense Department. Can I roll my TSP into a self-directed IRA now without retiring or quitting? I want control over where it is and how it grows, and I am concerned about the government taking it to pay its debts before I can remove it normally at 59-1/2. A. No.

Q. Yesterday, I read your article dated May 20, 2013, “How to be a good pension fund manager.” I wish I had read it before I moved money from my TSP to an outside IRA last year. I wish I had taken some other steps as well. I now want to add back cash to my Thrift Savings Plan before I retire. I could retire at the end of November 2014. Can I do that with catch up contributions? My major disappointment is with the TSP staff and the absence of an onsite adviser in human resources. Does it benefit…

Q. I am 60 and had to retire early due to disability. I am receiving Social Security disability and a small annuity. Can I take a small amount — say, $10,000 — from my account but then start monthly draws when/if it becomes necessary? Should I leave all of my money in this account or do a rollover into a regular or Roth IRA? A. Yes, as long as you have not previously used your single partial withdrawal. I think you should retain your Thrift Savings Plan account for as long as possible.

Q. I have heard that some people are taking a monthly Thrift Savings Plan withdrawal that will have all funds sent to them over a period of 119 months (less than 10 years). Looking through TSP manuals, I haven’t figured out why yet. What are the advantages/disadvantages for this strategy? A. Check Page 3 of the notice at https://www.tsp.gov/PDF/formspubs/tsp-536.pdf. Payments expected to last less than 10 years are eligible for rollover but subject to 20 percent mandatory withholding. I’m not sure that the advantage is.

Q. I am a federal employee under FERS. My financial adviser claims that the famously low Thrift Savings Plan administrative fees increase substantially after a federal employee separates from service. He is using this as justification to roll over my TSP into one of his firm’s IRAs. Is it true? A. Not true. The TSP’s expenses are the same for all participants, employed or retired. In the future, you should avoid confusing a salesperson with an adviser.

Q. During the retirement process, how do you move the Postal Service Thrift Savings Plan account to a private, individual IRA so that there are no taxes? A. After you’ve retired, you use Form TSP-70 to request a direct rollover to an IRA.

Q. I retired under a Voluntary Early Retirement Authority from the Department of Agriculture in July at age 56. I chose to receive monthly payments from my Thrift Savings Plan account. I would like to pay off my mortgage and a student loan. The only thing I can come up with is to transfer my TSP funds into an IRA and withdraw from the IRA. If I roll my TSP funds into a traditional IRA and make withdrawals before 59½, will I be subject to the 10 percent early withdrawal penalty? A. Yes, I believe you will, but you should…

Q. We have applied for an age-based withdrawal from our Thrift Savings Plan account (husband works for the Postal Service) in the amount of $16,000. However, we found out that the tax was simply too high. We have already received the check, but we are now considering canceling it. Is this allowed? A. You can ask the TSP to be sure, but I don’t think it can be canceled. You have constructively received the payment. You may be able to roll the money over to an IRA to further defer the tax, however. There is a window of 60 days…

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