Q. I just retired from government service under CSRS and have left my Thrift Savings Plan alone. My financial adviser, whom I consider a friend, is telling me I need to roll my TSP over into a tax-deferred variable annuity that guarantees a 5 percent return on investment each year even when the market does poorly. He says because of this “guarantee,” I can choose a very aggressive growth portfolio, while not having to worry about the results. He claims my TSP is not protected against losses. I knew that already, of course. It’s with a highly rated company. Fees…
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Q. I am a 56-year-old federal employee with six years of service. I have traditional and Roth Thrift Savings Plans. I also have a traditional IRA with TIAA-CREF. Since my budget is too tight to take advantage of the full federal matching amount, can I use my TIAA-CREF IRA funds to maximize my federal match? If I roll over TIAA-CREF funds into my traditional TSP, will these funds receive federal matching? Also, I understand early withdrawal of traditional TSP funds is subject to income tax, but if I roll over TIAA-CREF funds into my traditional TSP, are withdrawals at age…
Q. My mother’s plan was purchased by MetLife. She wants to make a withdrawal but is told she can’t, or she needs a higher monthly payment. It’s only $300 due to a paperwork mistake, but she was told she could only submit this one time this year. Is there anything to do? A. If she bought an annuity, her monthly payments from that annuity are fixed for life. If she has a balance left in her Thrift Savings Plan account, she has the option of terminating her monthly payments with a final, lump-sum distribution of the remaining balance in her…
Q. I retired from active duty two years ago and have worked in civil service for one year. I am contributing 10 percent of my civil service base pay and have a fairly good amount in my active-duty military Thrift Savings Plan. I am entertaining the idea of consolidating my TSP plans for a couple of reasons. First, simplicity of managing one account. Secondly I believe, from what I have read on numerous sites, I will have greater control of current and future funds using the civil service side of TSP versus the active-duty military side. By this, I mean in-service withdrawals,…
Q. I am age 59½, retired from the Postal Service through a Voluntary Early Retirement Authority. I am looking at rolling over my Thrift Savings Plan to a certified financial planner. Could this affect my health benefits or my spouse’s health benefits? A. It will not affect your Federal Employees Health Benefits eligibility, but I question the wisdom of this move. Why would anyone with your best interests in mind recommend this move? For your benefit or his/hers? The certified financial planner label does guarantee that this person is trustworthy.
Q. I understand there is a way to roll over a Thrift Savings Plan account to a Roth IRA so the funds transferred are not taxed. Can you point me to guidelines on how to do that? I am preparing to retire as a CSRS annuitant. A. This is only possible with a Roth TSP balance.
Q. I have 38 years with the federal government. I have 240 hours of stored leave and, if I save my annual leave this year, I will have 208 hours of annual leave. This equates to 448 hours times my base pay, which is $33.92 for $15,196. When I retire at the end of this year, can I roll my lump-sum payment over to my Thrift Savings Plan account before taxes? A. No.
Q. A recent question read in part: “I have more than four years until military retirement (April 2018). At that time, will I be able to transfer all Roth TSP contributions to my Roth IRA? I have no plans of transferring the traditional TSP balance. The goal is to combine Roth TSP/Roth IRA contributions and pay cash for retirement home.” I agree that if you take a monthly withdrawal from the Thrift Savings Plan, they take from both traditional and Roth accounts. But I thought the TSP 90 form allowed transfer of Roth TSP contributions to a Roth IRA fund or…
Q. I am retired at age 63 from the Postal Service. Can I roll over my Thrift Savings Plan funds to a simple IRA without any penalties before I reach 70½? A. Only simple IRA money can be rolled into a simple IRA.
Q. Can I roll over a Thrift Savings Plan distribution that I received last week to a Roth IRA? A. Yes, as long as it’s not a required minimum distribution. Your tax preparer is responsible for making sure that you obey the applicable rules, however. Self-preparation of all but the simplest tax return can be hazardous to your financial health.