Q. Can the Thrift Savings Plan withhold state income taxes from a monthly payment (scheduled withdrawal)? If yes, what is the procedure? A. No.
Browsing: TSP withholding
Q. Can I transfer funds from Simplified Employee Pension Individual Retirement Arrangement (SEP-IRA) to the Thrift Savings Plan, or does the distribution have to be an “eligible rollover distribution”? I would not move the Salary Reduction Simplified Employee Pension (SAR-SEP) funds if it would be considered an “eligible rollover distribution” due to the withholding for income tax. A. As long as the accounts do not contain any after-tax money, they can be transferred without withholding to the TSP.
Q. When I retire under FERS, can I get all of my Thrift Savings Plan monies, Social Security and my annuity? Can I roll over my TSP monies without paying 30 percent of the total to the Internal Revenue Service? If so, what amount of tax-deferred monies, once rolled over, can I take out monthly without a penalty or have to pay taxes? A. Mike: Once you retire, you may withdraw your TSP money. If you retire during or after the calendar year in which you reach age 55, your TSP withdrawals will be exempt from the early withdrawal penalty.…
Q. I live in Alabama. I’m 32 and have worked about six years in the federal system. I am vested, and just left to work with a contractor. I have $7,400 in my Thrift Savings Plan account and want to do a full withdrawal. If I do the withdrawal, do I get that number since I’m vested, or only what I’ve contributed? Also, when or if I withdraw it, I know I will have 20 percent withheld. Will it hurt my tax return next year? If so, how do I avoid that? A. You may withdraw your vested balance. That’s…
Q. I will be taking the early-out in July. I have been a postmaster for 24 years, and I am 55½ years old. I have plans to withdraw my Thrift Savings Plan. Will there be any penalties, and will taxes be taken out? A. There will be penalty for early withdrawal. You’ll find the tax withholding requirements on Page 3 of this notice: https://www.tsp.gov/PDF/formspubs/tsp-536.pdf.
Q. I will be starting monthly payments from my Thrift Savings Plan account. I’m confused as to this making your payments last for 10 years. Is this really putting me into a better tax situation? You must pay on your taxes at the end of the year. I spoke to someone at TSP, and she was explaining that it is to my benefit. If your payments last 10 years or longer, they only tax you as though you’re married with three dependents. If it’s not lasting for 10 years, they take out 20 percent every month. Isn’t this a wash…
Q. I recently retired as a federal law enforcement officer at age 50 after 25 years of service. I am able to presently withdraw a monthly set amount from my Thrift Savings Plan without the 10 percent penalty, correct? May I also reduce the 20 percent tax withholding TSP imposes on me? A. Based on the information you’ve provided, you will be subject to the early withdrawal penalty unless you take your payments as a series of Substantially Equal Periodic Payments under Internal Revenue Service Rule 72t. There is no exception to the early withdrawal penalty for LEOs. The usual…
Q. Will the Thrift Savings Plan automatically withhold money toward my federal and state taxes each month if I choose monthly withdrawals at retirement? A. Federal withholding; yes. State withholding; no. See the table on Page 2 of the notice at https://www.tsp.gov/PDF/formspubs/tsp-536.pdf for details.
Q. I am 41 and due to unemployment for two years following my active-duty retirement, I need to withdrawal all my Thrift Savings Plan funds. When the 20 percent is withheld from my payment, does that then get applied to my tax liability for this year? I understand that I owe 20 percent in taxes on the money, so is it set aside like federal taxes withheld in a regular paycheck? In addition, there will be a 10 percent penalty due to my age? Is the penalty automatically taken out if I elect for a total withdrawal, or must I set this aside when filing 2012 taxes? A. The…
Q: Mike Miles answered a recent question about Thrift Savings Plan withdrawal by saying that the person making the withdrawal pays the taxes and penalties when filing a tax return, but that the TSP will withhold 20 percent for future liabilities. I’m not sure what that means: If the taxes and penalties are paid when we complete our tax returns, why does TSP withhold 20 percent, and what happens to that money? What could be a future liability? Do we ever get the 20 percent back? A: The TSP withholding is mandatory; the 20 percent will be deposited with the…