Q. I am totally and permanently disabled by the VA due to service-connected disabilities. Can I withdraw some of my TSP without the 10 percent penalty? I’ve done some research and all I can find is the 10 percent penalty does not apply to people with total and permanent disabilities, but all the literature implies this rating comes from the Social Security Administration. A. The TSP does not levy the penalty. You must convince the IRS that you meet the disability exemption requirement. You are permanently and totally disabled if you cannot engage in any substantial gainful activity because of…
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Q. I am federal employee and plan to retire in about six months or a year. I want to leave the money in TSP when I retire, but want to include TSP in a living revocable trust. I read online that it is not a good idea because the IRS considers that as a lump-sum transfer and I will be taxed at almost 35 percent. But when I consulted an estate-planning attorney, I was told that I can include TSP in the trust, and it does not make any difference in how I withdraw the money. I am confused. Please…
Q. I have a USERRA question. I have been an IRS employee on LWOP for two years to perform military service. During this two years I contributed 5 percent of my would-be IRS salary to TSP. I was offered and accepted a civilian position with the Navy. Can you please advise me if I am entitled to agency matching contributions on my TSP contributions when I start my new Navy job without ever returning to IRS? I understand the IRS and Navy may be considered separate employers; my hope rests on a return to federal service, regardless of the agency,…
Q. I took my tax info to a professional to have them done this year. I’ve maxed out my Roth IRA with USAA. I’ve also contributed about $2500 to a traditional TSP as a uniformed service member. I’m being told I’ll be penalized for my contributions to my Roth account since I have an employer-based retirement plan. Is this accurate? Can I only contribute a total of $5500 for both accounts? I’ve always been told to contribute to both. A. The TSP contribution limit is fixed and not contingent on any other factor. Your eligibility to contribute to a Roth…
Q. I recently retired from federal service. I began receiving my FERS annuity Jan. 1. My annuity is $3,190 gross, plus $1,195 special retirement supplement, minus $190.28 health insurance and $36.34 for dental/vision. I am single with no dependents. I am withholding $641 for federal tax purposes. My state has no income tax. I want to begin monthly distributions from the Thrift Savings Plan at $4,200 per month. How much should I elect to withhold to ensure that I am not hit with a substantial tax bill for tax year 2014? Assume no itemized deductions. A. I’m not in a…
Q. Whether I retire sooner or later than the year I turn 55, what kind of tax implications will I have in taking a partial lump sum or the whole balance lump sum for something like a vacation home? A. If you retire from Thrift Savings Plan-covered employment during or after the calendar year in which you reach age 55, you will be exempt from the Internal Revenue Service 10 percent early withdrawal penalty for any withdrawals you take.
Q. I have a Roth IRA and Roth TSP, and I am not eligible for catch-up contributions at this time due to my age. What is the maximum I can contribute to both for FY13? A. There is not a combined maximum, and the limits apply to calendar years, not fiscal years. The most that you can contribute to the Roth TSP for 2014 without catch-up is $17,500. The limit for Roth IRA contributions for 2014 is $5,500, but this might be reduced for you based on your tax filing status and income for the year. You should consult IRS…
Q. I received a 1099R from the Internal Revenue Service. They do not differentiate the annuity income from the supplement income. I’ve read the IRS Publication 721 tax guide to U.S. Civil Service Retirement benefits. There is no mention of the special retirement supplement. I called the IRS; they said they never heard of the supplement being treated like Social Security. They also advised me to report the income on the 1099R as is (do not separate the supplement from the regular annuity). If it is indeed to be reported like Social Security, how do I go about it without…
Q. I will turn 70½ after Feb. 19, and will retire from my full-time position at the end of the month. I have notified Social Security, the state retirement funds in two states where I worked, and my fund in a private approved pension fund with accounts from two other universities of my intention to retire at the end of February and to start receiving distributions in March 2014. Is there anything else that I need to do to avoid being hit with that horrid 50 percent penalty? I received an unsavory email from the Wisconsin Employee Trust Fund scolding…
Q. I own both a Thrift Savings Plan account and several non-TSP IRAs with other institutions and am approaching the age at which I must begin to withdraw the required minimum distribution from both the TSP and the non-TSP IRAs. I am withdrawing enough money from the TSP to cover the required distribution from all of my accounts combined. Must I withdraw any additional monies from my non-TSP IRAs to comply with the tax laws? The answer may depend upon whether the TSP is considered a “traditional IRA” for tax purposes. I can’t find any information on this point. A.…