Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)

For federal employees and retirees, inflation is changing the math on everything from retirement income to basic savings strategy. Some of the choices that feel conservative — like leaning on the G Fund or sitting on cash — can fall behind over time.  Certified Financial Planner Art Stein outlines a couple of common mistakes to avoid more…

Markets have been noisy for months. But many Thrift Savings Plan funds are firmly in positive territory, highlighting the gap between headline volatility and how markets actually price information. Certified Financial Planner Art Stein helps explain the disconnect and how investors should respond. more…

There’s a lot to consider when deciding to withdraw money from your Thrift Savings Plan account. The IRS requires that you receive a portion of your TSP account (your “required minimum distribution” or “RMD”) beginning when you reach a specific age and are separated from service. Ed Zurndorfer simplifies the detailed (and often confusing) RMD rules including how the RMD is calculated, RMD deadlines, and how RMDs affect TSP participant beneficiaries. Several practical examples are provided, along with necessary forms and the free TSP guide, “Tax Rules about TSP Payments” more…

The Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board (FRTIB) just released this helpful video on the Thrift Savings Plan in-service withdrawal options. In-service TSP withdrawals are withdrawals you make from your TSP account while you’re still working for the federal government, and can have a serious impact on your TSP account. This video covers hardship withdrawals, age 59½ withdrawals, and other withdrawal considerations. more…

The Thrift Savings Plan has announced its recent line-up of free training including the topics of TSP contributions, investment funds, loans, withdrawals, and death benefits more…

If your are turning age 50 or older in 2026, a new law could change how your Thrift Savings Plan catch‑up contributions are made. Learns what catch‑up contributions are, who the new requirement applies to, how age and income affect your options, and what to consider if you don’t want Roth contributions. Real‑world examples are included more…

Federal employees and retirees are forewarned that the tax rules associated with Roth TSP to Roth IRA rollovers are challenging and confusing. One challenging rule involves the five-year holding periods for both the Roth TSP and the Roth IRA.. Ed Zurndorfer explains the rules (with practical examples), and also discusses the pros and cons of these type of rollovers more…

A popular free annual publication has been released by well-known CPA and federal retiree, Chris Barfield which explains the TSP investment options and how one might allocate their funds when they are in retirement.  It also illustrates the “Thrift Savings barbell strategy” by using a fictional character who retired from federal service — tracking his TSP account in real-time using actual TSP returns. more…

Many federal employees and retirees choose to rollover their TSP accounts and IRAs. But as Ed Zurndorfer explains, costly errors can be avoided by understanding the rules on which retirement accounts can and cannot be rolled over, important deadlines, and when a direct rollover should be performed rather than a rollover or a withdrawal
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