Can Unused Sick Leave Be Credited Toward Retirement?
What is TSP?
The TSP, or Thrift Savings Plan, is a tax-advantaged retirement account offered exclusively to federal, postal, and military employees that operates similarly to private market 401(k)s, mostly in offering the option to save for retirement with TSP matching contributions you make. There are many ways that your Thrift Savings Plan can be unique to you: you can choose to put your money in your account pre-tax or pay the full income tax up front, you can choose which markets your money gets invested in, and more.
Benefits of TSP
There are several advantages to the Thrift Savings Plan for participants. The most basic part is that the federal government offers a contribution match for up to 5% of the employee’s annual income. These can be made in the form of automatic payroll deductions. TSP funds can be low-cost ways to save for retirement, especially with lifecycle funds tailored to a specific retirement date. You can also choose from traditional pre-tax contributions, which allow you to not have to pay income tax until retirement, or Roth TSPcontributions that allow you to pay the tax now and not worry about it at retirement. Both are good options, but consider talking to a TSP withdrawal expert before you make any decisions.
Difference between CSRS and FERS
If you are a new federal employee, you most likely have an established account and were enrolled in a 3% payroll deduction. If you were hired before July 31st, 2010, you were not automatically enrolled in a TSP account and will need to create it yourself. For CSRS employees and members of the uniformed services, you must elect to contribute to the TSP. You are also not eligible for agency contributions.
You can elect to stop or change your contributions at any time. Check with your payroll office or agency to find out how to sign up for TSP. You may be required to use your agency or service’s electronic system, or you may have to submit Form TSP-1 (Form TSP-U-1 for uniformed services). The Thrift Savings Plan website has the forms available if your agency or service accepts them.
TSP funds
There are five core funds in the Thrift Savings Plan- four of them are index funds, which mean that they are exactly matched to a broad market index.
- G Fund (Government Securities Investment Fund)
- This fund does not invest in an index. The only fund that it is connected to is a nonmarketable treasury security issued for the TSP by the U.S. Lowest return and risk
- F Fund (Fixed Income Investment Index Fund)
- Matches the Barclays Capital U.S. Aggregate Bond Index. Slightly higher return and slightly higher risk.
- C Fund (Common Stock Index Investment Fund)
- Out of the three stock funds in the TSP, the C is considered the most conservative. It is connected to the Standard and Poor’s 500 Index, which has greater volatility than either the G or F funds.
- S Fund (Small Capitalization Stock Index Fund)
- This fund is connected to the Dow Jones U.S. Completion Total Stock Market Index, which is a total of 4,500 companies that fall outside of the S&P 500’s list. Potential for large growth, but also large losses.
- I Fund (International Stock Investment Fund)
- The only internationally invested fund. High risk, but potentially high reward.
There is another option for Thrift Savings Plan investment funds- the L funds. These are funds that actually invest in a variety of all the other funds and target a specific retirement date, initially investing in the more aggressive funds and slowly moving into the more stable bonds funds as retirement approaches.
How to change my TSP contribution
If you have not made a contribution election through your agency to start contributions or change the way your contributions work, there are a few steps:
- Ask your personnel or benefits office whether your agency or service handles enrollments
- Determine the amount you want to contribute and whether you want a Roth or Traditional TSP
- Return your completed TSP-1 or TSP-U-1 to your employer to get your payroll deductions set up. Your election should be effective no later than the first full pay period after your agency or service receives it.
Withdrawing from the TSP
You have several withdrawal options that you can choose from. Partial withdrawals are allowed in a single payment. You can also make a full withdrawal with any one or any combination of the following methods:
- A single (lump sum) payment
- A series of monthly payments
- A life annuity (Thrift Savings Plan Lifetime payment options).
A combination of any of these three full withdrawal options is called a “mixed withdrawal.” You can have the Thrift Savings Plan transfer all or part of any single payment or, in some cases, a series of monthly payments, to a traditional IRA or an eligible employer plan by completing the TSP-70 form. Payments to you can be deposited directly into your checking or savings account using electronic funds transfer (EFT).
Spouse’s Rights
If you are a married Thrift Savings Plan participant (even if you are separated from your spouse), spouses’ rights apply to annuity purchases. If you are a married FERS or uniformed services participant with a total account balance of more than $3,500 and you are making a full withdrawal of your account, your spouse is entitled by law to an annuity with a 50% survivor benefit, level payments, and no cash refund. If you choose any other withdrawal option or combination of options by which your entire account balance is not used to purchase this particular type of annuity, your spouse must sign the statement on your withdrawal form that waives his or her right to that annuity.
