The purpose of this bulletin is to notify agencies/services that the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board (FRTIB) has implemented new withdrawal rules and processes for age-based in-service withdrawals as a result of the TSP Modernization Act of 2017. These changes take effect on September 15, 2019.
This bulletin supersedes TSP Bulletins 12-13 and 12-U-11, Consolidation of Forms TSP-75, Age-Based In-Service Withdrawal Request (Civilian) and TSP-U-75 (Uniformed Services), and Changes to TSP Age-Based In-Service Withdrawal Processing to Include Roth TSP, dated May 7, 2012.
Any copies of Form TSP-75/TSP-U-75, Age-Based In-Service Withdrawal Request, with a date prior to September 2019 are obsolete and will no longer be processed. Those obsolete forms should be immediately discarded (recycled), and agencies/services that provide links to electronic versions of those forms should disable those links.
Requirements for an Age-Based In-Service Withdrawal
Current federal civilian employees and members of the uniformed services who are age 59½ or older are able to request a withdrawal of all or a part of their vested TSP account balance.
Changes to Age-Based In-Service Withdrawals
The FRTIB has made the following changes related to age-based in-service withdrawals:
- Participants can take up to four age-based in-service withdrawals per calendar year, as long as there are at least 30 calendar days between each request.
- Participants are able to choose whether their payments come from their Roth balance only, their traditional balance only, or pro rata from both.
- Taking an age-based in-service withdrawal will not prevent participants from taking post-separation partial withdrawals once they separate from federal service.
Requesting an Age-Based In-Service Withdrawal
Participants should use the online tool on the TSP website (tsp.gov) to initiate an age-based in-service withdrawal request. To access the tool, participants must log into My Account and click on “Withdrawals and Changes to Installment Payments,” then click on “Age-Based In-Service ‘59½’ Withdrawal.” This online tool will guide the participant through the request by prompting the participant to answer questions. Based on those answers, the online tool will generate Form TSP-75 (WEB), Age-Based In-Service “59½” Withdrawal Request, which is a summary of the request with the participant’s provided information. Depending on the circ*mstances, the request may be completed entirely online. If signatures or additional information is required, the participant will need to print the form, gather the necessary signatures, have the form notarized, and then send it to the TSP. Note: The pages included in Form TSP-75 (WEB) will be variable, depending on what the TSP requires in a given case. If a participant alters any of the pre-printed information on the TSP-75 (WEB) form, the form will not be processed.
Additional Information for Participants
The TSP booklet In-Service Withdrawals includes information about in-service withdrawals and how they affect participants’ accounts. Agency/Service representatives should strongly recommend that participants read this booklet and the TSP tax notice Important Tax Information About Payments From Your TSP Account before requesting an age-based in-service withdrawal.
