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Last month, Tammy Flanagan, senior benefits director for the National Institute of Transition Planning, joined Federal News Radio's senior correspondent, Mike Causey, to answer feds' questions as part of an exclusive online chat. The experts fielded dozens of questions from readers -- but couldn't get to all them. So, Federal News Radio went back to the experts to answer another round of questions for readers. In this special Q&A, find the experts' take on everything from the best date to retire this year and what happens to insurance premiums when you retire to whether the Thrift Savings Plan plans to offer in-plan conversions.
The Thrift Savings Plan could stand to collect more than $500,000 in unpaid debt thanks to expanded authority to garnish employees' pay even after they leave federal service. A final rule published in the Federal Register Wednesday will allow the Treasury Department -- on behalf of the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, which runs the TSP -- to garnish the wages of nonfederal employees who owe the TSP money.
The Thrift Savings Plan passes the $400 billion mark in dollars they have under management. It's the first time they've ever passed that mark, but it may not be the last. Kim Weaver, director of External Affairs at the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, told In Depth with Francis Rose the up-trend is a pretty simple equation.
Thanks to a roaring stock market in February, total assets in the Thrift Savings Plan have climbed to the highest level in the plan's history. All told, assets in the TSP exceeded $400 billion at the end of last month. At the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board's monthly meeting Thursday, board members heard another recommendation to revamp the Lifecycle Funds.
On the In Depth show blog, you can listen to our interviews, find more information about the guests on the show each day, as well as links to other stories and resources we discuss.
On the In Depth show blog, you can listen to our interviews, find more information about the guests on the show each day, as well as links to other stories and resources we discuss.
More Thrift Savings Plan participants withdrew money from their accounts early in 2013 than in any other year over the past decade. The board processed a total of 291,000 loans and about 138,000 hardship withdrawals last year, according to statistics presented at the board's monthly meeting Monday. More than 14,000 of the hardship withdrawals taken last year came during the month of October, when partisan gridlock led to a 16-day government shutdown and financial uncertainty and delayed paychecks for thousands of federal employees.
Federal employees could soon be seeing a lot less of the G Fund in their Thrift Savings plan accounts. Instead of being automatically enrolled solely in government securities, new plan participants would be shifted to an age-appropriate Lifecycle, or L, Fund as their default investing option under a proposal approved by the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board Monday. The proposal ultimately requires action by Congress.
During the 16-day government shutdown last month, more than 14,000 Thrift Savings Plan participants withdrew money from their accounts, the highest number of hardship withdrawals in a single month ever. This may have helped participants weather the financial uncertainty of the shutdown. But, under TSP rules, it also means they'll be unable to contribute to their 401(k)-style retirement accounts for the next six months. Now, the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, which oversees the TSP, is concerned that not all those participants will take the initiative to restart their contributions when the penalty period expires next spring.
On the In Depth show blog, you can listen to our interviews, find more information about the guests on the show each day, as well as links to other stories and resources we discuss.
On the In Depth show blog, you can listen to our interviews, find more information about the guests on the show each day, as well as links to other stories and resources we discuss.
On the In Depth show blog, you can listen to our interviews, find more information about the guests on the show each day, as well as links to other stories and resources we discuss.
On the In Depth show blog, you can listen to our interviews, find more information about the guests on the show each day, as well as links to other stories and resources we discuss.
On the In Depth show blog, you can listen to our interviews, find more information about the guests on the show each day, as well as links to other stories and resources we discuss.