TSP Rollover Rules: What to Know Before Moving Your Money

In this episode of The Military Wallet Mail Call, Ryan Guina answers three listener questions about moving money out of the Thrift Savings Plan and into other retirement accounts. He covers when you may be able to roll money out of the TSP while still in federal or military service, what to consider before making the move, and why direct rollovers can help simplify the transfer process. Ryan also explains how Traditional and Roth TSP balances are handled when moving to an IRA or another qualified retirement account. Finally, he breaks down whether a TSP rollover counts toward your annual IRA contribution limit and what happens to Roth TSP contributions and earnings after they are moved into a Roth IRA. If you're preparing to leave federal or military service—or simply trying to understand your options before making a move—this episode walks through some of the key TSP rollover rules to know. For more information, check out TheMilitaryWallet.com Have a question for a future Mail Call episode? Leave us a message at ⁠⁠⁠TheMilitaryWallet.com/Podcast ------ 0:00 Intro 1:04 Can You Move TSP Money Before Retirement? 2:30 Should You Roll Over Your TSP? 4:25 Direct vs. Indirect TSP Rollovers 6:41 Traditional vs. Roth TSP Rollovers 9:00 Do TSP Rollovers Count Toward IRA Contribution Limits? 10:23 What Happens to Roth TSP Contributions and Earnings? 11:29 Roth IRA Five-Year Rules ------ #thriftsavingsplan #TSPRollover #militarymoney