What is the required minimum distribution for retirement income and Thrift Savings Plan?

[suetibbetts]

I am taking out $500 a month on my Thrift Savings plan. Does that meet the required minimum distribution?

[KrisD15]

There is no way for us to know what your Required Minimum Distribution is.

It's based on balances in your accounts and your age. 

Additionally, a thrift account can hold different accounts, including Roth Accounts, and Roth accounts usually do not require distributions. 

You should contact the Thriftline at 1-877-968-3778 and ask. 

HERE is a link with more information. 

[SteamTrain · Accepted solution]

@suetibbetts 

A TSP is just a US Govt 401k plan.

Once you reach age 73, you must start taking RMDs.......$500 a month may or may not satisfy that.

The RMD for, say, 2025 is based on the value of your TSP account on 31 January 2024.

And then that $$ amount is divided by a certain divisor, base on your age on you birthday in 2025.

Thus a person reaching age 78 in 2025, and having $1million in their TSP account on 31 Dec2024, they would divide $1million by 22 to get $45,454.55 as the total amount they must remove form their TSP account during 2025.   But the divisor changes base on your age by the end of the year in which you take the RMD.

You can google RMD tables to copy and print.

BUT You should work with your TSP representatives to arrange your withdrawals to satisfy any RMD for any year on and after age 73.

Taking money from your account | The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)

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(NOTE: the Rules vary if you inherited the TSP account)

[VolvoGirl]

See IRS publication 590-B for IRA Distributions

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p590b.pdf

See the worksheets starting on page 47 to figure how much you need to take out for the RMD.   The 401K plans use the same worksheet.