TSP withdrawals & income.
How to turn your TSP into retirement income — the withdrawal options, installments versus the life annuity, the Rule of 55, in-service withdrawals at 59½, and the Roth-TSP RMD rules.
Every guide in this cluster
Your TSP Just Dropped 20% at 60: What to Actually Do
The two decisions that matter, the five that don’t, a decision flowchart, three retirees modeled through the same drop, and how the pension and the FERS supplement carry the household while the TSP heals.
Using Your TSP to Bridge to Social Security at 70
Claim at 62 for 70% of your benefit, or spend TSP first and claim 124% at 70. What the bridge costs, the G Fund bucket that funds it, the Roth window it opens, and when it’s the wrong call — with a bridge calculator.
TSP Withdrawal Options in 2026: Lump Sum, Installments, Annuity
The three withdrawal building blocks, the combination strategy most retirees use, the Rule of 55 that beats every IRA, and the spousal-rights traps that derail withdrawals.
TSP Installments vs. the Life Annuity: Income for Life (2026)
TSP installments keep your money flexible and inheritable; the MetLife annuity guarantees income for life but is irrevocable. The tradeoffs and a calculator.
The TSP Rule of 55: Penalty-Free Withdrawals at 55
How separating in the year you turn 55 unlocks penalty-free TSP access, the special-category age-50 version, and the rollover trap that voids it — with an eligibility checker.
TSP In-Service Withdrawals at 59½
Tap your TSP while still working — the four-per-year limit, Roth vs traditional ordering, and how it differs from a hardship withdrawal — with a withdrawal planner.
TSP RMDs and the Roth-TSP Exemption: 2026 Rules
TSP RMDs start at 73, and since 2024 Roth TSP is exempt for life. How RMDs work, the two-in-one-year trap, the still-working exception, and an RMD calculator.
Back to the full pillar
This is one cluster of the TSP pillar. Explore fund basics, Roth & catch-up, rollovers, and loans & death benefits in the full pillar.
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