The Money Mustache Community

Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Investor Alley => Topic started by: erutio on February 17, 2017, 11:58:13 AM

Title: Going from 403b/457/401a to just TSP
Post by: erutio on February 17, 2017, 11:58:13 AM
I'm trying to find out more information about the TSP, but the TSP website just isn't that helpful.  Everything seems so cryptic, and it's hard to find solid information, so I hope I can lean on the collective knowledge base here. 

This fall, I'm going from a state job, where I have a 403b, 457, and 401a (contribute a fixed 25%), to a Fed job, where I will have just the TSP.  I currently max all the accounts.
I am going from 81k of pre-tax advantaged space (18 + 18 + 45k) to just 18k in the TSP, so effectively losing 63k of pre-tax advantaged space. But I will get a 5% match (11k) and my salary goes from 180k to 220k.

1) Rolling over: Everyone says how wonderful TSP is with its low ERs, and how in general, one should roll all prior retirement accounts into TSP once you get a fed job.  My current plans have VITSX (total stock market, inst. shares), VBTLX, and VTIAX, and I use a simple 3 fund allocation with bonds% = age - 25, and stock portion 60/40 in US/International.  I think these funds are incredible, should I still roll everything over (except 457 of course)?  Are the C/S/I and G funds better than these 3?

1) TSP withdrawal/transfers:  Can I still do a Roth ladder with TSP?  (Can it be rolled into a TIRA?)

Thanks.
Title: Re: Going from 403b/457/401a to just TSP
Post by: erutio on February 17, 2017, 12:16:27 PM
This fall, I'm going from a state job, where I have a 403b, 457, and 401a (contribute a fixed 25%), to a Fed job, where I will have just the TSP.  I currently max all the accounts.
I am going from 81k of pre-tax advantaged space (18 + 18 + 45k) to just 18k in the TSP, so effectively losing 63k of pre-tax advantaged space. But I will get a 5% match (11k) and my salary goes from 180k to 220k.

I should say, I was offered a fed job, and I'm trying to compared to the 2 jobs.   And I need more specific info on the TSP to make an accurate comparison.