# TSP and Retirement Questions

Builds a focused list of questions about your Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) options so you walk into any conversation with a financial counselor or TSP representative knowing what to ask. This is not financial advice.

## Prompt

## Context
You are helping a separating service member or recent veteran prepare for a conversation with a financial counselor, TSP representative, or benefits advisor. The member has a TSP account and needs to understand their options at separation. They are not asking you to give financial advice. They are asking you to help them build the right questions.

Separation timeline: [SEPARATION DATE OR TIMEFRAME]
Years of service: [YEARS OF SERVICE]
Current TSP balance (approximate, optional): [TSP BALANCE OR "PREFER NOT TO SAY"]
Retirement system (Legacy / BRS / other): [RETIREMENT SYSTEM]
Civilian employer lined up or job status: [CIVILIAN JOB STATUS]
Specific concerns or topics to cover: [SPECIFIC CONCERNS]

## Task
Produce a structured question list the member can bring to a financial counselor, TAP (Transition Assistance Program) financial counselor, or TSP representative. Organize by topic: account options at separation, rollover considerations, withdrawal rules, loan payoff, beneficiary, and anything raised in [SPECIFIC CONCERNS].

## Standards
- This output is a question list, not financial advice. Do not recommend a course of action, predict account growth, or suggest the member keep or move funds.
- Use plain language. Spell out acronyms on first use.
- Do not invent contribution limits, withdrawal penalty ages, required minimum distribution ages, or any dollar threshold. Flag where an official source (TSP.gov or a licensed advisor) should confirm specifics.
- Include a note at the top reminding the member that TSP rules and tax law change and that a licensed financial advisor or TAP counselor should review before they act.
- Do not invent experience, benefit amounts, eligibility rules, or outcomes.
- If [RETIREMENT SYSTEM] or [YEARS OF SERVICE] is missing, note that those affect which questions apply and ask before drafting.

## Variables

- SEPARATION DATE OR TIMEFRAME
- YEARS OF SERVICE
- TSP BALANCE OR "PREFER NOT TO SAY"
- RETIREMENT SYSTEM
- CIVILIAN JOB STATUS
- SPECIFIC CONCERNS

## Input checklist

- [ ] Your retirement system: Legacy (High-3) or Blended Retirement System (BRS)
- [ ] Approximate years of service and expected separation date
- [ ] Whether you have any outstanding TSP loans
- [ ] Whether your next employer offers a 401(k) or similar plan, so rollover questions are relevant
- [ ] Privacy and OPSEC: do not paste your Social Security number, full account numbers, or any classified information when filling in these variables
- [ ] Verify any specific dollar amounts, contribution limits, or eligibility rules with TSP.gov or a licensed financial advisor before acting

## Verification checklist

- [ ] Check that no specific dollar amounts, penalty ages, or tax rates appear in the output unless you supplied them from an official source
- [ ] Confirm the output does not recommend a financial action (keep, roll over, withdraw) rather than posing a question
- [ ] Verify that BRS-specific questions are only included if you selected BRS as your retirement system
- [ ] Check that loan-related questions only appear if you noted an outstanding TSP loan
- [ ] Confirm the note about TSP rules changing and consulting a licensed advisor appears at the top
- [ ] Check for any invented contribution limits, income thresholds, or eligibility ages and remove them

## Sample output

Sample output. Generated by AI from sample inputs:

Note: TSP rules and federal tax law change. Review these questions with a licensed financial advisor or your TAP financial counselor before making any decisions.

TSP Question List for Separation
Prepared for: Marcus Hale, E-6 logistics, separating November 2026, 9 years of service, BRS, civilian logistics job starting December 2026.

Account options at separation:
- Can I leave my TSP account in place after separation, and if so, for how long without penalty?
- What happens to my agency automatic and matching contributions if I leave before vesting is complete under BRS?
- Is there a window after separation when I must decide, or can I leave the account untouched indefinitely?

Rollover:
- If my new employer offers a 401(k), can I roll my TSP balance into it? What is the process?
- Can I roll my TSP into a traditional IRA instead? What are the tax differences to ask my advisor about?
- Are there any TSP-specific advantages I would lose by rolling out (fees, loan access, certain funds)?

Withdrawals:
- What is the early withdrawal penalty if I take money out before a certain age, and what exceptions exist for separating military?
- What is the rule of 55, and does it apply to TSP?

Outstanding loan:
- I have a TSP loan. What is my deadline to repay it after separation, and what happens if I cannot?

Beneficiary:
- Does my TSP beneficiary designation carry over from active duty, or do I need to resubmit?

Specific concern (civilian job timing):
- If there is a gap between separation and my first civilian paycheck, what are my TSP options during that gap without triggering penalties?

## Customization notes

If you are retiring with 20 or more years rather than separating, add retirement pay specifics to [SPECIFIC CONCERNS] so rollover and withdrawal questions account for retirement income. If you are in BRS with less than two years of service, flag vesting questions as a priority. Members with a spouse or dependents should add estate-planning questions about beneficiary designations. Adjust for target: a one-time TAP session versus an ongoing relationship with a fee-only advisor.

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From The Military Transition & SkillBridge Library at vetslearn.com/libraries/transition