Q. Can I retire from the Veterans Affairs hospital under FERS at age 55 with 25 years of service and withdraw my Thrift Savings Plan in lump sum? Or do I have to wait until my minimum retirement age? Can I leave at 55 and defer my retirement until I reach my MRA at 56?
A. Reg Jones says: You can’t retire until you reach your MRA, which is 56. If you retired then, your annuity would be reduced by 5 percent for every year you were under age 60 (5/12 of a percentage point per year). You could delay the receipt of your annuity to a later date to reduce or eliminate the age penalty.
Mike Miles says: You may withdraw your TSP funds in a lump sum following your retirement.
