Have You Taken Your Minimum Required Distribution?

If you have not already taken a minimum required distribution (MRD) from your Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) or your Individual Retirement Account (IRA) for 2008, you must take it by April 1, 2009.

Did you reach the age of 70 ½ in 2008?

If you have not already taken a minimum required distribution (MRD) from your Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) or your Individual Retirement Account (IRA) for 2008, you must take it by April 1, 2009 (See Taxes and Your 2009 TSP Distributions: How To Lower Your Taxes). An initial MRD can be postponed until April 1st of the year after the year in which the account holder turns 70 ½. However, it is still considered a distribution for the year in which the age 70 ½ was attained.

The fact that Congress and the President eliminated the requirement to take a minimum required distribution in 2009 has nothing to do with a 2008 initial MRD that is taken in 2009. The 2008 distribution must be taken.

What if you turn 70 ½ in 2009? Then you won’t have to take your initial distribution.

The initial MRD is the only one which can be pushed into the next year. After taking an initial distribution, all subsequent distributions must be taken by December 31st.
 

Agencies can request to have John Grobe, or another of Federal Career Experts' qualified instructors, deliver a retirement or transition seminar to their employees. FCE instructors are not financial advisers and will not sell or recommend financial products to class participants. Agency Benefits Officers can contact John Grobe at johnfgrobe@comcast.net to discuss schedules and costs.

About the Author

John Grobe is President of Federal Career Experts, a firm that provides pre-retirement training and seminars to a wide variety of federal agencies. FCE’s instructors are all retired federal retirement specialists who educate class participants on the ins and outs of federal retirement and benefits; there is never an attempt to influence participants to invest a certain way, or to purchase any financial products. John and FCE specialize in retirement for special category employees, such as law enforcement officers.