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Information for All Members of the Ready Reserve

 

All Members


Read the Fact Sheet before you are called to active duty so that you are familiar with your benefits.


The Fact Sheet TSP Benefits That Apply to Members of the Military Who Return to Federal Civilian Service provides the details affecting your TSP participation.  If you know what your options are, you can plan ahead:
When you return from active duty, you may make up TSP contributions missed as a result of your military service.
If you have a loan from your civilian TSP account, your payments will be suspended when you begin your nonpay status to perform military service.  Your agency will resume your loan payments when you return to pay status.
If you separated from civilian service and your Agency Automatic (1%) Contributions were forfeited because you were not vested, you are entitled to have these funds and their earnings restored to your account when you return to civilian service.
If you separated from civilian service and your TSP account was paid to you as an automatic cashout, when you return to civilian service, you may return the funds to reestablish your account.  If applicable, you may reestablish a TSP loan.

Know your 4-digit ThriftLine Personal Identification Number (PIN). Your ThriftLine PIN gives you access to your account on the ThriftLine (1-877-968-3778) so that you can make certain transactions or find out your account balance from any location that has phone service. 
If you have both a civilian and a uniformed services account, know both your PINs. 

If you have lost or forgotten your PIN, you can request a new one from the ThriftLine or the TSP.  Allow 10 days to receive the new PIN in the mail.


You may contribute to a uniformed services TSP account from your Reserve pay or your active duty pay. However, if you are also contributing to a civilian TSP account, your combined tax-deferred contributions to both accounts may not exceed the IRS annual limit for tax-deferred contributions. 
In addition, your total contributions (tax-deferred and tax-exempt) cannot exceed the Internal Revenue Code section 415(c) limit (in 2009, $49,000 or 100% of compensation, whichever is the lesser amount).

Know your Web password. Your Web password gives you access to your account on this Web site (www.tsp.gov) so that you can make transactions or find out your account balance from any location that has Internet service. You can also view your quarterly and annual statements on this Web site. 
If you have both a civilian and a uniformed services account, know both your Web passwords. 

If you have lost or forgotten your password, you can request a new one from this Web site or the TSP.  Allow 10 days to receive the new password in the mail.


If you have a TSP beneficiary designation on file, keep it up to date. 

You can make or change a beneficiary designation for your civilian account by submitting Form TSP-3, or for your uniformed services account by submitting Form TSP-U-3 directly to the TSP.

You do not need to designate a beneficiary if you intend to use the statutory order of precedence

A will is not a substitute for a Designation of Beneficiary Form.


A military General Power of Attorney is usually sufficient to designate someone to act on your behalf with the TSP.  

Members of the uniformed services should contact their nearest military legal assistance office for help with a power of attorney.