Retirement
TSP or IRA? The questions that actually change the answer
A rollover is not automatically the right move. Five questions narrow the decision before anyone touches the money.
Grace Liu · Chief Risk Officer · August 21, 2026 · 6 min read
Start with the plan you are leaving
The Thrift Savings Plan is unusually inexpensive and its funds are simple. Leaving it is not a default improvement. Compare the expense ratio, the investment menu and the withdrawal options before deciding that an IRA is better.
Five questions
These do not produce a recommendation on their own, but they surface the trade-offs that matter.
- Are you still working, and does the plan allow an in-service withdrawal?
- Are you at or past age 59½, and do you need penalty-free access?
- Does the plan offer funds you cannot get elsewhere at a lower cost?
- How much does creditor protection matter in your state?
- Do you need required minimum withdrawals to be simple, or flexible?
What a good review looks like
A useful review writes down the assumptions, compares the fees in dollars rather than basis points, and names the tax year in which the move would happen. If a provider cannot explain the difference in plain language, that is information too.
River Gem's rollover review is an educational checklist. The custodian and the advice belong to a licensed partner, and the decision stays with the member.
“The right rollover is the one that survives the questions, not the one with the best brochure.”
Grace Liu
Chief Risk Officer, River Gem Bank
This article is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice. Rates and product terms are published separately and may change.