(a) A participant who has an open TSP account and is entitled to receive (or receives) an eligible rollover distribution from an eligible employer plan within the meaning of section 402(c) of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. 402(c)), or from a traditional IRA may roll over that distribution into his or her existing TSP account in accordance with § 1600.31.

(b) The only balances that the TSP record keeper will accept are balances that would otherwise be includible in gross income if the distribution were paid to the participant. The TSP record keeper will not accept any balances that have already been subjected to Federal income tax (after-tax monies) or balances from a uniformed services TSP account that will not be subject to Federal income tax (tax-exempt monies).

(c) Notwithstanding paragraph (b) of this section, the TSP record keeper will accept Roth funds that are transferred via direct rollover from an eligible employer plan that maintains a qualified Roth contribution program described in section 402A of the Internal Revenue Code.

(d) The TSP record keeper will accept a rollover only to the extent the rollover is permitted by the Internal Revenue Code.

(a) Direct rollover. (1) A participant may request that the administrator or trustee of an eligible employer plan or traditional IRA roll over any or all of his or her account directly to the TSP in the form and manner prescribed by the TSP record keeper. The administrator or trustee must provide to the TSP record keeper the distribution, information about the type of money included in the distribution (i.e., tax-deferred and/or Roth amounts), and sufficient evidence from which to reasonably conclude that a contribution is a valid rollover contribution (as defined by 26 CFR 1.401(a)(31)-1, Q&A-14). By way of example, sufficient evidence to conclude a contribution is a valid rollover contribution includes a copy of the plan's determination letter, a letter or other statement from the plan administrator or trustee indicating that it is an eligible employer plan or traditional IRA, a check indicating that the contribution is a direct rollover, a payment confirmation, distribution statement or a tax notice from the plan to the participant indicating that the participant could receive a rollover from the plan.

(2) If the distribution is from a Roth account maintained by an eligible employer plan, the plan administrator must also provide to the TSP record keeper a statement indicating the first year of the participant's Roth 5 year non-exclusion period under the distributing plan and either:

(i) The portion of the direct rollover amount that represents Roth contributions (i.e., basis); or

(ii) A statement that the entire amount of the direct rollover is a qualified Roth distribution (as defined by Internal Revenue Code section 402A(d)(2)).

(b) Indirect rollover by participant. A participant who has already received a distribution from an eligible employer plan or traditional IRA may request to roll over all or part of the distribution into the TSP in the form and manner prescribed by the TSP record keeper. However, the TSP record keeper will not accept a rollover by the participant of Roth funds distributed from an eligible employer plan. A distribution of Roth funds from an eligible employer plan may be rolled into the TSP by direct rollover only. The TSP record keeper will accept a rollover by the participant of tax-deferred amounts if the following requirements and conditions are satisfied:

(1) The participant must request to roll over the amounts in the form and manner prescribed by the TSP record keeper.

(2) The administrator or trustee must provide to the TSP record keeper information about the type of money included in the distribution (i.e., tax-deferred and/or Roth) and sufficient evidence from which to reasonably conclude that a contribution is a valid rollover contribution. By way of example, sufficient evidence to conclude a contribution is a valid rollover contribution includes a copy of the plan's determination letter, a letter or other statement from the plan indicating that it is an eligible employer plan or traditional IRA, a check indicating that the contribution is a direct rollover, a payment confirmation, distribution statement or a tax notice from the plan to the participant indicating that the participant could receive a rollover from the plan.

(3) The participant must submit a certified check, cashier's check, cashier's draft, money order, treasurer's check from a credit union, or personal check, made out to the “Thrift Savings Plan,” for the entire amount of the rollover, along with any other information required by the TSP record keeper. A participant may roll over the full amount of the distribution by making up, from his or her own funds, the amount that was withheld from the distribution for the payment of Federal taxes.

(4) The transaction must be completed within 60 days of the participant's receipt of the distribution from his or her eligible employer plan or traditional IRA. The transaction is not complete until the TSP record keeper receives the guaranteed funds for the amount to be rolled over, information sufficient to conclude that the amount is a valid rollover contribution, and any other information required by the TSP record keeper.

(c) Participant's certification. When rolling over a distribution to the TSP by either a direct or indirect rollover, the participant must certify that the distribution is eligible for roll over into the TSP, as follows:

(1) Distribution from an eligible employer plan. The participant must certify that the distribution:

(i) Is not one of a series of substantially equal periodic payments made over the life expectancy of the participant (or the joint lives of the participant and designated beneficiary, if applicable) or for a period of 10 years or more;

(ii) Is not a minimum distribution required by I.R.C. section 401(a)(9) (26 U.S.C. 401(a)(9));

(iii) Is not a hardship distribution;

(iv) Is not a plan loan that is deemed to be a taxed loan because of default;

(v) Is not a return of excess elective deferrals; and

(vi) If not rolled over, would be includible in gross income for the tax year in which the distribution is paid. This paragraph (c)(1)(vi) shall not apply to Roth funds distributed from an eligible employer plan.

(2) Distribution from a traditional IRA. The participant must certify that the distribution:

(i) Is not a minimum distribution required under I.R.C. section 401(a)(9) (26 U.S.C. 401(a)(9)); and

(ii) If not rolled over, would be includible in gross income for the tax year in which the distribution is paid.

(a) All funds rolled over to the TSP pursuant to §§ 1600.30 and 1600.31 will be treated as employee contributions.

(b) All funds rolled over to the TSP pursuant to §§ 1600.30 and 1600.31 will be invested in accordance with the participant's investment election on file at the time the rollover is completed.

(c) Funds rolled over to the TSP pursuant to §§ 1600.30 and 1600.31 are not subject to the limits on contributions described in § 1600.22.

Uniformed services TSP account balances and civilian TSP account balances may be combined (thus producing one account), subject to paragraphs (a) through (g) of this section:

(a) An account balance can be combined with another once the TSP record keeper is informed (by the participant's employing agency) that the participant has separated from Government service.

(b) Tax-exempt contributions may not be transferred from a uniformed services TSP account to a civilian TSP account.

(c) A traditional balance and a Roth balance cannot be combined.

(d) Funds transferred to the gaining account will be allocated among the TSP core funds according to the investment election in effect for the account into which the funds are transferred.

(e) Funds transferred to the gaining account will be treated as employee contributions and otherwise invested as described at 5 CFR part 1600.

(f) A uniformed service member must obtain the consent of his or her spouse before combining a uniformed services TSP account balance with his or her civilian account, even if the civilian account is not subject to FERS spousal rights. A request for an exception to the spousal consent requirement will be evaluated under the rules explained in 5 CFR part 1650.

(g) A loan cannot be transferred between accounts. Before the accounts can be combined, any outstanding loans from the losing account must be closed as described in 5 CFR part 1655.