Reverse Rollover (IRA to TSP)

A real world example

We’ve talked a lot about moving money from TSP to an IRA. From time to time people want to move money from an IRA back into TSP. Not nearly as popular but it has its place.

One subscriber was gracious enough to chronicle his rollover in very precise detail so that I could share it with you. This is his experience. His money came from Fidelity but they will all be pretty similar.

Timeline Summary for those of you in a hurry:

1/6/26 Initiated

1/8/26 Distribution paperwork received and signed

1/9/26 Fidelity withdraws funds

1/23/26 Clearinghouse confirmed funds received (check-clearing phase began)

1/25/26 Funds sent to TSP

1/27/26 Funds deposited in TSP

Total elapsed time: 21 days

Details for those of you who want, well…details:

STEP ONE 1/6/26

Initially tried the self-service option on the TSP website. That never materialized and he decided to go with the concierge option. [I have heard this from multiple sources as well. I think based on what everyone is telling me, concierge seems the way to go.]

Note: If you do not do the concierge option, you cannot later call and get them to help you if something goes wrong.

Mechanics:

• Call Assisted Rollover-in Concierge

• State clearly Traditional IRA to TSP

• Provide IRA custodian (In this case it was Fidelity)

• TSP initiates a conference call with Fidelity

• They discuss specific requirements among themselves

• You record your verbal authorization

STEP TWO 1/6/26

Maybe a continuation of Step One? But regardless, you should receive an email from the Retirement Clearinghouse confirming the rollover case is open, you have an authorization and you have access to a secure tracking site. This tracking site should show that the transaction has been started, and the distribution form was sent to Fidelity.

In other words, you should see some traction immediately.

STEP THREE 1/8/26

Distribution form received by Fidelity. Receipt observed in the aforementioned tracking site.

STEP FOUR 1/8/26 (Critical)

You receive a DocuSign request and must:

1. Download the entire document set (~10 pages)

2. Print all pages

3. Hand-sign where required

4. Scan the full document

5. Upload it back into DocuSign

⚠️ Known failure mode:

If the PDF is too large, DocuSign may hang with no error.

Fix by compressing the file and re-uploading.

Once accepted, the process resumes automatically.

STEP FIVE 1/9/26

Fidelity executes withdrawal.

(Jeopardy music playing…..)

STEP SIX 1/23/26

Email received “We recently received your funds from a rollover you initiated through Retirement Clearinghouse. Once the check has been cashed, we will forward the funds to your new plan. This should take 7 business days to complete the deposit process into your plan.”

Translation: The check from Fidelity arrived at the clearinghouse TSP uses. The actual cashing of the check and transferring to TSP will be occurring in the coming days.

STEP SEVEN 1/25/26

Tracking site update: Check is cleared and funds being sent to your TSP.

STEP EIGHT 1/27/26

SUCCESS! Tracker confirms the funds have been deposited into the TSP and the whole thing is complete.

The below photo may be a bit difficult to see, but hopefully you can expand it enough to see how the tracker looks.

My commentary: First of all, thank you, JW, for reporting on your experience!! That’s the kind of givebackness we’re all appreciative of.

Like I said, this was Fidelity, but Schwab, Vanguard, Edward Jones, and others should be very similar.

You see the dark time there? Sort of a blackout period from 1/8/26 - 1/23/26? That’s the time the USPS is handling your check. Because remember, it’s a paper check. Going through the regular mail. That’s required by TSP both directions. Doesn’t matter that the government is under an executive order eliminating paper checks. TSP doesn’t adhere to that rule. In most cases, the paper check arrives as it is supposed to. There are times, however, when it does not. Those are the horror stories we hear about.

This is not a recommendation to do an IRA to TSP transfer. Or to not do one. Or when to do one, if you’re going to do one. This is just the documentation of one person’s rollover who wanted to share with you guys.

Post your comments and questions below.