[Code of Federal Regulations] [Title 5, Volume 3] [Revised as of January 1, 2001] From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access [CITE: 5CFR1620.2] [Page 207-208] TITLE 5--ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL CHAPTER VI--FEDERAL RETIREMENT THRIFT INVESTMENT BOARD PART 1620--EXPANDED AND CONTINUING ELIGIBILITY--Table of Contents Subpart A--General Sec. 1620.2 Definitions. As used in this part: Account balance means the nonforfeitable valued account balance of a TSP participant as of the most recent month-end. Basic pay means basic pay as defined in 5 U.S.C. 8331(3). For CSRS and FERS employees, it is the rate of pay used in computing any amount the individual is otherwise required to contribute to the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund as a condition for participating in the Civil Service Retirement System or the Federal Employees' Retirement System, as the case may be. Board means the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board established under 5 U.S.C. 8472. C Fund means the Common Stock Index Investment Fund established under 5 U.S.C. 8438(b)(1)(C). CSRS means the Civil Service Retirement System established by 5 U.S.C. chapter 83, subchapter III, or any equivalent retirement system. CSRS employee or CSRS participant means any employee or participant covered by CSRS or an equivalent retirement system, including employees authorized to contribute to the TSP under 5 U.S.C. 8351. Election period means the last calendar month of a TSP open season and is the earliest period in which an election to make or change a TSP contribution election can become effective. Employee contributions means any contributions to the Thrift Savings Plan made under 5 U.S.C. 8351(a), 8432(a), or 8440a through 8440d. Employer contributions means agency automatic (1%) contributions under 5 U.S.C. 8432(c)(1) or 8432(c)(3), and agency matching contributions under 5 U.S.C. 8432(c)(2). Employing agency means the organization that employs an individual described at Sec. 1620.1 as being eligible to contribute to the TSP and that has authority to make personnel compensation decisions for such employee. Executive Director means the Executive Director of the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board under 5 U.S.C. 8474. F Fund means the Fixed Income Investment Fund established under 5 U.S.C. 8438(b)(1)(B). FERS means the Federal Employees' Retirement System established by 5 U.S.C. chapter 84, and any equivalent Federal Government retirement system. FERS employee or FERS participant means any employee or participant covered by FERS. G Fund means the Government Securities Investment Fund established under 5 U.S.C. 8438(b)(1)(A). Individual account means the account established for a participant in the Thrift Savings Plan under 5 U.S.C. 8439(a). In-service withdrawal means an age-based or financial hardship withdrawal from the TSP obtained by a participant before separation from Government employment. Investment fund means either the G Fund, the F Fund, or the C Fund, and any other TSP investment funds created after December 27, 1986. [[Page 208]] Monthly processing cycle means the process, beginning on the evening of the fourth business day of the month, by which the TSP record keeper allocates the amount of earnings to be credited to participant accounts in the TSP, implements interfund transfer requests, and authorizes disbursements from the TSP. Open season means the period during which employees may choose to begin making contributions to the TSP, to change or discontinue (without losing the right to recommence contributions the next open season) the amount currently being contributed to the TSP, or to allocate prospective contributions to the TSP among the investment funds. Plan participant or participant means any person with an account in the TSP, or who would have an account in the TSP but for an employing agency error. Post-employment withdrawal means a withdrawal from the TSP obtained by a participant who has separated from Government employment. Separation from Government employment means the cessation of employment with the Federal Government or the U.S. Postal Service (or with any other employer from a position that is deemed to be Government employment for purposes of participating in the TSP) for 31 or more full calendar days. Spouse means the person to whom a TSP participant is married on the date he or she signs forms on which the TSP requests spouse information including a spouse from whom the participant is legally separated, and includes a person with whom a participant is living in a relationship that constitutes a common law marriage in the jurisdiction in which they live. Thrift Savings Fund means the Fund described in 5 U.S.C. 8437. Thrift Savings Plan, TSP, or Plan means the Thrift Savings Plan established under subchapters III and VII of the Federal Employees' Retirement System Act of 1986, 5 U.S.C. 8351 and 8401-8479. Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) contribution election means a request by an employee to start contributing to the TSP, to terminate contributions to the TSP, to change the amount of contributions made to the TSP each pay period, or to change the allocation of future TSP contributions among the investment funds, and made effective pursuant to 5 CFR part 1600. Thrift Savings Plan Service Computation Date means the date, actual or constructed, that includes all ``service'' as defined at 5 CFR 1603.1. Thrift Savings Plan Service Office means the office established by the Board to service participants. This office's current address is: Thrift Savings Plan Service Office, National Finance Center, P.O. Box 61500, New Orleans, Louisiana 70161-1500.