TSP Beneficiary Designation Issue

[ekoncepts]

I have been unsuccessful in designating a Primary beneficiary for my TSP account. Hopefully, someone may be able to offer a suggestion on how to resolve this.

Since TSP no longer accepts TSP-3 form, I am left with only 2 options to complete this task.

1. Make the designation via the TSP website
2. Call into TSP and have them initiate the designation.

** I should also note, my beneficiary is a TSP account holder also.

I have attempted to do option 1, but continue to get the following error messages:

"The Relationship Sequence of01 is invalid on the Prsn Bsc Trns. Enter a valid relationship Sequencefor Relation01 (0010200997)"

"Non-Recordekeeping person ID 'SSN of beneficary is listed here' already exists, but the relationship has been set to Deleted. If you need to re-add this party, change the relationship. (001021335)"

I tried removing and reentering the beneficiary information only to be presented with the same error message. So I then moved to option 2, and I called TSP. Thankfully, when I called I only waited about 5 minutes before being connected.

I have placed 2 calls so far, and while the representatives made the process fairly easy, neither of the attempts have been successful. On both attempts the witness emails (DocuSign) that are sent for verification of the proper completion of the request were not received.

Even though the representative said the DocuSign emails should be received within 24 hours, they still have never arrived. My witness verified that the emails did not get sent to the Spam folder.

I am running out of options for how to resolve this issue. It shouldn't be this difficult to designate a beneficiary. How many times do I have to call TSP to get this issue resolved? I did wait about 5 days between each attempt, just in case previously entered data wasn't purged immediately.

I would greatly appreciate ANY advice on how to proceed.

 

[Boghie]

Did your witness change his/her email since it was entered so many moons ago?

Maybe:
Change the relationship. If it is a kid, change it to spouse and see if that works. If it does, change it back.
Perhaps try a different person to see if the process works at all. You can/should always be able to change it back.

My guess is that since your witness is not getting the email he/she has a different email address than what is in the system. This can be a pain since they will get an email to confirm their email change . Perhaps they can log into their TSP and into their benefits center and verify. If they see an old email there should be a mechanism for them to change it like using a cell phone text rather than the old email. I would work that angle first. I think your side is likely ok.

 

[tsptalk]

Thanks Boghie. Someone else had this issues a little while ago: Maybe this thread will help as well.

Thread 'Beneficiary updating'

Jul 1, 2024

One of my 3 beneficiaries has incorrect SS number. Last digit is incorrect. Can't correct it online. Called TSP - gal said she can't access SS numbers either.
Is it possible to delete ​one beneficiary online, and then 'add' the same person with the correct info?

Note: Last time I updated bene's was 2019. I mailed in a TSP-3 form. My photo copy of that form has correct info.

• Skramy
• Replies: 13
• Forum: TSP Talk, News, etc.

 

[ekoncepts]

Did your witness change his/her email since it was entered so many moons ago?

Maybe:
Change the relationship. If it is a kid, change it to spouse and see if that works. If it does, change it back.
Perhaps try a different person to see if the process works at all. You can/should always be able to change it back.

My guess is that since your witness is not getting the email he/she has a different email address than what is in the system. This can be a pain since they will get an email to confirm their email change . Perhaps they can log into their TSP and into their benefits center and verify. If they see an old email there should be a mechanism for them to change it like using a cell phone text rather than the old email. I would work that angle first. I think your side is likely ok.

Thanks for the reply and suggestions, it's greatly appreciated.

I have verified that my witnesses email address is correct and receiving new emails, and they have checked the spam & trash folders. And to clarify, my beneficiary has a TSP account, not my witness.

Since my current request is still showing as "Pending", and has been for over a week. I will just try and delete the current designation and see if I can initiate a new different beneficiary to see if that will work. I will use a different witness, with a different email address. At least this way I can verify the system is functioning.

It can't go any further south at this point, what have I got to lose?

Thanks Boghie. Someone else had this issues a little while ago: Maybe this thread will help as well.

Thread 'Beneficiary updating'

Jul 1, 2024

One of my 3 beneficiaries has incorrect SS number. Last digit is incorrect. Can't correct it online. Called TSP - gal said she can't access SS numbers either.
Is it possible to delete ​one beneficiary online, and then 'add' the same person with the correct info?

Note: Last time I updated bene's was 2019. I mailed in a TSP-3 form. My photo copy of that form has correct info.

• Skramy
• Replies: 13
• Forum: TSP Talk, News, etc.

Thanks for the replies and suggestions, and I have read the information at the above linked thread, it's greatly appreciated.

I have verified that my witnesses email address is correct and receiving new emails, and they have checked the spam & trash folders. And to clarify, my beneficiary has a TSP account, not my witness.

Since my current request is still showing as "Pending", and has been for over a week. I will just try and delete the current designation and see if I can initiate a new different beneficiary to see if that will work. I will use a different witness, with a different email address. At least this way I can verify the system is functioning.

It can't go any further south at this point, what have I got to lose?

 

[Boghie]

The process is 'clear as mud', but the pending timeframes and witness requirements are covered in the video after you select your way through the 'Add Beneficiary' menu options:

 

[Boghie]

The whole thing about camping in 'Pending' indicates that the person is not responding.

I've never seen any of this. It's weird. Maybe the witness' computer security filter is blocking it - not just sending it to junk. There should be a way to go in there and see.

 

[ekoncepts]

The whole thing about camping in 'Pending' indicates that the person is not responding.

I've never seen any of this. It's weird. Maybe the witness' computer security filter is blocking it - not just sending it to junk. There should be a way to go in there and see.

Thanks. I'll check out the video too.

It just boggles the mind. I have had TSP do this 2x so far and it just sits at Pending. So I went in and redid it AGAIN manually myself, but this time I selected "My witness does not have email" option, and TSP is supposed to send ME the witness document, then I have to have them sign it then I can upload it.
Kind of convoluted process, but maybe, just maybe this will work. Time will tell. But I don't have a whole lot of confidence at this point.