Do I have to take a loan before I can apply for a hardship withdrawal of my TDA funds?
No, based on an Internal Revenue Service change effective after 2019. However, you would not be eligible for a hardship withdrawal unless you have maximized certain other available TRS resources. These include any pre-1989 funds and if you are a Tier I or Tier II member, any excess Annuity Savings Fund (ASF) accumulations. You should also ensure that you have maximized any reasonably available funds or distributions from other resources before you apply for a TDA hardship withdrawal.