IRA Phase-Out Changes for 2018
Some federal employees don’t realize they can contribute to both the TSP and an IRA, they’re not mutually exclusive retirement …More
TSP
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New TSP withdrawal options are in the works after passage of legislation allowing multiple age-based in-service withdrawals and multiple post-separation …More
Valuation Outpacing Income: Bubble Forming?
One metric I like to keep track of is the ratio of net worth to disposable income. When the ratio …More
Increase in TSP Contribution Limit
The IRS has announced a $500 increase in the elective deferral limit for 2018, allowing TSP participants to contribute up …More
Tech Stocks Lead the C Fund Higher in October
October has been yet another strong period for the TSP. So far in the month, the G Fund is up …More
TSP Demands More of Your Attention than FERS, Social Security
Those of us under the FERS retirement system have three major sources of retirement income that derive from our work …More
TSP Withdraw Strategies for a Lifetime Income Stream
In order to get a lifetime, inflation indexed, stream of income from the Thrift Savings Plan (or similar retirement savings …More
Slow and Steady Wins the TSP Race
The Thrift Savings Plan was fortunately an early adopter of low-cost index investing. This means that federal investors who stick …More
TSP Rates of Return Look Different With Inflation Factored In
Every Thrift Savings Plan fund has outpaced inflation since the fund’s inception, but even mild inflation can cause a significant …More
Don’t Count on TSP History Repeating
A common disclaimer accompanying investment information is that “past performance does not guarantee future results,” and that holds true for …More
Another Strong Month for TSP in September
For the month of September, the G Fund rose by a fraction of a percent while the F Fund fell …More
Almost Half of TSP Accounts Rolled Over Within a Year of Retirement
Will the TSP modernization legislation that is moving through Congress change the number of former federal employees who leave their …More
Do you Understand Withholding and Taxes on your Federal Retirement?
We’re coming up on the end of the year when we see if our tax planning for 2017 worked for …More
The Pros and Cons of Lifecycle Funds
The TSP Lifecycle funds are portfolio investments that consist of all five TSP funds. They automatically stay balanced and shift …More
Four Aspects of the TSP That Many Feds Don’t Get
One. The TSP is an individual account and you can only roll money into it from a qualified individual account …More
Key factors to consider when filing for bankruptcy with an outstanding TSP loan
There are many factors to consider when filing for bankruptcy with an outstanding TSP loan. Consider the following: Your TSP …More
Hurricane Harvey Has Little Impact on the TSP
Hurricane Harvey was the first major hurricane (defined as a category 3 or greater) to hit the United States in …More
TSP Expenses Jumped Over 30 Percent in 2016, Still Ridiculously Low
The TSP’s expenses increased by over 30 percent in 2016, but while it may sound alarming and significant to your …More
Consider Front-Loading Your TSP if Leaving Before End of Year
With the possibility of buyouts and agency downsizing on the horizon, many federal employees on the edge of retirement or …More
80 Percent Rule for Retirement
How do you determine how much money you will need in retirement? A lot depends on the retirement lifestyle that …More
August TSP Performance – An Increase in Volatility
As we enter the fourth week in August, volatility has returned to the markets. Month-to-date, the I Fund is down …More
Understanding how divorce affects your TSP
A substantial number of marriages end in divorce, and if you’re a federal employee or retiree who is going through …More
Never too late to improve your TSP portfolio
“It’s never too late if you start now!” – While it might be too late for you to wind up …More
A Deeper Look at the F Fund
As I’ve written about before, the TSP is an incredible investment platform. The fees are extremely low, it provides access …More
You are not Required to Contribute to your TSP, but it’s Crazy not to
Though the Thrift Savings Plan can provide you with a source of monthly income after retirement, it is different from …More
TSP Options for Those Who Leave the Government Before Retirement
Not all federal employees finish their careers with the federal government. Below are some options those employees have with their …More
July TSP Performance: Low Interest Rates for Longer?
All five TSP funds are up so far in July, and market volatility remains at historically low levels. The G …More
There are Widely Held Misconceptions about Your Thrift Savings Plan
Many federal employees harbor some misconceptions about federal benefits and retirement, including the Thrift Savings Plan. There are three widely …More
Budget Proposal Targets Federal Retirement
By now you’ve probably heard that cuts to your federal retirement have been put on the table as part of …More
TSP G Fund Downside: Low Returns
The G Fund has arguably the best risk/reward ratio out of all investments issued by the U.S. Treasury, as I …More
