Changes to Catch-Up Contributions Coming
We’re only in the second quarter of calendar year 2024, and the Thrift Savings Plan is already planning for implementing …More
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Are Your Savings Goals SMART?
You probably have both made and broken New Year’s Resolutions for 2024 by now. In fact, Fall Off the Wagon …More
A Fund to Prevent Emergency Withdrawals from Your TSP
You should have money set aside for emergencies, even if your main goal is funding your retirement. Having a readily …More
Five Common Mistakes TSP Participants Should Avoid
There are approximately 6.9 million active TSP (Thrift Saving Plan) participants. They are active employees and retired employees who make …More
What do Over 4,500 of Your TSP Colleagues Know That You Don’t?
As of February 2024, there were over 4,500 TSP participants enrolled in the TSP’s mutual fund window, according to the …More
May To-Do List: Check Life Insurance, Start/Fund a 529 Plan
There are two “days” in May that deal with financial issues that should be important to us. First is May …More
How TSP Expenses Get Paid (Deducted)
All investments have expenses associated with them, including the Thrift Savings Plan. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a retirement account …More
Lifetime Income Potential of Your TSP
Recent statements mailed to Thrift Savings Plan participants included what was billed as a “lifetime income illustration”. This illustration had …More
Is Your TSP L Fund Costing You Money?
TSP participants choosing to invest in Lifecyle or L Funds may be making less money than they could because of …More
Direct Transfers Beat 60-Day Rollovers Between IRAs
Rollovers between IRAs have been around for decades. In the early days of the IRA, any money you chose to …More
What New Feds Should Know About Their Retirement Benefits
Even if a new employee doesn’t think they are going to stay with the federal government for their full career, …More
How Other Investors Use the TSP’s Mutual Fund Window Equivalent
Despite its well-documented shortcomings, the underused TSP mutual fund window provides great opportunity for better results. When deciding how—not if—to …More
April 1, Required Beginning Date for RMDs
When one thinks of finances and the month of April, the first date that pops into mind is April 15th, …More
Contributing to an IRA in Addition to Your TSP
Some of us might be able to deduct contributions to traditional Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs) from our federal income tax. …More
Free Money… and Time: Why Your Employer Match is Worth More Than You Think
There’s no way around it – if you’re amongst the roughly 13% of federal employees not contributing at least 5% …More
Don’t Write Off the Little Used TSP Mutual Fund Window
The TSP’s mutual fund window is similar to a self-directed brokerage account (SDBA) in many private sector 401(k) plans. And …More
TSP Mutual Fund Window Expenses: Fair or Foul?
With all of the discussion about the fees associated with the Thrift Savings Plan’s (TSP) mutual fund window, let’s take …More
To Equal CSRS Savings, FERS Employees Have to Fund Their TSPs
This April will mark the 37th birthday of the Thrift Savings Plan. It was on April 1, 1987, that the …More
Uptick in Number of TSP Loans
There was a 25% increase in the number of Thrift Savings Plan Loans over the one-year period from September 2022 …More
The One Word Answer for How Much You Should Have in Your TSP
I’ve heard lots of questions over the many years I’ve worked in the area of retirement and financial education and …More
Happy Croissant Day, Now Save Up
Today, January 30, is National Croissant Day. And while it’s hard not to celebrate delicious flakey buttery pastries, it’s laughable …More
TSP By the Numbers
The TSP is the largest defined contribution plan in the United States. There are 7 million participants with over $845 …More
TSP and IRAs: Similarities and Key Differences
Workers have had access to Individual Retirement Arrangements since 1974, and federal employees have been able to contribute to the …More
Feds Are Better Off Than Many Americans, But Still Should Have Emergency Fund
In early December I read an article in the Hilton Head Sun (one of those free monthly papers) with the …More
Minimize These Social Security and Medicare “Taxes”
What are “stealth taxes”? When should I worry about them? How can I avoid them? Stealth taxes are additional costs …More
Contributing to IRAs in Two Different Years at the Same Time
Did you know that from January 1st through April 18th you can contribute to both 2023 and 2024 Individual Retirement …More
5 Things the TSP Doesn’t Let You Do
The TSP (Thrift Savings Plan) is really good at a lot of things, but not everything. While you’re working the …More
TSP: Budgeting Starting Point in Longterm Financial Planning
You can join AARP as young as the age of 50, and many readers are likely already members of AARP …More
Are Things “OK” for Boomers Nearing Retirement?
OK Boomer! That phrase is viewed as a dismissal of the concerns of the “Baby Boom” generation by younger generations …More
If You Want to Become A TSP Millionaire, Just Ask
There are over 100,000 Thrift Savings Plan (“TSP”) millionaires at this point in 2023. These are the employees who contributed …More
