Should My TSP Investments Change at Retirement?
As you approach retirement, one of the most important financial questions federal employees face is: Should my TSP (Thrift Savings …More
TSP
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Max Out Your TSP Before You Pursue Other Retirement Savings
What did we do for retirement savings before the Thrift Savings Plan made its debut back in 1987? The TSP …More
Opinion | Commentary
Reflections of an Over the Hill – Thankful – Federal Retiree
You’re over the hill! What hill, and when exactly did I go over it? We tend to view life differently …More
4 Reasons Why Target Date Funds May Miss the Bullseye
Lifecycle Fund, Target Date Fund, LifeStrategy Fund, Target Retirement Date Fund: Regardless of the name, these funds are all constructed …More
Doubling Your TSP (C Fund vs G Fund)
Federal employees enjoy the benefit of having a retirement account called the TSP (Thrift Savings Plan). The TSP was created …More
Not Yet Relics: CSRS About to Turn 105 y/o, Social Security Will be 90
There are several important anniversaries coming up for our retirement benefits over the next few months. August 1st will be …More
Renewed Threats to Federal Retirement Benefits: The Sequel
We’re seeing renewed threats to federal retirement and benefits in Congress. These are not new threats; we’ve seen them before, …More
Where Does Your Retirement Income Go When You Die?
On May 30th, Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) told a town hall meeting, “We are all going to die.” No truer …More
TSP Roth: Want to Pay Less Taxes Now? Or More Later
Do you want to pay your federal income taxes now or later? “Never” is not an acceptable answer to this …More
Neglecting This Account? How Feds Could Use a Taxable Brokerage
Many federal employees who retire in their early to mid-50’s are sitting in a golden opportunity zone for tax planning. …More
TSP and Post-Retirement Spending: It’s OK to Draw it Down
Why do we put money aside in our Thrift Savings Plan? So that we can take it out of the …More
Survey Says: 27% of Boomers Have Nothing Saved for Retirement
It seems that every time you turn around you are reading or hearing about the results of a survey. That’s …More
TSP: Staying the Course Longterm Usually Beats Trying to Time the Market
The investment market has been going crazy since the beginning of April when President Donald J. Trump began his tariff …More
Financial Things You Should be Monitoring Throughout the Year but Likely Don’t
The Employee Benefits Research Institute estimates that participants in Flexible Spending Accounts forfeited roughly $4.5 billion in 2023 and $5.1 …More
Opinion | Commentary
Panicans? TSP Investing and Market Jitters
As of March 2025, there are approximately 147,000 Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) millionaires. These are investors who made significant contributions to …More
Secure 2.0: Catch Up Contributions Will Have to be Made to a Roth, for Some
We recently discussed the fact that, beginning in 2026, the Thrift Savings Plan will allow in-plan Roth conversions. This will …More
Separating? Stay the Course with Your TSP and Start Looking
“You have fifteen minutes to collect your belongings and vacate the premises”. I have seen in the news that USAID …More
In-Plan Roth Conversions Coming to TSP
What new improvements will the Thrift Savings Plan have in store for participants next year? Beginning in January, TSP participants …More
TSPs and Taxes on Our Minds
In 1966 the Easybeats said that they have Friday on their mind. David Bowie covered the song in 1973. While …More
Make Sure Your Financial Planner Understands Federal Benefits
As federal employees, we have some benefits that most other workers do not. If we are working with a financial …More
Opinion | Commentary
Social Security, Entitlement vs Earned Benefit
We’re beginning to hear the word “entitlement” bandied about as if it’s a bad thing. You have to admit that …More
Opinion | Commentary
TSP Fire Sale Buying Opportunities
I am a 38-year investor in the Thrift Savings Plan (“TSP”). As a federal retiree, I still take my TSP investing …More
Rolling Over Your TSP When You Leave
Will you end up leaving federal service in the next year? Some of you might want to leave in order …More
Leaving a Federal Job with a TSP Loan
About a year ago, I noted that there had been a 25% increase in the number of Thrift Savings Plan …More
Is There More to the TSP Than Just the Basic L Funds? Yes
The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) is a useful retirement savings vehicle for federal employees and military personnel. Most participants are …More
Opinion | Commentary
Is Social Security a Ponzi Scheme? No but Changes are Needed
Elon Musk recently called Social Security a “Ponzi Scheme”. I wonder how the 27% of retired Americans who rely solely …More
TSP Considerations for Leaving Federal Service
Do you think you’ll be leaving federal service during 2025 (voluntarily or involuntarily)? If you can afford to do so, …More
Opinion | Commentary
Could Low TSP Fees, or Employer Matching Become a Budget Target?
Groundhog Day takes place every year on February 2nd. This past Groundhog Day, I thought of the eponymous 1993 movie …More
An Emergency Fund Can Help You Avoid Raiding Your TSP/IRA, and Steep Fees
Have you heard that there are going to be “large scale RIFs” coming in the next few years? If you’ve …More
Your TSP and Separating from the Federal Government
Will the current offer of “deferred resignation” have anything to do with the Thrift Savings Plan? The short answer is …More
