Q. I contribute 5 percent to my Thrift Savings Plan, ensuring that I get the full matching. I would like to contribute more to my retirement and am not sure whether to increase my TSP contributions or contribute to my IRA. Aside from the low overhead of the TSP, are there any fundamental differences between contributing to either one? Are there other particular benefits to investing in the TSP or the IRA that I should take into account?
A. The TSP’s low cost and the availability of the G Fund make it the best retirement investment vehicle you’ll find. Without a good reason to do otherwise, I recommend that you maximize your TSP contributions before you consider saving for retirement anywhere else.
