Q: I am retiring next month and am not interested in assuming risk in my retirement funds at this time. Would be best to roll over Thrift Savings Plan funds into an Individual Retirement Account, or should I leave the money in the TSP? I currently have 50 percent of my money in the G Fund and 25 percent in the C and S Funds. A: Your interests will be best served by leaving your money in the TSP as long as possible.
Browsing: G fund
Q: I read your May 3 piece regarding the G Fund. You said it should represent 10 percent or less of an investor’s Thrift Savings Plan assets. Maybe I’m not understanding correctly, because the suggested G Fund distribution in the L Funds has 32 percent in the L 2020, 64 percent in the L 2010 and 74 percent in the L Income. My opinion is that these are very high percentages, but I also think your 10 percent is rather low. I’m not currently in the L Funds and probably won’t be. I plan to retire in 2014 so I…
Q: I’m working for the federal government and plan on retiring there. I wanted to get some information on the Thrift Savings Plan. I have about 10 percent going to the G Fund and was wondering whether you recommend it or whether I should move my money into another fund. A: Unfortuantely, I can’t provide you with specific investment advice because I don’t know nearly enough about you, your goals and your circumstances. You can learn more about the TSP by visiting the TSP website.
Q: I am an active-duty soldier participating in the Thrift Savings Plan. I do not get a matching contribution. My money is invested in the S and I Funds, and this week I have lost $4,000. My investment had been exclusively in the G Fund, and my account was slowly growing. When I switched money in February from the G Fund to the I Fund, I began to make more money. I want to switch back to the G Fund for stability but am afraid that since the share prices are lower, the value of my account will drop because…
Q: I noticed that today (May 6), the G Fund lost value ($0.01 per share). I don’t understand how this can be. I would greatly appreciate an explanation. A: The price you cited in your question was incorrect. The G Fund’s closing price on May 6 was $13.2680 per share, and on May 5 it was $13.2669. Recent share prices for the G Fund and for other Thrift Savings Plan investments can be found at http://www.tsp.gov/rates/share-prices.html.
Q: I am five years away from retiring. My husband retired at age 48 in 2000 with $300,000 in his 401(k). He went to a financial planner and set up an annuity. The way it was written, he couldn’t change the dollar amount he was allotted. Needless to say, his money ran out this year. I have 30 percent of my income invested in the Thrift Savings Plan, all in the G Fund, hopefully not making the same mistake with the stock market. Should I go to a financial planner to have a monthly annuity made up? I don’t want…
Q: Many financial advisers recommend a retiree include Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS) as part of the fixed-income portion of their portfolio to protect against rising inflation. Although TIPS are clearly different securities than those in the Thrift Savings Plan’s G Fund, it appears there are some similarities in both their composition and their returns over time. As TIPS aren’t available in the TSP (nor should they be, in my opinion), what are the pros and cons of using the G Fund as a substitute for a TIPS (IRA) fund in the fixed-income portion of a federal retiree’s portfolio? A:…
Q: I am close to retirement in the Civil Service Retirement System and will transfer my Thrift Savings Plan investments from the C and S Funds to the G Fund to be safe. My question is in the transfer of funds: Is it the amount of shares that is transferred from one fund to another, or is the value of the fund used to purchase shares in another fund? For example: the S Fund with 2,000 shares at $19 a share is worth $38,000. The G Fund is worth $13.50 a share. Will the 2,000 shares transferred to the G…
Q. I just read your article in today’s Federal Times. I just looked at my TSP account and I am investing in the G, F and C funds. As of June I will have 21 years of service. I asked my boss when will I be able to go to the Retirement Seminar and she informed me that there are six people ahead of me. Last year the office sent two people; at this rate I will be screwed because I am trying to prepare now for my retirement. After reading your article it has inspired me to invest in…
As a retirement investment adviser, I find the Thrift Savings Plan’s five basic funds to be the best examples of their kinds anywhere: • The C Fund is invested in the diversified group of stocks included in the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index and represents a diversified investment in the stock of large U.S. companies. • The S Fund provides investors with exposure to the performance of medium and small U.S. company stock. • The I Fund invests in the stock of companies in Europe, Asia and the Far East, the most developed foreign markets. • The G Fund is…