Re: Trading

If the TSP board would allow those that want to continue unlimited transfers to remove their funds from TSP, I'm sure there would be at least 3,000 takers.

I seriously doubt the TSP board would allow that to happen.

I don't know why people have this kind of attitude. Those that are moving their TSP funds on a more frequent basis are doing NOTHING wrong. They are only doing what the TSP board themselves have enable participants to do!

Re: Play on your dime!

This is in answer to the USDA biologist, if the players offices are like mine they have plenty of time to play.

Re: Play on your dime!

it sounds like you don't know how to make a interfund transfer, you can make a transfer 24/7. i work at night and so do alot of other people 9:30pm to 6:00am. i have mon/tues off, i hope you have monday off if not you are wasting your boss's money

Re: Play on your dime!

It takes about 30 seconds from start to finish to change your allocations. That doesn't include the 10 seconds it takes to pull up the TSP Share Price History. I can do that on a break and still have time to get a bottle of pop.

I've seen people socialize on government time for longer stretches than that.

And, if it's a question of funding the transfers.. I'm all in favour of a fee being imposed. I would be more than willing to put in my fair share to keep the system as it is now.

Re: TSP Frequent Trading

It was the TSP board's idea to enable participants to make transfers daily. Why do those who are against daily tranfers not getting that fact?!

Participants who transfer their funds are playing within the rules established by the TSP board.

If you don't want to make interfund transfers, fine, don't.

I for one want to be able to continue to make interfund transfers as I see fit, as entitled to me by the TSP board.

By the way, my 2007 return was 14% vs 5% for the C and S funds.

Re: Whose Money Is It, Any Way

It is your money and I'll be very happy for you---and the other self-proclaimed professional investors---if you take it elsewhere.

Re: Whose Money Is It, Any Way

When you move your TSP money to a 401K plan please be aware that the vast majority of mutual funds(which is what 401Ks are generally composed of) restrict trading in the same way the TSP is planning to. Additionally they do it for the same reason, it drives up costs for everybody else.

Re: Whose Money Is It, Any Way

Feel free to take the money and run elsewhere. I'm expecting that you won't find any funds that will allow the kinds of frequent trading "for free" that had been previously allowed. I expect the only reason you're making above average returns, if that is the case, is because you're not getting hit with the 1-2% fee many funds charge for excessive trades.

Secondly, while your TSP funds are "your" money, the approximately 3000 heavy traders cost the rest of us roughly 142 million dollars. Should all 3000 heavy traders leave the TSP program to trade elsewhere, mathematically speaking, you'd be a drop in the bucket, but the rest of us invested in the I fund would have made an additional .08 %.

And finally, two trades a month should be more than enough for folks who watch their accounts and balance them on a regular basis. Thats 4 times the number of "free trades" allowed under many funds, and most of those don't allow a reinvestment with 60 to 90 days of withdrawal.

Re: Whose Money Is It, Any Way

My feelling is, take it and go.

Re: Whose Money Is It, Any Way

The frequent traders are not "a good 10 - 15%"...it's more like 1%. And that 1% is costing the rest of us money.

99% of us DON'T want to play the market with our savings...why should we finance those who do?

Re: Whose Money Is It, Any Way

Whose Money Is It, Any Way? Unfortunately, part of the money your playing with is mine. The bottom line is that whether your making money or not, other TSP participants are paying the price.

If you are savy, you won't even consider moving your money. If you do, I think you'll find that other companies will charge fees for all those transfers you've been getting for free. If the the 10-15% investors you referred to decide to move their money out of TSP, I don't think there will be much of an affect. The money TSP saves from managing all those fund transfers will probably make up the difference.

Re: Whose Money Is It, Any Way

If you are going to play the market, get where the market is. TSP is a retirement fund designed to be a "savings" plan - hence the name Thrift Savings Plan.

If you want to play Schwab, e-trade or others, do it on your own buck and quit spending mine.

Re: Whose Money Is It, Any Way

My money too! Don't lower my chances to "win" in the best & lowest cost 401 on the market. Glad to hear the TSP is doing something about keeping the costs down and taking the "game" controls out of the hands of children that slept through their economics & statistics course work in college.

Re: Whose Money Is It, Any Way

"Secondly, while your TSP funds are "your" money, the approximately 3000 heavy traders cost the rest of us roughly 142 million dollars"

WRONG! The $142 million is the dollar amount traded in the I fund in Sept & Oct 2007. Total transaction costs for the TSP were $15 million.

Re: Let's really reduce participants expenses.

You should really get a grip, there are going to be some expenses that are necessary to run any fund account.
As for the loan program you might want to check your facts because you see the TSP does charge each individual a fee for every loan. This was done due to the a small percentage of people taking out the loans. Doesn't that sound familiar?

Re: Let's really reduce participants expenses.

I respectively disagree with your comments about loans. Although in the beginning, individuals taking out loans were not charged. However, a few years ago a fee was implemented for processing loans. As for the toll free number, isn't there one basic fee no matter how many calls are received? If so, it would matter how many calls they received.

Re: Let's really reduce participants expenses.

Dear DFAS Employee. I did not indicate anywhere in my post that TSP did not charge a fee for a loan. Your post seems to indicate that you are privy to some information that states the fee they do charge pays for the administrative expenses of each loan in full for the entire life of the loan. Maybe you can share that information with all of us.

Dear USAG Analyst. Whatever expense is involved with the toll free number is an expense. If I don’t use the toll free number I should not have to pay any part of that expense just like you should not have to pay any part of the expense I may generate by moving my TSP funds. Matters not if it is a set fee, a per call fee, or a charge of 99cents a month, IT’S AN EXPENSE FORCED ON EVERYONE!

Re: Let's really reduce participants expenses.

There is also interest imposed on the borrower's loan, if I'm not mistaken. Also, many businesses that allow employees to invest in them, say Ross stores, allow the investor to withdraw from their account. This system is what it is and it's not the fault of employees maximizing their profits but it is TSP responsibity to take care of all not just those making up for lost time.

Re: TSP to Frequent Traders: Go Play Somewhere Else

Congratulations on beating the best performing fund "hands down" the past two years! Stand up and take a bow. Really, that should not have been too hard to do given the economic situation the past two years. By the way, where's my cut for the added costs I and others helped bear while you "won" the game?

Re: TSP to Frequent Traders: Go Play Somewhere Else

Note that "frequent trading" will be prohibited, nothing was said about all trading being prohibited. You don't know if it will affect you based on this article since "frequent trading" isn't defined.

Re: TSP to Frequent Traders: Go Play Somewhere Else

I stand corrected on the definition of frequent trading, apparently more than 2 trades per month is considered frequent. Have you been trading more than twice a month?

Re: TSP to Frequent Traders: Go Play Somewhere Else

And I'll have YOU know that I am tired of financing your "playing". Because that's what you are doing, using other peoples money to play with yours.

Re: TSP to Frequent Traders: Go Play Somewhere Else

Take a 'loan' on your TSP money and go invest it on day trading if you are so great and quit making my account which I change about once a year decrease due to your hobby.