Re: how to invest

If your not interested in risking for long-term gains or doing the math beyond keeping up with inflation, say 4% per year, just deposit in G fund. Then through snow, sleat, or hail you don't have to worry negative interest rates and just deliver the mail. stay safe!

Re: how to invest

Something we did locally here was to start a TSP Club, where we copied the idea of the stock market investment clubs started in Suburbia by a group of Little Old Ladies --- who eventually did very well in the stock market.

You'll get no assistance from TSP or the Fed Govt, they have passed the TSP responsibility on to each of us. Sadly, some Feds have the time & knowledge to do well, some do not. But with a TSP Club it's ok to share info since individual gains do not come at the expense of others.

We work thru the Employee's Assn here & have seen great results. Work together, share the info, share the gains. Right now we are all in the G Fund; a lower interest rate, but still safer than sitting on a 10% loss in the L2040 fund Year-To-Date.

Some things we do: (1) Periodic brown bag TSP lunches; (2) Saturday TSP classes; (3) Email groups; (4) Shared mkt research; based on a (5) Locally-developed 5-step risk-adjusted investment algorithm.

Good luck to all out there!

Re: How to Invest

Thx for the update; my comment stands, however, that the thrust of the Beardstown Ladies' efforts was to combine their information & energies to achieve a rate of return that no one individual would probably have been able to achieve.

Import that method/system over to TSP in the light of the Postal Service carrier's comments above & there is clearly an opportunity for some who might not otherwise fare as well if operating independently under the current TSP system.

Example: I was stopped in the hallway about six months ago by a 75-yr-old RN seeking TSP advice. Her husband had recently passed away & she had been forced to return to work since they had not focused on a retirement survival strategy. Imagine if she had been involved in TSP activities for a decade or so prior to this point in her life; in microcosm, that's why we do what we do with TSP.

We thank the Beardstown Ladies for the concept, and although they did not do badly surely we Feds can learn from their example.

Re: Isn't this good for long term investing?

I think it is a good time to invest. The lower the stock goes, the more stocks your getting for your money. Eventually, the stock will go back up - it always has. Since you have 20 years to go, you'll have plenty of time for the market to go up and down. So if you leave your money alone, in the long run you will have more money than those who invest all their money in the G Fund. As you get closer to retirement, you'll have less time for the market to rebound so you'll want to move your money into a less volatile plan.

Personally, I was excited when the drop in the stock market occurred. The lower it goes, the higher my profits will be once it goes back up. You just have to be patient and remember to Buy low and sell high. So enjoy the roller coaster ride now and then you can enjoy the profits later:)