Search:

Custom Search

Readers' Comments

Total Comments: 55
Page 1 of 5

« Previous | Next »

"I would have lost more, but that was all the money I had."

Portfolio Paralysis

Fed Peasant
DOD
Fri Oct 10, 2008 11:36 AM

Post Reply

It really stings with this new 2 trades per months policy for TSP. My hands are tied!! I was never one of the day traders, who brought this over bearing restriction. We need more than two per month & we need more fund choices, to do this job right.

Re: Portfolio Paralysis

Analyst
State Dept in Washington DC
Fri Oct 10, 2008 11:54 AM
My feeling exactly. Thanks TSP managers and Day Traders.

Re: Portfolio Paralysis

Beach Bum
DoD
Fri Oct 10, 2008 6:11 PM
Ummmm...

1. Before we start this noise about "Day Traders" lets be clear about one thing - you place a trade and it can take up to 48 hours to process, 48 hours - not instantly. This amounts to 2 trades a week. This is not day trading.

2. The handling of accounts is contracted out. What was never spelled out was what the costs were for handling a transaction. However, the "L" funds are rebalanced daily - what is the cost there?

3. Oh yes, and my biggest pet peeve - why is 21 percent of the C fund invested in financials? Or it was when I checked the leaflet about TSP. What were these people thinking?

Re: Portfolio Paralysis

Fed Peasant
DOD
Sun Oct 12, 2008 7:54 PM
Beach Bum DoD:
That's part of the index. Do your homework.

Re: Portfolio Paralysis

worker
government
Tue Nov 25, 2008 11:22 AM
You sound like a speculator. Stop trying to time the market. The purpose of these funds is to leave the mponey alone, not to speculate. 2 trades per month is enough. I do not want to pay for your speculation.

I would have lost more, but that was all the mone

Health Insurance Specialist
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Fri Oct 10, 2008 11:53 AM

Post Reply

Regarding this article, how can the TSP expect members to risk losing all of their funds in anticipation of the market rebounding? Are we supposed to sit and watch every dollar disappear? I guess it is fine if one has lots of funds to risk, but when you don't, it is difficult to watch every dollar disappear and know that you have to start all over again. I have already determined that I am going to have to work longer before retirement -- it has taken so many years to build up the small amount I currently have. I do plan to move the funds back into stocks once the market rebounds; however, I am planning to be extremely cautious during this current timeframe.

Irrational Exuberance

HR Specialist
NASA
Fri Oct 10, 2008 12:04 PM

Post Reply

Three thoughts:
1. Suppose the DOW at 14,000 was a fairly tale based on unrealistic hopes? When it hit 8,000 everybody was amazed and nobody thought it could ever get to 10,000.
2. If it never goes back up, we are going to have a lot of very OLD Federal employees because FERS is a joke without substantial TSP income, which is disappearing by the day. Forget any boomer retirement wave, for years to come.
3. Unfortunately, very rich people with millions and billions manage to manipulate the market and they are exacebating the current "panic" by selling/shorting stocks they do not really own, and never intend to own. This works very well for them as long as they buy them back at a cheaper price, before any rebound occurs, and is actually quite legal, but doing it in this atmosphere is ugly, approaching immoral. Would like to see a HUGE tax on excess profits made from shorting, vs normal capital gains taxes.

Re: Irrational Exuberance

Diversity Manager
DOL
Fri Oct 10, 2008 9:23 PM
I liken it to the 40% who pay no taxes having a vote for president. They don't have skin in the game but their votes counts just as much as mine

Re: Irrational Exuberance

worker
government
Tue Nov 25, 2008 11:31 AM
This is to diversity manager. Where do you get that 40% figure pay no taxes? Do they live on grates and pay no real estate taxes directly or indirectly? Do they buy only items that do not involve sales taxes? Perhaps they do not file income tax returns? Why do you say that 40% of the voting population do not file tax returns?
How many live on social security and investment income below the taxable income required to file a return? Of course you have a source for this information so please disclose this. If it is some outfit, please disclose its source.
I did not know paying taxes is a requirement to vote. I thought paying taxes is a requirement based on the Internal Revenue Code.

TSP Downturn

C.E. Tech
USDA Forest Service
Fri Oct 10, 2008 12:05 PM

Post Reply

At times like this I am glad I am in CSRS! Congress didn't do anybody a favor when they came up with FERS.

Re: TSP Downturn

worker
government
Tue Nov 25, 2008 11:34 AM
This was Reagan's idea. You know how "good" he was for the federal worker.

ECONOMY

ADMIN SPEC
VHA
Fri Oct 10, 2008 12:06 PM

Post Reply

So, didn't anyone see this mess getting ready to rear its ugly head?

Building, building, building, building and more building. More houses than buyers? Duhhhh, yes.

Huge vehicles being driven by one person. These vehicles may have been created for heavy duty work projects, but are being driven by one individual to and from work, or to and from the grocery store, or to and from pleasure trips. Didn't anyone wonder about gas prices? Duhhhhhh.

Looking for someone to blame? Look in the mirror.

Article Critique

District Manager
Social Security Administration
Fri Oct 10, 2008 12:11 PM

Post Reply

Ralph -

This was an excellent basic primer on how the markey is working these days amd some considerations investors need to be thinking about . Indeed, I think it's the best piece I've seen over the past past few weeks on the market turmoil.

Thanks,

'Nervous, but Hangin' On'!

I listened to them

Fed Employee
Fed Agency
Fri Oct 10, 2008 1:07 PM

Post Reply

and lost 45K +. So don't listen to them if you don't want to lose all your money.

Total Comments: 55
Page 1 of 5

« Previous | Next »

Add a Comment about this Article

** All fields are required.
Note: Your comments will not show up right away. FedSmith.com selects the most insightful comments from our readers for posting. If selected, your comments will show up in the comments section after they have been reviewed and approved. See our terms of use for more information.