Fed Worker & Union Guy DOD Fri Jul 11, 2008 9:38 AM
Our precious money could be raw meat, for the hungry lobbiest dogs!! If so, then give us participants the right to transfer some of our balance out of TSP, as we chose. It's only fair when our employer neglects & abuse their fudiciary responsibility.
Money, Congress and MY TSP!!!!
Contract Administrator DCMA Fri Jul 11, 2008 9:49 AM
keep your hands off!!!
don't fix something that isn't broken!!!
the tsp is working fine, leave it alone!!!
Congress & TSP Cash Cow
Retired USDA Fri Jul 11, 2008 9:51 AM
Congress has screwed up enough. They wanted TSP to include REIT funds a few years ago, but am so happy that this never happened. Can you imagine the losses? TSP works, leave it alone.
Active investment fund
examiner IRS Fri Jul 11, 2008 9:52 AM
I am a G fund tsp contributor. I cause tsp very little expense. If someone wants to be involved in an active investment fund, that person or persons should pay the fees for this activity. Otherwise, there should be no active investment fund.
My Money
Former HR Specialist Federal Agency Fri Jul 11, 2008 9:55 AM
Every time I see a proposal like this, I post, "Keep your cotton-picking fingers off my money." As a CSRS-covered employee, I receive no Federal matching funds. Therefore, not a penny of the money in my TSP is Federal Funds. So "KEEP AWAY!! It ain't yours to fool around with."
Congress and the TSP
Environmental Specialist Department of Energy Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:01 AM
The instant Congress gets involved in the TSP, I will retire and roll that money over to some kind of IRA.
CONGRESS AND TSP FUNDS
ADMIN SPEC VHA Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:01 AM
hands off!!! leave my $$$$ alone!!!
Political Interference in the TSP
Social Insurance Specialist Social Security Administration Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:05 AM
For years, I remained skeptical of the TSP because I thought I would see Congress eyeing the fund and finding a way to divert the funds elsewhere.
Now, after finally coming on board and joining the TSP with payroll deductions to try to "catch up" I see that my earlier fears may have been justified.
What sickens me is that I have seen States do this to their employees and rob their pension funds so that their retirees fare no better either.
When will this stop? Why is the "quick buck" running this country? Can someone please tell me why everyone wants to be a millionaire by age 30, and why not work like their parents did, and make their money the old-fashioned way? By earning it? Why do those who work and earn it have to lose it to these Johnny-Come-Latelies with their big ideas and short-sighted plans that end up costing everyone? Congress needs to take heed of the information that is out there or take a course in financial management as a required study all newly elected
Re: Political Interference in the TSP
IS DoD Tue Jul 22, 2008 9:31 AM
There is a very simple answer to all your questions: Because they can! It's good to be Big Brother!
options are a good thing
Attorney small agency Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:07 AM
I have no objection to adding more investment options to the TSP. Managed funds, including REITs and precious metals and socially conscious funds are all legitimate investment options. Investors should have the option of investing in such funds through the TSP. Of course, the people who elect to invest in those funds should also pay the administrative costs associated with the funds. People who want to stick with the basic index funds should have that option as well and shouldn’t have to pay the higher fees associated with managed funds. Investor choice should be the guiding principle of the TSP.
Leave our money alone
HR Spec Federal Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:09 AM
Congress has already destroyed the Social Security system so why not give them a crack at destroying TSP too. If they employ the same intellect and wisdom they have employed for so many years it should only take a short time before TSP goes complete bust. Then they can come to the rescue and "bail us out" ending up being the knight riding in on the proud steed. What Congress needs desparately to do is go to work on reducing our tax burden.
If the women and minority owned financial companies are as good as they say they are, why do they need the TSP money, they should have investors lining up to invest with them. Message to Congress: Mind your own business and leave our TSP alone.
I'm female
IT Spec DOE Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:17 AM
Wow, just wow.
"According to a report in Government Executive, the Congressman is bothered that the indexing approach used by the TSP may exclude financial firms run by women and minorities from getting a bigger piece of the billions of dollars in the TSP pool and wants to consider using actively managed funds instead of index funds. "
If women and minorities want a piece of the TSP pie then their firms should offer index funds. Problem solved.
PS - I am going to write a letter to this bone head. I encourage others to do the same. Thank you for this article, Fedsmith.
write to congress!
overpaid peon da Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:18 AM
i agree with all the comments here. however, commenting in this forum will do nothing but allow us to vent steam.
PLEASE make sure you write your elected representatives and let them know how you feel about this issue before it's too late!
TSP funds
Revenue Agent IRS Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:19 AM
I was going to leave my money in the TSP when I retired simply because it was an index fund. If they change to active management I will take my money and put it into an index fund somewhere else.
Abolish TSP
not your business not your business Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:20 AM
Why not allow us to select a company to invest my money with and do away with the TSP altogether.
Re: Abolish TSP
Elex Engr DON Civilian Fri Jul 11, 2008 4:26 PM
You CAN take your money and invest it where ever you want. No one is forcing you to invest in TSP. You just won't get the matching GOVT funds if you're FERS and you're not putting the money in the TSP.
Who has the money
Manager DOT Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:40 AM
Who ever has the money is where the Congress will go. Would you consider Gerorge Sorros important if he didn't have money? Sad.... We need term limits.
TSP investments strategy
Aviation Tech DOT Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:42 AM
Well, been waiting for this. The whole economy needs more money. Knew they would start looking for ways to tap the tsp. Those who have years to wait it out, ok, but those of us who are at the door for retirement, especially single women, it is a sad state of affairs. Leave the tsp alone.
TSP my future
area tech usda Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:48 AM
Hey, the idea of people actually saving for retirement or in this case investing, is so foreign to most people, that for anyone to say they want to play with our money, just makes me angry. Just leave it alone. Why do politicians think they know better? Every thing I have put into my tsp this year is gone. And that is using the broad index. Now, someone wants to pay extra money so some person, people or computer some where can pick the stocks to invest in. Give me a break. If you guys let those guys touch my funds, I will roll it over to a roth ira. And maybe put in just enough to get the matching funds. It is bad enough when I see my paycheck and they are taking out for government retirement, social security, medicare and tsp, oh yes, TAXES that my net is pitiful. And with the little money i do get i have to pay for my comute to my job that the government moved further from my home. Thanks for that by the way. STOP being politically correct, or is that politically corrupt?
TSP & Politics
I T Specialist Dept. of Veterans Affairs Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:51 AM
Tell Congress to "Go to Hades". TSP was constituted for the retirement benefit of ME the Federal Employee not Congress the influence peddler.
As you stated in your article, "The concerned Congressman stated: "The executive director of the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board revealed that there are minority firms with talent in long-term financial management. However, most of those firms gravitate toward the active fund management business, which is not an investment strategy of the TSP. "
The strategy of TSP is color, race, and gender blind!
These minority folks are not being precluded from participating they are choosing the "Actively Managed Funds" route because it is more profitable to them!
There is no discrimination so Congress needs to find someone elses pocket to pick to fund their patronage expenses.
TSP - Leave it alone!
Architect, Project Manager IHS Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:51 AM
Those that have contributed to the TSP for a number of years are now developing wealth for their retirement. Why can't they, the politicos, just leave it alone. People always want to try to make a good thing better. It almost never works. When they do, it is usuall ruined forever. Most people don't understant the ramifications and the time required to maintain a managed portfolio. Indexing for most of us is the only way to go. Leave my TSP alone!
Politicians Leave the TSP alone
Security Specialist/Manager DOD Fri Jul 11, 2008 11:32 AM
It is time that the Civil Service workers speak out and tell the politicians to leave our retirement alone. Start with Congressman Danny Davis. Here is his contact information if you can't find it. Send him a fax or call him. Tell him that the TSP is working fine and we do not need his meddling.
Congressman Danny Davis (D-IL)
Washington, DC office address:
2159 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515-1307
Phone: 202/225-5006
Fax: 202/225-5641
TSP active vs. passive investment management
Internal Revenue Agent IRS Fri Jul 11, 2008 11:34 AM
TSP should not be subject to the political process. Any retirement fund is required (by the laws passed by the same Congress) TO EXIST FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PARTICIPANTS. Congressman Davis's motives seem very transparent to me. His motive is TO BENEFIT HIS CONSTITUENCY AND THEREFORE, INDIRECTLY, HIMSELF. Hands off my money Mr. Congressman!!!
It's NOT THEIR MONEY!!!!!
Psychologist VA Fri Jul 11, 2008 11:36 AM
My fear is that as the TSP grows by adding more members (ie, military, etc.) Congress and others will find ways to get their sticky, self-serving, corrupt hands on it. This effort to camouflage an obvious money grab as serving a social good is despicable and deceitful, and these members of Congress should be ashamed of themselves. But then, that's not in their job description, is it?
hedge funds, bundling and futures trading
archeologist USDA forest Service Fri Jul 11, 2008 11:37 AM
It appears to me that the relatively unregulated stealth economy of hedge fund, bundling and futures trading has a tremendous effect on the DOW and S&P and international stock markets. As I understand it this area of the economy dwarfs the stock markets. Given the debacles of the S&L, Enron, and mortgage crises, etc., and congress's hand in them, I am uneasy enough about investing in the various TSP index funds in the current environment and would not want to see the TSP in the hands actively managing investment firms.
Easy Answer
A Fed Worker Social Security Admin Fri Jul 11, 2008 11:48 AM
I'll take my money out and put it where I want to. I do not want the gov giving my retirement money to the friends and family just cause they are blacks, minorities ro anything else who wants to make a friggin dollar off of MY retirement, NOT THEIR retirement.
Thank God I retired from the military because those on straight FERS are truely screwed with this adventure into equal rights for lossing your money.
Re: Easy Answer
A Fed Worker Social Security Admin Fri Jul 11, 2008 12:42 PM
SO mad right now I forgot to hit spellcheck before punching the Enter key.
___________________________________________
I'll take my money out and put it where I want to. I do not want the gov giving my retirement money to the friends and family plan just because they are blacks, minorities or anything else who wants to make a friggin dollar off of MY retirement, NOT THEIR retirement.
Thank God I retired from the military because those on straight FERS are truly screwed with this adventure into equal rights for losing your money.
Managing my OWN TSP
Consumer Safety Inspector USDA Fri Jul 11, 2008 11:48 AM
I guess now it becomes even more clear, why they don't want us managing our own accounts, and moving "our" money when we see fit.
Money, Congress & TSP
Audiovisual Engineer US Army Civilian Fri Jul 11, 2008 12:19 PM
My take is that politicians would better spend their time sorting out governance problems and leave finance concerns to professionals . . . It seems that every day and in everyway career politicians attempt to be all things to all people . . . As said in the article the research is complete and the results are clear to anyone accept someone looking for a loophole to pad their individual situation with . . . More time could be spent focused on personal accountability and integrity and if taken seriouly by, most, run of the mill carrer poly's the effort would occupy enough time to keep them out of business better to left to professionals
Hatch Act?
IT USDA Fri Jul 11, 2008 12:37 PM
Is it a violation of the Hatch Act to contact a congress person regarding our TSP? Is that considered lobbying?
Re: Hatch Act?
Observer DOD Fri Jul 11, 2008 2:03 PM
No of course not, if you do it on your own time using your privately owned PC e-mail, FAX, letter ect. Do NOT lobby the congress while at work & using govenrment property. You have every right & you should. These elected officials work for you & they are your employees. In the November election, they are re-applying for their jobs.
Arrggg!
Nameless, Faceless Nobody DOD Fri Jul 11, 2008 1:32 PM
Ok. So if congress-critters manage to get their piggy little snouts into our retirement funds...They forget that this is VOLUNTARY!
I would then consider that other vehicles serve my interests better and put my future money there. Even FERS can choose to only put enough to get matching funds or even forgo that if they see no profit in it.
They can destroy it. Smart people will put their money in outside IRA's. Short-sighted may stop their money going to tsp without making other arrangements and will really suffer when they ge to retirement age. Some will stay with it, and who knows if they will survive or not.
In any case, the amount of money available through tsp to the congress-critters will drastically reduce.
Unfortunately, so will our retirement prospects.
Keep your hand off the TSP index funds
Supervisor DOD Fri Jul 11, 2008 2:22 PM
The Democrats want to distribute all that wealth around to the less fortunate - so wealthy TSP depositors the squeeze will only hurt your pocketbook - I think this is called socialism.
I don't want someone changing the TSP index funds just so someone can get a piece of my pie. If they are that good at what they do, then they can make enough money off those not in TSP who invest with them. Have those senators invest in these companies they are so concerned about. Whatever happened to old fashioned work ethics in Congress. Term limitations for senators seems to be a great idea!!!!
Oh, Goody! A Politically Correct TSP
HR Generalist/Advisor Navy Fri Jul 11, 2008 2:34 PM
Well, I guess it was bound to happen. Money attracts politicians like dog poop draws flies. Let's hope that wiser heads prevail. The long term welfare of the entire Federal workforce shouldn't be subject to political pandering or the dictates of political correctness.
Re: Oh, Goody! A Politically Correct TSP
Crane Inspector U.S. Navy Sat Jul 12, 2008 4:51 AM
Thanks I needed a good laugh.
EQUAL OPORTUNITY MONEY MANAGERS FOR TSP
RETIRED DCMA Fri Jul 11, 2008 5:52 PM
I have work with many bright and well-qualified minority employees. My all time best boss was a minority. Nevertheless, more often than not I have found the minority was not best choice or talented applicant in most jobs filled in my experience.
I believe the government has achieved equal opportunity within the federal government. Nevertheless, we all still must be vigilant that we don't regress so we should give them a competitive advantage. TSP fund managers should not be an equal opportunity consideration or any other market expert to line their pockets. I have many mutual funds that are losing more money than the DOW and SP500.
Seriously!
HMT National Weather Service Sat Jul 12, 2008 1:24 AM
Hey DC...keep your dirty paws off of our hard earned retirement money! You worthless elected officials have made life hard enough, and now you want to get your hands into the TSP!!!! Over half of our elected officials should be impeached!!!! STAY OUT!!!
What's Next?
Crane Inspector U.S. Navy Sat Jul 12, 2008 4:34 AM
So the bandwagon is already rolling? Sounds like it's time for all of us to be pro-active and write our congressman.
TSP
Retired DLA Employee DLA Battle Creek MI Sat Jul 12, 2008 8:38 AM
I will pull out my TSP funds if the government gets their dirty paws on our money. If everyone follows suite it would be a good thing because they would get none of our money that we all worked long and hard for in order to have a good retirement life after working so many years.
Davis and our TSP
Engineering Tech DOD Sat Jul 12, 2008 9:05 AM
leave the tsp alone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
One has to wonder ......
Retured Supervisor DoD Sat Jul 12, 2008 5:54 PM
If this is such a great idea, one has to wonder why the retirement accounts for Congress are not maintained this way.
Let them live with their own idea for a decade and then let us vote on changing the TSP to follow their lead if it turns out as they predict it will. But of course, they aren't about to put THEIR money where THEIR mouth is, but rather only put OUR money where THEIR mouth is.
Why not inverse index funds
Engineer IMKOM-K Sun Jul 13, 2008 7:49 AM
I agree with the principle of low cost index funds but why not include inverse index funds that rise during bear markets. If we get an extend bear market, it could wipe out 25 to 45 percent of someone's savings and it could take at least 10 years to to make that difference up. This is what maybe ocurring right now squeezed by high oil prices and housing and financial institutional breakdown. Case in point, IndyMac, Fanny Mae,
Freddy Mac, Bear Sterns, Country Wide Financial, Washington Mutual, and Wachovia.
Re: Why not inverse index funds
Analyst dod Sun Jul 13, 2008 4:54 PM
That's an interesting idea, however if such funds are used incorrectly the effect could be devastating. Considering how many people don't know how to allocate a portfolio using conventional indexes, it would be even worse with unconventional ones.
TSP to become Social Security..
Mr Air Force Sun Jul 13, 2008 12:19 PM
I will consider suggestion for change of the TSP funds management as soon as the Social Security Account has been restored to what it would be without congress dipping into it for bridges to nowhere et. al. Otherwise any attempt to "improve" it will result in me withdrawing the funds and either buying a Roth, or manage them myself. I do not trust congress to be fiscally responsible with with even one cent of my money.
I agree with Retured Supervisor, let congress try it out for a while first.
TSP management
Engineer COE Mon Jul 14, 2008 7:03 AM
While it is laudable that the government attempts to promote minorities as a social policy, it should be through programs funded by the government. TSP is funded by government employees and should not be subject to the same social programming unless it is with the agreement of the investors as a whole.
Fund Managers
Auditor Homeland Security Mon Jul 14, 2008 7:10 AM
Politicians will be politicians and will always have an agenda to improve the lot of the unfortunate and uneducated masses, even when the masses are not unfortunate or uneducated. I think the only way to ultimately protect the masses is to guarantee the right for them to opt out of any of these "improvements" that the politicians propose. If you want them to pay for someone to gamble with your future at your expense, opt in. If you don't, opt out. So long as the additional rewards and expenses are borne only by those who opt in, I think it's a fair deal. Please don't make my meager funds pay for the traders and greedy investors when all I'm looking for is a decent, safe return to help me make my own way through retirement.
The Few, The Dirty, The Congress
Project Manager DoD Mon Jul 14, 2008 8:19 AM
"For a Fist Full of Dollars", These Congressional Reps would sell their Mothers at the expense of the people that have worked and sacrificed the take home money to have a little bit more comfort in their retirement years. Com'on people don't forget who is who come time to vote. Look at their record. Don't "read their lips". Send the msg that if you don't have the working men and women best interest, we are the majority not the Loggists, then you are not going to be in office long.
Re: The Few, The Dirty, The Congress
Ms. DoD Tue Jul 22, 2008 9:56 AM
I agree. But don't you think by removing one crook from office you would be replacing him/her with another crook? I truly believe that a prerequisite to be a member of Congress (or "most" any other politicial office) you have to be a heartless, emotionless, money grabbing crook!!!!
Leave us alone
coder Va Hospital Mon Jul 14, 2008 9:24 AM
Why don't they ask the people who have invested.
If anyone wants to have it managed by a private sector, let those who want this bail out and leave the rest of us alone!
Changing the TSP to actively managed funds...
Mailroom Assistant Forest Service Mon Jul 14, 2008 9:25 AM
Congress needs to not waste money on "studying" whether participants could get better returns from actively managed funds. The research has been done already. All of us who contribute to the TSP have the option/choice of investing elsewhere and using actively managed funds. Don't mess with the TSP! Leave it alone!
Get your hand out of my pocket
Contract Specialist DoD Mon Jul 14, 2008 9:50 AM
I am under CSRS and every cent put into my tsp account was put there by me. Congress can keep its money-grubbing hands away from my account. I don't make big dollars like those in Congress and I don't have their benefits or their pension plan. It's easy for them to think up asinine changes when it's not their retirements that are being affected.
Where are the customer's yachts?
AUSA Dept. of Justice Mon Jul 14, 2008 11:44 AM
Actively managed mutual funds do not beat the returns of index funds. For yet another discussion of this see the NY Times Business section this Sunday, "The Prescient Are Few" by Mark Hulbert.
Vote
Federal Officer Dept. of Justice Mon Jul 14, 2008 2:24 PM
People of Illinois. Do yourself and all of us a favor and vote next election to get Congressman Davis D-Il. out of office. The end results of his concept about the TSP will do only three things: Cost you money, Lower your overall returns, and allow Congress to take one more step in that door of deciding when and how you will retire. Please, Wake-Up people!!!
Re: Vote
ACO DCMA Mon Jul 14, 2008 6:49 PM
Mr Davis does not represent the entire state of Illinois, only his own Congressional district. It doesn't matter what people in the rest of Illinois think of him, only his own constituents.
Mutual Funds
EE SPAWAR Pacific Mon Jul 14, 2008 5:54 PM
A few years back, Money magazine did a survey of the top 100 mutual funds. Only five of them beat the S&P 500. And of those five, only one did it five years in a row. It doesn't give me a warm, fuzzy feeling about having my TSP funds actively managed. They are about to pull another hoax on us.
Politically Correct Investing
IT Specialist USDA Mon Jul 14, 2008 7:55 PM
So let's see - it's more important to invest in mutual funds based on who is running them (in this case women or minorities) rather than whether or not the funds actually perform well and suit the needs of their investors. Makes sense. I mean, why not sacrifice the retirement futures of thousands of people in the name of political correctness?
I'm CSRS and will not change
GIS Specialist Bureau of Land Management Mon Jul 14, 2008 9:21 PM
This article just reminds me why I didn't opt into the TSP system in the first place. The day you can trust an elected representative with 'money' or anyother power tool is the day Star Trek will come to fruition.
TSP Options
Attorney Army Tue Jul 15, 2008 8:33 AM
In the private sector, an IRA can be invested in anything that is not prohibited by the IRS rules, and of course subject to such investments as the custodian is willing to handle transactions. Under current law it is only when the federal employee ends employment that investment options open up.
The TSP investments are far too limited, and as we have seen in the time involved in the most recent option additions, it takes the bureaucracy "forever" to add a new investment options.
I've written our Senators Congressman to propose the below addition to 5 USC 8433, and submitted to the Army legislative office, but I hear nothing back.
This change would allow federal employees to make transfers from their Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) account, to a private sector IRA, while they are still in federal service.
It would get us out from under the tunnel vision of the five account selections, and open up TSP investments to the entire world of investment opportunities: For example,
TSP
Resource Advisor USAF Tue Jul 15, 2008 9:12 AM
Doesn't Congress have enough to do like Iraq and spending bills without messing with our TSP. In fact they should keep their hands off it as it working just fine. I moved my money into the G fund when the stocks started to go down. While I haven't recovered my lost earnings I am moving up a few dollars at a time. When Congress or the President start wanting to change things it is usually not to the employees benefit. They just need to keep their hands off!
don't fill in the blank with my money
employee Navy Wed Jul 16, 2008 10:06 AM
Just so happens I am woman and a minority. I do believe in equal opportunity and worplace fairness. But don't mess with my money. The TSP is a perfectly fine investment/retirement instrument. The index system is very cost effective. It was only a few months ago we mild mannered TSP holding federal employees had to beat back our "day trading with everybody's money" co-workers. Now there are reasonable limits on TSP trades. Before that we had to beat back those in Congress who wanted to reconfigiure the the TSP to be more Socially Responsible and have it look more like Pax World Balanced or Winslow Green Growth. The federal working folks had to remind those in Congress "If you aren't licenced and certified financial planners then don't mess with our money." Keep your day job we voted you in to do. It looks like we federal workers once again have to remind those in Congress to keep your hands off the TSP. It fine as an index fund. In other words, Don't Mess With Our Money!
8A Set Aside Program?
Contract Admin - COR DOD Wed Jul 16, 2008 6:05 PM
Sounds like Congressman Danny Davis is trying to set the table for 8A contracting firms to actively manage some of our investment money. Holy Smokes. I do not want AG Edwards, Goldman Sachs, Citgroup or any other established firms trading my TSP let alone an 8A contractor. My goodness leave the TSP alone.
Leave the TSP alone
Federal Employee DoD Thu Jul 17, 2008 7:30 AM
Yes, lets leave the TSP alone.
G Fund YTD Return = +2.04%
F Fund YTD Return = +1.45%
C Fund YTD Return = -14.17%
S Fund YTD Return = -10.55%
I Fund YTD Return = -15.25%
Yes, lets just leave that thing alone until we have a plan that truly serves our long-term financial interests.
Davis' idea is probably a pethetic one, but consider the source. You don't go to Chernobyl to purchase lettuce.
We need more (not less) investment vehicles and better managability rules for the TSP. Investments in ETFs are virtually the same as index tracker, but are refined to provide better for and flexibility. Examples are UNG, GAZ, SKF, JJE, USL, DBE, and DBO.
Isn't it better for our investments to be going from the lower left to the upper right on their charts than from upper left to the lower right? Peek at the TSP funds YTD charts. Are our long-term financial interests being served, or are we simply being driven into a pigeonhole which is convenient for others?
CONGRESSMAN DANNY DAVIS
Leave IT ALONE BOP Thu Jul 17, 2008 7:57 AM
Hasn't the Govt. screwed enough stuff up. Leave our money alone. The TSP is working great just the way it is.
All our returns would go to the fund managers and I am sure some would go into some other pockets as well. Leave it alone.
TSP Funds
Customs and Border Protection Officer Department of Homeland Security Fri Jul 18, 2008 4:38 PM
Don't change the way TSP is working!!! The Government wants us to take more care of our own retirement and the TSP is doing that. An ordinary worker who knows little about stocks and trading has learned to trust the TSP. To go to individual stock choices and management would be a distaster. There are the higher fees, a whole lot more volitility, and the very good chance of loosing everything!! All any of us want is to be able to save safely with a choice of minimum risk, with choices to risk tolerance, to retire well enough to live comfortably and not be a burden on our families or have to depend on hand-outs from the government.
Congressional Predators
Adjudication Officer DHS Tue Jul 22, 2008 9:38 AM
Members of Congress such as Danny Davis are apparently looking for a false yet excitable issue to run on in 2008. I do not believe for one moment they have my interest at heart. In my considered opinion, the only interest they have is theirs and how they can get re-elected. With a current approval rating of 16% on a scale of 100%, these people need to wake up and smell the coffee. Many of them remind me of the mindless professors in our so-called institutions of higher learning who see themselves as modern day pied pipers who will bring us to a glorious new day! That is utter nonsense. Apparently Davis's constituency has led him to believe "you can fool all the people all the time." But what can you expect considering the present House and Senate Leadership...pathetic in every sense! What we need is a law prohibiting Congress from destroying the TSP!
Money, Congress, & your TSP
Civil Engineer USACOE Tue Jul 22, 2008 10:11 AM
You've done us a great piece of research Mr Smith and what a set of bums we regularly see getting elected to the US Congress & Senate. We accuse all other nations of governmental corruption while we have the most massive level of it except that its elegant here covered by mounds pf paperwork while other corrupt governments don't have as much paper as we have, to cover up legislative corruption.
Investment Philosophy
typist vha Fri Jul 25, 2008 10:46 AM
Crooked politicians and crime on the streets. The American people should be able to set term limits for these crooks -1 year probationary period to see if they are doing there job and-career conditional second year-with 2 year term limit. They make $450,000 a year and screw the people after 2 years, then Phizer offers them a job for 1 million a year to get there crooked bill passed through. This is the secret lobbying that has been going on indefinitely. Who is the company offering a million dollars to Davis(D) to by out TSP???
Please Stop this
LTSO TSA/DHS Sun Jul 27, 2008 1:11 PM
If people need to advance their careers it would be nice if they do it with their own money.
Index funds versus Actively Managed funds
Program Analyst U.S. Small Business Administration Wed Jul 30, 2008 10:22 AM
The TSP is not a small or minority business incubator as it relates to the prudent management of TSP retirement resources. Inasmuch as the bottom-line, collectively speaking, is our money, custodians of that money, within the TSP, are expected to act in the best interests of participants. If pegging the TSP to index funds has proven to be both more tax efficient and profitable than it would otherwise be with actively managed funds, then stay the course.
TSP and Congress
Legal Assistant Department of Justice Wed Jul 30, 2008 10:38 AM
It wasn't enough that I worked 26 years for a private corporation, invested in their 401K and had all that book-cooked. Now I come here and start over and now Congress wants to cook up something again with my money. The private corporate 401K plan was constantly sucking out management fees. Don't let ANYONE change the TSP! I know first hand what can happen if they do.
Don't mess with TSP Index Funds
Retired USDA Wed Jul 30, 2008 10:54 AM
My father use to say, "Any large savings of money will, sooner or later, attrack politicians like a rat to cheese. Politicians will come up with the most seemingly, benign schemes in order to use those monies for their own advantage, clothing their conniving designs in the cloak of virtuous cause!
Look how Congress, over the years, contributed to our citizen's, ling term financial ruin by borrowing from the Social Security system - a retirement system gone bad!
I'm sure that a good number have been salivating, like ravenous dogs, on how to tap into TSP's gargantulan bankroll in our to satisfy their limitless hunger to spend our citizens's earnings for the deceptive, pious benefit of all!
Thank you so much, Mr. Smith for sounding the alarm! We all need to write our congressmen and tell them that the buck stops here. Hands Off! Don't mess with the TSP index funds!
kickbacks and bribs
typist vha Wed Jul 30, 2008 12:59 PM
Index or active managed funds. Is the federal trade commission or the securities exchange commission getting kick backs from our legislators or corporations?
Is this getting more interesting now?
TSP
Retired MSHA - USDOL Thu Jul 31, 2008 5:36 AM
I've been retired 2-1/2 years and have not moved my money from the TSP yet. Articles like this make me believe I should get my money out soon before the politicians get their fingers involved.
Keep your hands off our TSP/from a minority woman
coder Va Hospital Thu Jul 31, 2008 9:49 AM
It is not a case of minority representation, but rather a case of subterfusion and skullduggery by some of our political representatives in trying to obtain more money in their pockets from the hard working federal employees. How about changing the scenerio and make it mandatory that the political representatives receive less raises and contribute to minority representation from their own pockets!
Comment from: A minority woman
Danny Davis and TSP
In-Service Engineer NAVAIR TSD Fri Aug 1, 2008 9:33 AM
First, I think the section pertaining to automatic enrollment in the L target fund is a smart move. But that’s my comfort level of risk, not someone else’s. However, for those who don’t understand TSP, I think keeping it in G is better for the employee. At least they would get a guaranteed return until they learn to manage it themselves based on their own level of risk and time horizon. Who are the lawmakers to make individual retirement decisions?
Second, I LOVE the idea of a ROTH IRA. I want to be able to diversify my tax consequences in retirement. However, it’s not fair to retirees whose investment fees would increase. Therefore, I think it would be a better idea to modify the bill to ensure only those who would use the new features in TSP incur the costs; sort of like a toll bridge. Only those who cross pay the toll, not to be distributed equally.
Third, what do outside companies have to do with TSP? Why should they have access to fees? If that’s what the strategy would become, then TSP is no different than brokerages similar to Vanguard or Fidelity. Note: their fund costs are much higher than TSP. If I were retired, I would be miffed to read this bill. It’s not fair to raise operating costs simply to benefit outside businesses who want a cut.
The bill is too broad for lawmakers to get their itchy fingers into a pie that is designed to protect retirements. Mr. Davis needs to take his bill back to the drawing board and fine tune it. The bill needs to specify how costs would be distributed before I would even consider supporting it. TSP is not for-profit. I’m a woman, and even I would shoot this one down hard, unless the lawmakers are willing to guarantee protection from increasing costs or fund those changes indefinitely. –Good luck getting funding
TSP
Human Resources Specialist (Military) Air Force Fri Aug 1, 2008 1:20 PM
I have 21 years civil service and have always felt confident with the TSP program. The TSP having low maintenance costs is one of the BIG draws of the program. If the powers that be get their dirty, greedy hands into my retirement then I should have the option to remove it all and do as I wish. Afterall, it's my money and I want to be the decision maker when it comes to looking out for my golden years.
TSP
CLERK usps Sat Aug 2, 2008 2:20 PM
Leave my money alone, Pay out of your money if you
think this such good deal. Keep your filthy hands off my
TSP. That money is mine, not yours to play with. If you need to make the rich pay for once.
Money, Congress and Your TSP
Revenue Agent Internal Revenue Service Tue Aug 5, 2008 12:56 PM
Though you do state that most minority and women owned investment owned firms gravotate towards active management to enhance fee income, you imply that all minority and women owned firms activiely manage investor's money to advance your argument against proposed legislation. I doubt your implied argument is supported by the facts. I do not see a problem with minority or women owned firms being awarded some portion of TSP funds to manage as an index fund. I also do not see why it is affirmative action to award women and minority owned firms some business while it is not affirmative action to award 100% of the same business to white men.
Re: Money, Congress and Your TSP
editor FedSmith.com Tue Aug 5, 2008 3:00 PM
We did not state that most minority or women owned firms gravitate toward actively managed funds as stated in your comment.
The article quoted a Congressman as stating that "The executive director of the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board revealed that there are minority firms with talent in long-term financial management. However, most of those firms gravitate toward the active fund management business, which is not an investment strategy of the TSP."
The point of the article is that actively managed funds do not generally do as well as index funds. Changing this philosophy of using index funds, which is the best approach according to the studies cited in the article, in order to satisfy the social issues raised by a Congressman or to reward campaign contributors which would like to start collecting fees from the TSP is not a valid financial decision and could have a negative impact on all TSP investors.
TSP
ATC FAA Thu Aug 7, 2008 12:58 PM
How would Congress feel when employees get fed up with all these changes and pull ALL their monies out of the TSP ? What will that leave them with then ?
WHY NOT TAKE TSP $ OUT AND LET BANK MANAGE
KJC NAVSISA Wed Aug 13, 2008 8:26 AM
I recently read an article where retiring federal gov't employees were encouraged to leave their TSP funds in the TSP account, rather than take it out and have banks manage it. Now, this article says that we should know that Congress is subject to make changes to the TSP rules. So, which is it? Leave it in TSP and let Congress play with our money, or take it out and let banks get their "fair share" for managing our money?? Seems like nobody is looking out for the folks who PUT the FUNDS into the account in the first place!!
Democrats confused
retired USPS Tue Nov 4, 2008 8:49 AM
Congressman Davis of Illinois is typical of what comes out of Illinois.
TSP is not a toy for social engineering. It is a retirement plan that should have equal footing with other market driven plans. Where do you see other plans investing in politically correct companies just to appear fashionable? They invest in companies that are producers regardless of who ownes them.
It is sad that America is moving closer every day to socialism.
Congress ane your TSP.
Engineer BOR Tue Nov 4, 2008 8:53 AM
First of all, since I am in the CSRS retirement system, the Government does NOT put one penny into my retirement TSP, all of the money that I have in there is mine. Tell the Government, along with Congressman Danny Davis (D-IL) and DC Delegate Eleaner Homes Norton to keep their Cotton-Picken-Hands off the(my) TSP retirement funds. This fund is NOT theirs to be playing around with!!!!!
CONGRESS & MY TSP
ACCOUNTING TECH DFAS Thu Nov 6, 2008 6:42 AM
I am retiring within 3 years and I will roll over my TSP into another IRA with Vanguard. They are profit and customer oriented whereas TSP is not. My money is in the G Fund and that's where it will stay until I get the heck ouf of Dodge.
TSP Investment
CBP Officer CBP Wed Nov 26, 2008 2:57 PM
The case for minority is a poor excuse to change the way 401 is invested. In this country if you want to make money you look for it and earn it. If minorities want a piece of the cake all they have to do is move that way.
TSP
Civil Servant CDC Thu Feb 5, 2009 8:48 AM
It's almost inevitable! A big pot of money is a flame, and politicians are just common moths. They just can't help themselves! They fly toward the money with greedy claws extended. Unfortunately, like real moths, they don't get burned up.
Money, Congress and your TSP
Retired US Coast Guard Thu Feb 5, 2009 9:36 AM
I am at the mercy of the market right now. I am still in because to move my funds will realize my losses. But, if Congress gets involved, I will move my funds and take my losses... which will be less than what Congress and any delagate will give me.
These self impressed people need to leave my money alone.
TSP Management
Investigator Dept of Justice Wed Feb 18, 2009 5:43 PM
Congressman Davis can have whom even he wants to manage his money, but TSP management should not be dictated by meeting a quota. But of course Congressman are the same one's that do not contribute to Social Security.
TSP Management
Accountant DOD Wed Feb 25, 2009 10:02 AM
It would be nice to see an inflation hedge option in TSP. None of the indexes we currently have protect against inflation. That might be a problem in the future and it would be nice to have the option of getting in if we need to.
POLITICIANS CONTROL OUR MONEY
clerk IRS Fri Mar 13, 2009 9:14 AM
What really screwed our TSP is when congress allowed some bozo to limit how many times a month we can change our alotments in which account we choose. What is it to them how much money we make on our TSP? So charge us a couple bucks to change our alotments, but dont control our money!
They tax us when we earn it, they tax it when we spend it, they tax it when we leave it in the bank collecting interest..........they tax it when you die..........we are taxed to death!
Political Pressure on TSP
Farm Loan specialist Farm Service Agency Fri Mar 13, 2009 10:49 AM
When any system works as well as TSP has over the long haul, it shouldn't be tweaked, especially by special interest groups whose sole intention is to raid OUR FUNDS for their personal gain. If it ain't broke, don't fix it! And please-please don't allow ANY POLITICIAN near
OUR FUNDS. Just stop and consider how certain Politicians have raided massive amounts of social security funds, which was deceptive, disgraceful, selfserving, a real farce, and devistating to social security's future. Those guilty politicians, however, just didn't care and still don't! There can be a massive casting out of incompetent law makers and that time may be getting ripe!
no confidence
buyer navy Fri Mar 13, 2009 1:56 PM
Keep all politics out of the TSP. They have screwed up all the fininical industry in the country. They are linning their pockets and all the pockets of the good ol boys that bank roll their campaings. Leave TSP alone. It will surive and progress on its own. When ever congress dips it's hand in my pocket it is not for the betterment of my intrests.
money, congress, and the TSP
electrician dod Fri Mar 13, 2009 5:54 PM
Great! They messed up social security, the DOW, bailed out numerous financial institutions, auto makers, insurance companies, etc... and now the want the TSP as well. JUST SAY NO!!
forward thinking indices
FingersToTheBone USPS Fri Mar 13, 2009 6:34 PM
Why not simply add diversity, green, peace and faith-oriented indices...with the relative risk is "share-holders's choice" as in the L-funds.
Money, Congress and Your TSP
Industrial Hygienist BUMED Mon Mar 16, 2009 9:09 AM
I want input into how Congress invests in their retirement. No, I want their retirement plan after 30 years. They get it after serving one with great health care in addition to the benefits while supposedly serving (themselves) the general public. Tie their retirement and health coverage to ours and watch how fast the system is fixed.
Thank you Ralph
DRA Homeland Security Fri Apr 3, 2009 1:47 PM
Your article reminds me of a story I heard as a child. Little Bo Peep is a shepherdess who loses her $heep and receives advice from a wolf on how to get them back . . . thank you Ralph for keeping us informed.
Political tinkering with TSP funds
Retired Manager Treasury Sat Apr 4, 2009 1:36 PM
No wonder nobody trusts the polititians! To hide this proposed change in the tobacco bill is deliberate deception. If this had been made public for debate, few, if any, Federal employees would want the same hands that sunk Fannie and Freddie on our retirement accounts. We have taken a big enough hit this year, due in part, to these financial geniuses. They need to keep HANDS OFF this fund.
TSP Investment Options
TSI TSA Wed Apr 8, 2009 8:53 AM
When looking at TSP, one must consider that FERS is no longer adequate for a sole-source of federal employee retirement funds. TSP was developed to reduce the budgetary burden of FERS. In fact, the "retirement package" as promoted is now DEPENDENT on TSP participation. The recent bullet dodged by NOT converting Social Security to stock funds should be a lesson taken to heart. Long-term security and steady growth is paramount and MUST override political manipulation. TSP should NEVER be considered a tool to enhance the industry (even the minority component). It belongs to the PARTCIPANTS / RETIREES, not congress and must be able to stand alone and INDEPENDENT from political/social considerations. Lobby hard or your future will be lost!!!
TSP Investments
KO DOD Tue May 12, 2009 1:58 PM
If this new idea passes and others are allowed to play with our invested money, we are going to end up with nothing. It will be like social security with congress dipping into the funds.
Leave it alone!!!!
Don't Tinker With TSP
Realty Specialist (Retired) USDA Forest Service Fri Oct 16, 2009 10:56 AM
So Congressman Davis wants to tinker with TSP to entice firms that are into active fund management for "affirmative action" reasons? That's just wrong. US currency has one color, "green." If minority-owned firms don't like passive fund management, that's their call. There are lots of "majority"-owned companies that don't want to deal with them either. So if you add active management funds and further meddling to TSP, how do you regulate the competition if bigger, wealthier, "majority" owned firms want to compete for such funds? It's another crack getting wider in Pandora's box. When the crash comes again, corporations benefit, not TSP investors. Senator Tom Coburn (R-Oklahoma) told a federal employee lobbying group that if federal employees thought they'd be able to hold on to their pensions while other folks were losing their, the feds would have another think coming, or words to that effect. So now a democrat is going to set us up for this? Go figure! Thank you Ronald Reagan.
Raw Meat
DOD
Fri Jul 11, 2008 9:38 AM
Our precious money could be raw meat, for the hungry lobbiest dogs!! If so, then give us participants the right to transfer some of our balance out of TSP, as we chose. It's only fair when our employer neglects & abuse their fudiciary responsibility.
Money, Congress and MY TSP!!!!
DCMA
Fri Jul 11, 2008 9:49 AM
keep your hands off!!!
don't fix something that isn't broken!!!
the tsp is working fine, leave it alone!!!
Congress & TSP Cash Cow
USDA
Fri Jul 11, 2008 9:51 AM
Congress has screwed up enough. They wanted TSP to include REIT funds a few years ago, but am so happy that this never happened. Can you imagine the losses? TSP works, leave it alone.
Active investment fund
IRS
Fri Jul 11, 2008 9:52 AM
I am a G fund tsp contributor. I cause tsp very little expense. If someone wants to be involved in an active investment fund, that person or persons should pay the fees for this activity. Otherwise, there should be no active investment fund.
My Money
Federal Agency
Fri Jul 11, 2008 9:55 AM
Every time I see a proposal like this, I post, "Keep your cotton-picking fingers off my money." As a CSRS-covered employee, I receive no Federal matching funds. Therefore, not a penny of the money in my TSP is Federal Funds. So "KEEP AWAY!! It ain't yours to fool around with."
Congress and the TSP
Department of Energy
Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:01 AM
The instant Congress gets involved in the TSP, I will retire and roll that money over to some kind of IRA.
CONGRESS AND TSP FUNDS
VHA
Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:01 AM
hands off!!! leave my $$$$ alone!!!
Political Interference in the TSP
Social Security Administration
Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:05 AM
For years, I remained skeptical of the TSP because I thought I would see Congress eyeing the fund and finding a way to divert the funds elsewhere.
Now, after finally coming on board and joining the TSP with payroll deductions to try to "catch up" I see that my earlier fears may have been justified.
What sickens me is that I have seen States do this to their employees and rob their pension funds so that their retirees fare no better either.
When will this stop? Why is the "quick buck" running this country? Can someone please tell me why everyone wants to be a millionaire by age 30, and why not work like their parents did, and make their money the old-fashioned way? By earning it? Why do those who work and earn it have to lose it to these Johnny-Come-Latelies with their big ideas and short-sighted plans that end up costing everyone? Congress needs to take heed of the information that is out there or take a course in financial management as a required study all newly elected
Re: Political Interference in the TSP
DoD
Tue Jul 22, 2008 9:31 AM
options are a good thing
small agency
Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:07 AM
I have no objection to adding more investment options to the TSP. Managed funds, including REITs and precious metals and socially conscious funds are all legitimate investment options. Investors should have the option of investing in such funds through the TSP. Of course, the people who elect to invest in those funds should also pay the administrative costs associated with the funds. People who want to stick with the basic index funds should have that option as well and shouldn’t have to pay the higher fees associated with managed funds. Investor choice should be the guiding principle of the TSP.
Leave our money alone
Federal
Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:09 AM
Congress has already destroyed the Social Security system so why not give them a crack at destroying TSP too. If they employ the same intellect and wisdom they have employed for so many years it should only take a short time before TSP goes complete bust. Then they can come to the rescue and "bail us out" ending up being the knight riding in on the proud steed. What Congress needs desparately to do is go to work on reducing our tax burden.
If the women and minority owned financial companies are as good as they say they are, why do they need the TSP money, they should have investors lining up to invest with them. Message to Congress: Mind your own business and leave our TSP alone.
I'm female
DOE
Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:17 AM
Wow, just wow.
"According to a report in Government Executive, the Congressman is bothered that the indexing approach used by the TSP may exclude financial firms run by women and minorities from getting a bigger piece of the billions of dollars in the TSP pool and wants to consider using actively managed funds instead of index funds. "
If women and minorities want a piece of the TSP pie then their firms should offer index funds. Problem solved.
PS - I am going to write a letter to this bone head. I encourage others to do the same. Thank you for this article, Fedsmith.
write to congress!
da
Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:18 AM
i agree with all the comments here. however, commenting in this forum will do nothing but allow us to vent steam.
PLEASE make sure you write your elected representatives and let them know how you feel about this issue before it's too late!
TSP funds
IRS
Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:19 AM
I was going to leave my money in the TSP when I retired simply because it was an index fund. If they change to active management I will take my money and put it into an index fund somewhere else.
Abolish TSP
not your business
Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:20 AM
Why not allow us to select a company to invest my money with and do away with the TSP altogether.
Re: Abolish TSP
DON Civilian
Fri Jul 11, 2008 4:26 PM
Who has the money
DOT
Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:40 AM
Who ever has the money is where the Congress will go. Would you consider Gerorge Sorros important if he didn't have money? Sad.... We need term limits.
TSP investments strategy
DOT
Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:42 AM
Well, been waiting for this. The whole economy needs more money. Knew they would start looking for ways to tap the tsp. Those who have years to wait it out, ok, but those of us who are at the door for retirement, especially single women, it is a sad state of affairs. Leave the tsp alone.
TSP my future
usda
Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:48 AM
Hey, the idea of people actually saving for retirement or in this case investing, is so foreign to most people, that for anyone to say they want to play with our money, just makes me angry. Just leave it alone. Why do politicians think they know better? Every thing I have put into my tsp this year is gone. And that is using the broad index. Now, someone wants to pay extra money so some person, people or computer some where can pick the stocks to invest in. Give me a break. If you guys let those guys touch my funds, I will roll it over to a roth ira. And maybe put in just enough to get the matching funds. It is bad enough when I see my paycheck and they are taking out for government retirement, social security, medicare and tsp, oh yes, TAXES that my net is pitiful. And with the little money i do get i have to pay for my comute to my job that the government moved further from my home. Thanks for that by the way. STOP being politically correct, or is that politically corrupt?
TSP & Politics
Dept. of Veterans Affairs
Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:51 AM
Tell Congress to "Go to Hades". TSP was constituted for the retirement benefit of ME the Federal Employee not Congress the influence peddler.
As you stated in your article, "The concerned Congressman stated: "The executive director of the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board revealed that there are minority firms with talent in long-term financial management. However, most of those firms gravitate toward the active fund management business, which is not an investment strategy of the TSP. "
The strategy of TSP is color, race, and gender blind!
These minority folks are not being precluded from participating they are choosing the "Actively Managed Funds" route because it is more profitable to them!
There is no discrimination so Congress needs to find someone elses pocket to pick to fund their patronage expenses.
TSP - Leave it alone!
IHS
Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:51 AM
Those that have contributed to the TSP for a number of years are now developing wealth for their retirement. Why can't they, the politicos, just leave it alone. People always want to try to make a good thing better. It almost never works. When they do, it is usuall ruined forever. Most people don't understant the ramifications and the time required to maintain a managed portfolio. Indexing for most of us is the only way to go. Leave my TSP alone!
Politicians Leave the TSP alone
DOD
Fri Jul 11, 2008 11:32 AM
It is time that the Civil Service workers speak out and tell the politicians to leave our retirement alone. Start with Congressman Danny Davis. Here is his contact information if you can't find it. Send him a fax or call him. Tell him that the TSP is working fine and we do not need his meddling.
Congressman Danny Davis (D-IL)
Washington, DC office address:
2159 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515-1307
Phone: 202/225-5006
Fax: 202/225-5641
TSP active vs. passive investment management
IRS
Fri Jul 11, 2008 11:34 AM
TSP should not be subject to the political process. Any retirement fund is required (by the laws passed by the same Congress) TO EXIST FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PARTICIPANTS. Congressman Davis's motives seem very transparent to me. His motive is TO BENEFIT HIS CONSTITUENCY AND THEREFORE, INDIRECTLY, HIMSELF. Hands off my money Mr. Congressman!!!
It's NOT THEIR MONEY!!!!!
VA
Fri Jul 11, 2008 11:36 AM
My fear is that as the TSP grows by adding more members (ie, military, etc.) Congress and others will find ways to get their sticky, self-serving, corrupt hands on it. This effort to camouflage an obvious money grab as serving a social good is despicable and deceitful, and these members of Congress should be ashamed of themselves. But then, that's not in their job description, is it?
hedge funds, bundling and futures trading
USDA forest Service
Fri Jul 11, 2008 11:37 AM
It appears to me that the relatively unregulated stealth economy of hedge fund, bundling and futures trading has a tremendous effect on the DOW and S&P and international stock markets. As I understand it this area of the economy dwarfs the stock markets. Given the debacles of the S&L, Enron, and mortgage crises, etc., and congress's hand in them, I am uneasy enough about investing in the various TSP index funds in the current environment and would not want to see the TSP in the hands actively managing investment firms.
Easy Answer
Social Security Admin
Fri Jul 11, 2008 11:48 AM
I'll take my money out and put it where I want to. I do not want the gov giving my retirement money to the friends and family just cause they are blacks, minorities ro anything else who wants to make a friggin dollar off of MY retirement, NOT THEIR retirement.
Thank God I retired from the military because those on straight FERS are truely screwed with this adventure into equal rights for lossing your money.
Re: Easy Answer
Social Security Admin
Fri Jul 11, 2008 12:42 PM
___________________________________________
I'll take my money out and put it where I want to. I do not want the gov giving my retirement money to the friends and family plan just because they are blacks, minorities or anything else who wants to make a friggin dollar off of MY retirement, NOT THEIR retirement.
Thank God I retired from the military because those on straight FERS are truly screwed with this adventure into equal rights for losing your money.
Managing my OWN TSP
USDA
Fri Jul 11, 2008 11:48 AM
I guess now it becomes even more clear, why they don't want us managing our own accounts, and moving "our" money when we see fit.
Money, Congress & TSP
US Army Civilian
Fri Jul 11, 2008 12:19 PM
My take is that politicians would better spend their time sorting out governance problems and leave finance concerns to professionals . . . It seems that every day and in everyway career politicians attempt to be all things to all people . . . As said in the article the research is complete and the results are clear to anyone accept someone looking for a loophole to pad their individual situation with . . . More time could be spent focused on personal accountability and integrity and if taken seriouly by, most, run of the mill carrer poly's the effort would occupy enough time to keep them out of business better to left to professionals
Hatch Act?
USDA
Fri Jul 11, 2008 12:37 PM
Is it a violation of the Hatch Act to contact a congress person regarding our TSP? Is that considered lobbying?
Re: Hatch Act?
DOD
Fri Jul 11, 2008 2:03 PM
Arrggg!
DOD
Fri Jul 11, 2008 1:32 PM
Ok. So if congress-critters manage to get their piggy little snouts into our retirement funds...They forget that this is VOLUNTARY!
I would then consider that other vehicles serve my interests better and put my future money there. Even FERS can choose to only put enough to get matching funds or even forgo that if they see no profit in it.
They can destroy it. Smart people will put their money in outside IRA's. Short-sighted may stop their money going to tsp without making other arrangements and will really suffer when they ge to retirement age. Some will stay with it, and who knows if they will survive or not.
In any case, the amount of money available through tsp to the congress-critters will drastically reduce.
Unfortunately, so will our retirement prospects.
Keep your hand off the TSP index funds
DOD
Fri Jul 11, 2008 2:22 PM
The Democrats want to distribute all that wealth around to the less fortunate - so wealthy TSP depositors the squeeze will only hurt your pocketbook - I think this is called socialism.
I don't want someone changing the TSP index funds just so someone can get a piece of my pie. If they are that good at what they do, then they can make enough money off those not in TSP who invest with them. Have those senators invest in these companies they are so concerned about. Whatever happened to old fashioned work ethics in Congress. Term limitations for senators seems to be a great idea!!!!
Oh, Goody! A Politically Correct TSP
Navy
Fri Jul 11, 2008 2:34 PM
Well, I guess it was bound to happen. Money attracts politicians like dog poop draws flies. Let's hope that wiser heads prevail. The long term welfare of the entire Federal workforce shouldn't be subject to political pandering or the dictates of political correctness.
Re: Oh, Goody! A Politically Correct TSP
U.S. Navy
Sat Jul 12, 2008 4:51 AM
EQUAL OPORTUNITY MONEY MANAGERS FOR TSP
DCMA
Fri Jul 11, 2008 5:52 PM
I have work with many bright and well-qualified minority employees. My all time best boss was a minority. Nevertheless, more often than not I have found the minority was not best choice or talented applicant in most jobs filled in my experience.
I believe the government has achieved equal opportunity within the federal government. Nevertheless, we all still must be vigilant that we don't regress so we should give them a competitive advantage. TSP fund managers should not be an equal opportunity consideration or any other market expert to line their pockets. I have many mutual funds that are losing more money than the DOW and SP500.
Seriously!
National Weather Service
Sat Jul 12, 2008 1:24 AM
Hey DC...keep your dirty paws off of our hard earned retirement money! You worthless elected officials have made life hard enough, and now you want to get your hands into the TSP!!!! Over half of our elected officials should be impeached!!!! STAY OUT!!!
What's Next?
U.S. Navy
Sat Jul 12, 2008 4:34 AM
So the bandwagon is already rolling? Sounds like it's time for all of us to be pro-active and write our congressman.
TSP
DLA Battle Creek MI
Sat Jul 12, 2008 8:38 AM
I will pull out my TSP funds if the government gets their dirty paws on our money. If everyone follows suite it would be a good thing because they would get none of our money that we all worked long and hard for in order to have a good retirement life after working so many years.
Davis and our TSP
DOD
Sat Jul 12, 2008 9:05 AM
leave the tsp alone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
One has to wonder ......
DoD
Sat Jul 12, 2008 5:54 PM
If this is such a great idea, one has to wonder why the retirement accounts for Congress are not maintained this way.
Let them live with their own idea for a decade and then let us vote on changing the TSP to follow their lead if it turns out as they predict it will. But of course, they aren't about to put THEIR money where THEIR mouth is, but rather only put OUR money where THEIR mouth is.
Why not inverse index funds
IMKOM-K
Sun Jul 13, 2008 7:49 AM
I agree with the principle of low cost index funds but why not include inverse index funds that rise during bear markets. If we get an extend bear market, it could wipe out 25 to 45 percent of someone's savings and it could take at least 10 years to to make that difference up. This is what maybe ocurring right now squeezed by high oil prices and housing and financial institutional breakdown. Case in point, IndyMac, Fanny Mae,
Freddy Mac, Bear Sterns, Country Wide Financial, Washington Mutual, and Wachovia.
Re: Why not inverse index funds
dod
Sun Jul 13, 2008 4:54 PM
TSP to become Social Security..
Air Force
Sun Jul 13, 2008 12:19 PM
I will consider suggestion for change of the TSP funds management as soon as the Social Security Account has been restored to what it would be without congress dipping into it for bridges to nowhere et. al. Otherwise any attempt to "improve" it will result in me withdrawing the funds and either buying a Roth, or manage them myself. I do not trust congress to be fiscally responsible with with even one cent of my money.
I agree with Retured Supervisor, let congress try it out for a while first.
TSP management
COE
Mon Jul 14, 2008 7:03 AM
While it is laudable that the government attempts to promote minorities as a social policy, it should be through programs funded by the government. TSP is funded by government employees and should not be subject to the same social programming unless it is with the agreement of the investors as a whole.
Fund Managers
Homeland Security
Mon Jul 14, 2008 7:10 AM
Politicians will be politicians and will always have an agenda to improve the lot of the unfortunate and uneducated masses, even when the masses are not unfortunate or uneducated. I think the only way to ultimately protect the masses is to guarantee the right for them to opt out of any of these "improvements" that the politicians propose. If you want them to pay for someone to gamble with your future at your expense, opt in. If you don't, opt out. So long as the additional rewards and expenses are borne only by those who opt in, I think it's a fair deal. Please don't make my meager funds pay for the traders and greedy investors when all I'm looking for is a decent, safe return to help me make my own way through retirement.
The Few, The Dirty, The Congress
DoD
Mon Jul 14, 2008 8:19 AM
"For a Fist Full of Dollars", These Congressional Reps would sell their Mothers at the expense of the people that have worked and sacrificed the take home money to have a little bit more comfort in their retirement years. Com'on people don't forget who is who come time to vote. Look at their record. Don't "read their lips". Send the msg that if you don't have the working men and women best interest, we are the majority not the Loggists, then you are not going to be in office long.
Re: The Few, The Dirty, The Congress
DoD
Tue Jul 22, 2008 9:56 AM
Leave us alone
Va Hospital
Mon Jul 14, 2008 9:24 AM
Why don't they ask the people who have invested.
If anyone wants to have it managed by a private sector, let those who want this bail out and leave the rest of us alone!
Changing the TSP to actively managed funds...
Forest Service
Mon Jul 14, 2008 9:25 AM
Congress needs to not waste money on "studying" whether participants could get better returns from actively managed funds. The research has been done already. All of us who contribute to the TSP have the option/choice of investing elsewhere and using actively managed funds. Don't mess with the TSP! Leave it alone!
Get your hand out of my pocket
DoD
Mon Jul 14, 2008 9:50 AM
I am under CSRS and every cent put into my tsp account was put there by me. Congress can keep its money-grubbing hands away from my account. I don't make big dollars like those in Congress and I don't have their benefits or their pension plan. It's easy for them to think up asinine changes when it's not their retirements that are being affected.
Where are the customer's yachts?
Dept. of Justice
Mon Jul 14, 2008 11:44 AM
Actively managed mutual funds do not beat the returns of index funds. For yet another discussion of this see the NY Times Business section this Sunday, "The Prescient Are Few" by Mark Hulbert.
Vote
Dept. of Justice
Mon Jul 14, 2008 2:24 PM
People of Illinois. Do yourself and all of us a favor and vote next election to get Congressman Davis D-Il. out of office. The end results of his concept about the TSP will do only three things: Cost you money, Lower your overall returns, and allow Congress to take one more step in that door of deciding when and how you will retire. Please, Wake-Up people!!!
Re: Vote
DCMA
Mon Jul 14, 2008 6:49 PM
Mutual Funds
SPAWAR Pacific
Mon Jul 14, 2008 5:54 PM
A few years back, Money magazine did a survey of the top 100 mutual funds. Only five of them beat the S&P 500. And of those five, only one did it five years in a row. It doesn't give me a warm, fuzzy feeling about having my TSP funds actively managed. They are about to pull another hoax on us.
Politically Correct Investing
USDA
Mon Jul 14, 2008 7:55 PM
So let's see - it's more important to invest in mutual funds based on who is running them (in this case women or minorities) rather than whether or not the funds actually perform well and suit the needs of their investors. Makes sense. I mean, why not sacrifice the retirement futures of thousands of people in the name of political correctness?
I'm CSRS and will not change
Bureau of Land Management
Mon Jul 14, 2008 9:21 PM
This article just reminds me why I didn't opt into the TSP system in the first place. The day you can trust an elected representative with 'money' or anyother power tool is the day Star Trek will come to fruition.
TSP Options
Army
Tue Jul 15, 2008 8:33 AM
In the private sector, an IRA can be invested in anything that is not prohibited by the IRS rules, and of course subject to such investments as the custodian is willing to handle transactions. Under current law it is only when the federal employee ends employment that investment options open up.
The TSP investments are far too limited, and as we have seen in the time involved in the most recent option additions, it takes the bureaucracy "forever" to add a new investment options.
I've written our Senators Congressman to propose the below addition to 5 USC 8433, and submitted to the Army legislative office, but I hear nothing back.
This change would allow federal employees to make transfers from their Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) account, to a private sector IRA, while they are still in federal service.
It would get us out from under the tunnel vision of the five account selections, and open up TSP investments to the entire world of investment opportunities: For example,
TSP
USAF
Tue Jul 15, 2008 9:12 AM
Doesn't Congress have enough to do like Iraq and spending bills without messing with our TSP. In fact they should keep their hands off it as it working just fine. I moved my money into the G fund when the stocks started to go down. While I haven't recovered my lost earnings I am moving up a few dollars at a time. When Congress or the President start wanting to change things it is usually not to the employees benefit. They just need to keep their hands off!
don't fill in the blank with my money
Navy
Wed Jul 16, 2008 10:06 AM
Just so happens I am woman and a minority. I do believe in equal opportunity and worplace fairness. But don't mess with my money. The TSP is a perfectly fine investment/retirement instrument. The index system is very cost effective. It was only a few months ago we mild mannered TSP holding federal employees had to beat back our "day trading with everybody's money" co-workers. Now there are reasonable limits on TSP trades. Before that we had to beat back those in Congress who wanted to reconfigiure the the TSP to be more Socially Responsible and have it look more like Pax World Balanced or Winslow Green Growth. The federal working folks had to remind those in Congress "If you aren't licenced and certified financial planners then don't mess with our money." Keep your day job we voted you in to do. It looks like we federal workers once again have to remind those in Congress to keep your hands off the TSP. It fine as an index fund. In other words, Don't Mess With Our Money!
8A Set Aside Program?
DOD
Wed Jul 16, 2008 6:05 PM
Sounds like Congressman Danny Davis is trying to set the table for 8A contracting firms to actively manage some of our investment money. Holy Smokes. I do not want AG Edwards, Goldman Sachs, Citgroup or any other established firms trading my TSP let alone an 8A contractor. My goodness leave the TSP alone.
Leave the TSP alone
DoD
Thu Jul 17, 2008 7:30 AM
Yes, lets leave the TSP alone.
G Fund YTD Return = +2.04%
F Fund YTD Return = +1.45%
C Fund YTD Return = -14.17%
S Fund YTD Return = -10.55%
I Fund YTD Return = -15.25%
Yes, lets just leave that thing alone until we have a plan that truly serves our long-term financial interests.
Davis' idea is probably a pethetic one, but consider the source. You don't go to Chernobyl to purchase lettuce.
We need more (not less) investment vehicles and better managability rules for the TSP. Investments in ETFs are virtually the same as index tracker, but are refined to provide better for and flexibility. Examples are UNG, GAZ, SKF, JJE, USL, DBE, and DBO.
Isn't it better for our investments to be going from the lower left to the upper right on their charts than from upper left to the lower right? Peek at the TSP funds YTD charts. Are our long-term financial interests being served, or are we simply being driven into a pigeonhole which is convenient for others?
CONGRESSMAN DANNY DAVIS
BOP
Thu Jul 17, 2008 7:57 AM
Hasn't the Govt. screwed enough stuff up. Leave our money alone. The TSP is working great just the way it is.
All our returns would go to the fund managers and I am sure some would go into some other pockets as well. Leave it alone.
TSP Funds
Department of Homeland Security
Fri Jul 18, 2008 4:38 PM
Don't change the way TSP is working!!! The Government wants us to take more care of our own retirement and the TSP is doing that. An ordinary worker who knows little about stocks and trading has learned to trust the TSP. To go to individual stock choices and management would be a distaster. There are the higher fees, a whole lot more volitility, and the very good chance of loosing everything!! All any of us want is to be able to save safely with a choice of minimum risk, with choices to risk tolerance, to retire well enough to live comfortably and not be a burden on our families or have to depend on hand-outs from the government.
Congressional Predators
DHS
Tue Jul 22, 2008 9:38 AM
Members of Congress such as Danny Davis are apparently looking for a false yet excitable issue to run on in 2008. I do not believe for one moment they have my interest at heart. In my considered opinion, the only interest they have is theirs and how they can get re-elected. With a current approval rating of 16% on a scale of 100%, these people need to wake up and smell the coffee. Many of them remind me of the mindless professors in our so-called institutions of higher learning who see themselves as modern day pied pipers who will bring us to a glorious new day! That is utter nonsense. Apparently Davis's constituency has led him to believe "you can fool all the people all the time." But what can you expect considering the present House and Senate Leadership...pathetic in every sense! What we need is a law prohibiting Congress from destroying the TSP!
Money, Congress, & your TSP
USACOE
Tue Jul 22, 2008 10:11 AM
You've done us a great piece of research Mr Smith and what a set of bums we regularly see getting elected to the US Congress & Senate. We accuse all other nations of governmental corruption while we have the most massive level of it except that its elegant here covered by mounds pf paperwork while other corrupt governments don't have as much paper as we have, to cover up legislative corruption.
Investment Philosophy
vha
Fri Jul 25, 2008 10:46 AM
Crooked politicians and crime on the streets. The American people should be able to set term limits for these crooks -1 year probationary period to see if they are doing there job and-career conditional second year-with 2 year term limit. They make $450,000 a year and screw the people after 2 years, then Phizer offers them a job for 1 million a year to get there crooked bill passed through. This is the secret lobbying that has been going on indefinitely. Who is the company offering a million dollars to Davis(D) to by out TSP???
Please Stop this
TSA/DHS
Sun Jul 27, 2008 1:11 PM
If people need to advance their careers it would be nice if they do it with their own money.
Index funds versus Actively Managed funds
U.S. Small Business Administration
Wed Jul 30, 2008 10:22 AM
The TSP is not a small or minority business incubator as it relates to the prudent management of TSP retirement resources. Inasmuch as the bottom-line, collectively speaking, is our money, custodians of that money, within the TSP, are expected to act in the best interests of participants. If pegging the TSP to index funds has proven to be both more tax efficient and profitable than it would otherwise be with actively managed funds, then stay the course.
TSP and Congress
Department of Justice
Wed Jul 30, 2008 10:38 AM
It wasn't enough that I worked 26 years for a private corporation, invested in their 401K and had all that book-cooked. Now I come here and start over and now Congress wants to cook up something again with my money. The private corporate 401K plan was constantly sucking out management fees. Don't let ANYONE change the TSP! I know first hand what can happen if they do.
Don't mess with TSP Index Funds
USDA
Wed Jul 30, 2008 10:54 AM
My father use to say, "Any large savings of money will, sooner or later, attrack politicians like a rat to cheese. Politicians will come up with the most seemingly, benign schemes in order to use those monies for their own advantage, clothing their conniving designs in the cloak of virtuous cause!
Look how Congress, over the years, contributed to our citizen's, ling term financial ruin by borrowing from the Social Security system - a retirement system gone bad!
I'm sure that a good number have been salivating, like ravenous dogs, on how to tap into TSP's gargantulan bankroll in our to satisfy their limitless hunger to spend our citizens's earnings for the deceptive, pious benefit of all!
Thank you so much, Mr. Smith for sounding the alarm! We all need to write our congressmen and tell them that the buck stops here. Hands Off! Don't mess with the TSP index funds!
kickbacks and bribs
vha
Wed Jul 30, 2008 12:59 PM
Index or active managed funds. Is the federal trade commission or the securities exchange commission getting kick backs from our legislators or corporations?
Is this getting more interesting now?
TSP
MSHA - USDOL
Thu Jul 31, 2008 5:36 AM
I've been retired 2-1/2 years and have not moved my money from the TSP yet. Articles like this make me believe I should get my money out soon before the politicians get their fingers involved.
Keep your hands off our TSP/from a minority woman
Va Hospital
Thu Jul 31, 2008 9:49 AM
It is not a case of minority representation, but rather a case of subterfusion and skullduggery by some of our political representatives in trying to obtain more money in their pockets from the hard working federal employees. How about changing the scenerio and make it mandatory that the political representatives receive less raises and contribute to minority representation from their own pockets!
Comment from: A minority woman
Danny Davis and TSP
NAVAIR TSD
Fri Aug 1, 2008 9:33 AM
First, I think the section pertaining to automatic enrollment in the L target fund is a smart move. But that’s my comfort level of risk, not someone else’s. However, for those who don’t understand TSP, I think keeping it in G is better for the employee. At least they would get a guaranteed return until they learn to manage it themselves based on their own level of risk and time horizon. Who are the lawmakers to make individual retirement decisions?
Second, I LOVE the idea of a ROTH IRA. I want to be able to diversify my tax consequences in retirement. However, it’s not fair to retirees whose investment fees would increase. Therefore, I think it would be a better idea to modify the bill to ensure only those who would use the new features in TSP incur the costs; sort of like a toll bridge. Only those who cross pay the toll, not to be distributed equally.
Third, what do outside companies have to do with TSP? Why should they have access to fees? If that’s what the strategy would become, then TSP is no different than brokerages similar to Vanguard or Fidelity. Note: their fund costs are much higher than TSP. If I were retired, I would be miffed to read this bill. It’s not fair to raise operating costs simply to benefit outside businesses who want a cut.
The bill is too broad for lawmakers to get their itchy fingers into a pie that is designed to protect retirements. Mr. Davis needs to take his bill back to the drawing board and fine tune it. The bill needs to specify how costs would be distributed before I would even consider supporting it. TSP is not for-profit. I’m a woman, and even I would shoot this one down hard, unless the lawmakers are willing to guarantee protection from increasing costs or fund those changes indefinitely. –Good luck getting funding
TSP
Air Force
Fri Aug 1, 2008 1:20 PM
I have 21 years civil service and have always felt confident with the TSP program. The TSP having low maintenance costs is one of the BIG draws of the program. If the powers that be get their dirty, greedy hands into my retirement then I should have the option to remove it all and do as I wish. Afterall, it's my money and I want to be the decision maker when it comes to looking out for my golden years.
TSP
usps
Sat Aug 2, 2008 2:20 PM
Leave my money alone, Pay out of your money if you
think this such good deal. Keep your filthy hands off my
TSP. That money is mine, not yours to play with. If you need to make the rich pay for once.
Money, Congress and Your TSP
Internal Revenue Service
Tue Aug 5, 2008 12:56 PM
Though you do state that most minority and women owned investment owned firms gravotate towards active management to enhance fee income, you imply that all minority and women owned firms activiely manage investor's money to advance your argument against proposed legislation. I doubt your implied argument is supported by the facts. I do not see a problem with minority or women owned firms being awarded some portion of TSP funds to manage as an index fund. I also do not see why it is affirmative action to award women and minority owned firms some business while it is not affirmative action to award 100% of the same business to white men.
Re: Money, Congress and Your TSP
FedSmith.com
Tue Aug 5, 2008 3:00 PM
The article quoted a Congressman as stating that "The executive director of the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board revealed that there are minority firms with talent in long-term financial management. However, most of those firms gravitate toward the active fund management business, which is not an investment strategy of the TSP."
The point of the article is that actively managed funds do not generally do as well as index funds. Changing this philosophy of using index funds, which is the best approach according to the studies cited in the article, in order to satisfy the social issues raised by a Congressman or to reward campaign contributors which would like to start collecting fees from the TSP is not a valid financial decision and could have a negative impact on all TSP investors.
TSP
FAA
Thu Aug 7, 2008 12:58 PM
How would Congress feel when employees get fed up with all these changes and pull ALL their monies out of the TSP ? What will that leave them with then ?
WHY NOT TAKE TSP $ OUT AND LET BANK MANAGE
NAVSISA
Wed Aug 13, 2008 8:26 AM
I recently read an article where retiring federal gov't employees were encouraged to leave their TSP funds in the TSP account, rather than take it out and have banks manage it. Now, this article says that we should know that Congress is subject to make changes to the TSP rules. So, which is it? Leave it in TSP and let Congress play with our money, or take it out and let banks get their "fair share" for managing our money?? Seems like nobody is looking out for the folks who PUT the FUNDS into the account in the first place!!
Democrats confused
USPS
Tue Nov 4, 2008 8:49 AM
Congressman Davis of Illinois is typical of what comes out of Illinois.
TSP is not a toy for social engineering. It is a retirement plan that should have equal footing with other market driven plans. Where do you see other plans investing in politically correct companies just to appear fashionable? They invest in companies that are producers regardless of who ownes them.
It is sad that America is moving closer every day to socialism.
Congress ane your TSP.
BOR
Tue Nov 4, 2008 8:53 AM
First of all, since I am in the CSRS retirement system, the Government does NOT put one penny into my retirement TSP, all of the money that I have in there is mine. Tell the Government, along with Congressman Danny Davis (D-IL) and DC Delegate Eleaner Homes Norton to keep their Cotton-Picken-Hands off the(my) TSP retirement funds. This fund is NOT theirs to be playing around with!!!!!
CONGRESS & MY TSP
DFAS
Thu Nov 6, 2008 6:42 AM
I am retiring within 3 years and I will roll over my TSP into another IRA with Vanguard. They are profit and customer oriented whereas TSP is not. My money is in the G Fund and that's where it will stay until I get the heck ouf of Dodge.
TSP Investment
CBP
Wed Nov 26, 2008 2:57 PM
The case for minority is a poor excuse to change the way 401 is invested. In this country if you want to make money you look for it and earn it. If minorities want a piece of the cake all they have to do is move that way.
TSP
CDC
Thu Feb 5, 2009 8:48 AM
It's almost inevitable! A big pot of money is a flame, and politicians are just common moths. They just can't help themselves! They fly toward the money with greedy claws extended. Unfortunately, like real moths, they don't get burned up.
Money, Congress and your TSP
US Coast Guard
Thu Feb 5, 2009 9:36 AM
I am at the mercy of the market right now. I am still in because to move my funds will realize my losses. But, if Congress gets involved, I will move my funds and take my losses... which will be less than what Congress and any delagate will give me.
These self impressed people need to leave my money alone.
TSP Management
Dept of Justice
Wed Feb 18, 2009 5:43 PM
Congressman Davis can have whom even he wants to manage his money, but TSP management should not be dictated by meeting a quota. But of course Congressman are the same one's that do not contribute to Social Security.
TSP Management
DOD
Wed Feb 25, 2009 10:02 AM
It would be nice to see an inflation hedge option in TSP. None of the indexes we currently have protect against inflation. That might be a problem in the future and it would be nice to have the option of getting in if we need to.
POLITICIANS CONTROL OUR MONEY
IRS
Fri Mar 13, 2009 9:14 AM
What really screwed our TSP is when congress allowed some bozo to limit how many times a month we can change our alotments in which account we choose. What is it to them how much money we make on our TSP? So charge us a couple bucks to change our alotments, but dont control our money!
They tax us when we earn it, they tax it when we spend it, they tax it when we leave it in the bank collecting interest..........they tax it when you die..........we are taxed to death!
Political Pressure on TSP
Farm Service Agency
Fri Mar 13, 2009 10:49 AM
When any system works as well as TSP has over the long haul, it shouldn't be tweaked, especially by special interest groups whose sole intention is to raid OUR FUNDS for their personal gain. If it ain't broke, don't fix it! And please-please don't allow ANY POLITICIAN near
OUR FUNDS. Just stop and consider how certain Politicians have raided massive amounts of social security funds, which was deceptive, disgraceful, selfserving, a real farce, and devistating to social security's future. Those guilty politicians, however, just didn't care and still don't! There can be a massive casting out of incompetent law makers and that time may be getting ripe!
no confidence
navy
Fri Mar 13, 2009 1:56 PM
Keep all politics out of the TSP. They have screwed up all the fininical industry in the country. They are linning their pockets and all the pockets of the good ol boys that bank roll their campaings. Leave TSP alone. It will surive and progress on its own. When ever congress dips it's hand in my pocket it is not for the betterment of my intrests.
money, congress, and the TSP
dod
Fri Mar 13, 2009 5:54 PM
Great! They messed up social security, the DOW, bailed out numerous financial institutions, auto makers, insurance companies, etc... and now the want the TSP as well. JUST SAY NO!!
forward thinking indices
USPS
Fri Mar 13, 2009 6:34 PM
Why not simply add diversity, green, peace and faith-oriented indices...with the relative risk is "share-holders's choice" as in the L-funds.
Money, Congress and Your TSP
BUMED
Mon Mar 16, 2009 9:09 AM
I want input into how Congress invests in their retirement. No, I want their retirement plan after 30 years. They get it after serving one with great health care in addition to the benefits while supposedly serving (themselves) the general public. Tie their retirement and health coverage to ours and watch how fast the system is fixed.
Thank you Ralph
Homeland Security
Fri Apr 3, 2009 1:47 PM
Your article reminds me of a story I heard as a child. Little Bo Peep is a shepherdess who loses her $heep and receives advice from a wolf on how to get them back . . . thank you Ralph for keeping us informed.
Political tinkering with TSP funds
Treasury
Sat Apr 4, 2009 1:36 PM
No wonder nobody trusts the polititians! To hide this proposed change in the tobacco bill is deliberate deception. If this had been made public for debate, few, if any, Federal employees would want the same hands that sunk Fannie and Freddie on our retirement accounts. We have taken a big enough hit this year, due in part, to these financial geniuses. They need to keep HANDS OFF this fund.
TSP Investment Options
TSA
Wed Apr 8, 2009 8:53 AM
When looking at TSP, one must consider that FERS is no longer adequate for a sole-source of federal employee retirement funds. TSP was developed to reduce the budgetary burden of FERS. In fact, the "retirement package" as promoted is now DEPENDENT on TSP participation. The recent bullet dodged by NOT converting Social Security to stock funds should be a lesson taken to heart. Long-term security and steady growth is paramount and MUST override political manipulation. TSP should NEVER be considered a tool to enhance the industry (even the minority component). It belongs to the PARTCIPANTS / RETIREES, not congress and must be able to stand alone and INDEPENDENT from political/social considerations. Lobby hard or your future will be lost!!!
TSP Investments
DOD
Tue May 12, 2009 1:58 PM
If this new idea passes and others are allowed to play with our invested money, we are going to end up with nothing. It will be like social security with congress dipping into the funds.
Leave it alone!!!!
Don't Tinker With TSP
USDA Forest Service
Fri Oct 16, 2009 10:56 AM
So Congressman Davis wants to tinker with TSP to entice firms that are into active fund management for "affirmative action" reasons? That's just wrong. US currency has one color, "green." If minority-owned firms don't like passive fund management, that's their call. There are lots of "majority"-owned companies that don't want to deal with them either. So if you add active management funds and further meddling to TSP, how do you regulate the competition if bigger, wealthier, "majority" owned firms want to compete for such funds? It's another crack getting wider in Pandora's box. When the crash comes again, corporations benefit, not TSP investors. Senator Tom Coburn (R-Oklahoma) told a federal employee lobbying group that if federal employees thought they'd be able to hold on to their pensions while other folks were losing their, the feds would have another think coming, or words to that effect. So now a democrat is going to set us up for this? Go figure! Thank you Ronald Reagan.