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[TSP_Strategy] Good article on TSP

[TSP_Strategy] Good article on TSP

 


https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.forbes.com/sites/robertberger/2017/02/28/should-you-roll-over-your-tsp-do-not-go-gentle-into-that-good-night/amp/



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Posted by: Gary Reven <tweet_pa@yahoo.com>
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Neither the TSP Strategy group, nor individual members, are licensed or authorized to provide investment advice. Any statements made herein merely reflect the personal opinions of the individual group member. Please make your own investment decisions based upon your personal circumstances.

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[TSP_Strategy] Fixed Income Performance

[TSP_Strategy] Fixed Income Performance

 

Fixed Income Sector Performance (Total Return as of 6/30/18)

Chart of the Week for July 27, 2018 - August 2, 2018

Six of the 11 fixed income sectors posted positive returns for the 1 year period ended June 30, 2018. In contrast, five of the 11 fixed income sectors posted positive returns in the 1 year period ended June 30, 2017.

The fixed income market includes many different types of securities, and performance can vary substantially among these types. The chart above compares the performance of eleven major fixed income sectors for the 1 year periods ended June 30, 2018 ("current year") and June 30, 2017 ("prior year"). Positive returns occurred in six of the 11 fixed income sectors for the current year. In contrast, five of the 11 sectors produced positive returns in the prior year.

Sector returns were mixed in the current period as U.S. rates rose across all maturities after three increases in the Federal Funds target rate range during the current year. High Yield (2.62%) and Municipal (1.56%) were the best performing sectors shown in the current year as higher inflation expectations combined wtih the increasing interest rates impacted returns in many sectors. Short-Term outperformed Long-Term in both the Government and Corporate sectors. Global returns were positive (1.36%), while Emerging Markets returns were negative (-1.04%). Over the current year, the European Central Bank announced that it would reduce the amount of its stimulus program, but would extend the program through at least September 2018. Emerging Markets posted positive returns through late-2017, but rising U.S. interest rates as well as a stronger U.S. dollar diminished returns in the first two quarters of 2018.

Performance fluctuates over time and is hard to predict. Changes in both actual and expected interest and inflation rates can materially impact fixed income investments. Also, investors should note that even U.S. Government securities can decline in value and investing in sectors such as High Yield or Emerging Markets involve additional risk.

When making investment decisions, prudent investors should invest based on their own circumstances taking into consideration their goals, investment experience, time horizon, and risk tolerance.


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Posted by: sarah_oz@yahoo.com
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Neither the TSP Strategy group, nor individual members, are licensed or authorized to provide investment advice. Any statements made herein merely reflect the personal opinions of the individual group member. Please make your own investment decisions based upon your personal circumstances.

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[TSP_Strategy] What Does That Word Mean?

[TSP_Strategy] What Does That Word Mean?

 

Write a message...

What Does That Word Mean?

July 26, 2018

How to do you ask for a drink at a restaurant? Do you order soda, pop, a soft drink, or a Coke? In some parts of the country, a request for a Coke is interpreted as simply asking for a carbonated beverage, not necessarily Coca-Cola. That can be confusing.

The same thing is sometimes true in the federal benefits world. For example, the term "annuity" is often used to describe a retirement or survivor benefit. But annuity also can be used to describe a life insurance product or the TSP annuity withdrawal option. These are all very different benefits, but what they have in common is a lifetime stream of income, so they each can be referred to as an annuity.

Other terms describing federal benefits can be equally hard to sort out. Let's look at some of them.

Medicare and Medicaid

Medicare is health insurance for people age 65 and over and certain people with disabilities or end stage renal disease. Original Medicare is made up of Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B (doctor's coverage or outpatient care). Medicare also has Part C (also known as Medicare Advantage) and Part D (prescription drug coverage). Many federal retirees enroll in Medicare A and B along with one of their Federal Employee Health Benefits Program options.

Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that helps with medical costs for some people with limited income and resources. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, Medicaid covers six out of 10 nursing home residents.

Disability Insurance and Long Term Care Insurance

Disability insurance helps provide replacement income when you can no longer work due to a physical or mental impairment that prevents you from being employed. The Social Security Administration provides federal disability insurance, and insurance companies also offer policies. Most federal employees can't purchase a disability insurance policy as part of their federal insurance benefit options, but long-term disability benefits are payable as a disability retirement benefit under the Civil Service Retirement System and the Federal Employees Retirement System.

Long-term care insurance provides a resource to be used to pay for personal care for someone who needs help with the activities of daily living. The Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program and other long term care policies provide a daily dollar amount of benefits to pay for care in a home setting, adult day care, assisted living facility or nursing home.

Cost of Living Adjustment and General Pay Adjustment

Federal retirees (usually) receive an annual COLA in order to maintain the buying power of their retirement benefits. This is prescribed by law in Title 5 of the U.S. Code. The COLA applies to Social Security benefits, military retired pay and CSRS retirement and survivor benefits. The FERS retirement and survivor benefit receives a less generous COLA.

Pay adjustments for current federal employees, on the other hand, are more complicated because they can be influenced by politics and are administered through the budgeting process every year. Although federal law prescribes a formula for setting the pay for federal workers under the General Schedule, the president can choose to differ from this formula, and Congress can ultimately propose and pass any raise it wants.

Government Pension Offset and CSRS Offset

The Government Pension Offset reduces and often eliminates the entitlement to receive Social Security spouse's and widow's benefits for retirees who are receiving a pension from work not covered by Social Security—such as a CSRS benefit. It was enacted in 1977. A related restriction, the Windfall Elimination Provision, was created in 1982.

CSRS Offset, on the other hand, is the retirement coverage for employees who had a break in service after completing five years of coverage under CSRS and returned to federal service after 1983. These employees pay the full Social Security tax which "offsets" their 7 percent contribution to CSRS. Likewise, at retirement, the Social Security retirement benefit earned from CSRS Offset service will reduce the earned CSRS retirement benefit for those qualified to receive Social Security retirement.

Given terminology like this, it's no wonder federal retirement planning can be complicated. You not only need to understand the relationship between benefits earned through CSRS or FERS, Social Security and the Thrift Savings Plan, but also comprehend the language used by an employee benefits specialist in the retirement division of a federal agency. By the way, would such a place be called the "personnel office," the "human resources office," or the "office of human capital?" Well, that depends!


July 26, 2018

https://www.govexec.com/pay-benefits/retirement-planning/2018/07/what-does-word-mean/150079/

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Posted by: sarah_oz@yahoo.com
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Have you tried the highest rated email app?
With 4.5 stars in iTunes, the Yahoo Mail app is the highest rated email app on the market. What are you waiting for? Now you can access all your inboxes (Gmail, Outlook, AOL and more) in one place. Never delete an email again with 1000GB of free cloud storage.

Neither the TSP Strategy group, nor individual members, are licensed or authorized to provide investment advice. Any statements made herein merely reflect the personal opinions of the individual group member. Please make your own investment decisions based upon your personal circumstances.

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[TSP_Strategy] USD

[TSP_Strategy] USD

 

USD continues to rise albeit at a slower pace.  As long as USD is rising, US stocks are preferred (C or S).


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Posted by: sarah_oz@yahoo.com
Reply via web post Reply to sender Reply to group Start a New Topic Messages in this topic (18)

Have you tried the highest rated email app?
With 4.5 stars in iTunes, the Yahoo Mail app is the highest rated email app on the market. What are you waiting for? Now you can access all your inboxes (Gmail, Outlook, AOL and more) in one place. Never delete an email again with 1000GB of free cloud storage.

Neither the TSP Strategy group, nor individual members, are licensed or authorized to provide investment advice. Any statements made herein merely reflect the personal opinions of the individual group member. Please make your own investment decisions based upon your personal circumstances.

SPONSORED LINKS
.

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[TSP_Strategy] Re: path forward ?

[TSP_Strategy] Re: path forward ?

 

What is the path forward ? 

Dear Supertrader10005:

What do you view to be the path forward???

Sorry, just asking for your opinion.

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Posted by: sarah_oz@yahoo.com
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Check out the automatic photo album with 4 photo(s) from this topic.
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Have you tried the highest rated email app?
With 4.5 stars in iTunes, the Yahoo Mail app is the highest rated email app on the market. What are you waiting for? Now you can access all your inboxes (Gmail, Outlook, AOL and more) in one place. Never delete an email again with 1000GB of free cloud storage.

Neither the TSP Strategy group, nor individual members, are licensed or authorized to provide investment advice. Any statements made herein merely reflect the personal opinions of the individual group member. Please make your own investment decisions based upon your personal circumstances.

SPONSORED LINKS
.

__,_._,___