Thread: Hi -- looks like a great site

Hi everyone,
I just happened on this site today and immediately registered! I'm in IT and work in the MD (DC) area. I didn't put much in my profile because that's just not a good idea anymore.

Anyway, I've been semi-active trading since 1995, and have always wanted to do some shifting in my tsp.

True story: In the summer of 1998, I watched a pattern unfold in the markets and was (boorishly) making printouts and telling everyone that the markets were likely to have a substantial drop (though not _the big one_) in the fall. That Sept, I got my confirmed sell signals... I waited till near the 15th (we had until mid-month) and allocated everything into the G fund. One that request was made (back then) it couldn't be changed, but would go into effect the end of the month. I watched in shock and disgust as the downturn was quick and fierce and my sell out of the c fund was set on automatic pilot. Yes, the last day of September was a 500 point drop and marked the end of that downturn. If I could, I'd be buying with both hands, not selling!

The TSP rules were so archaic that if one put in an allocation change on the 16th, it wouldn't go into effect until the end of the next month!

Finally, we heard of the new TSP system... and waited and waited for it to be completed thanks to the incompetents at the TSP.

Anyway, while we now have new rules, and have been meaning to do so, I haven't followed up on taking advantage of them. So, today I was trying to figure out how the allocation changes worked (when to do, when it goes into effect) and came across this forum... and apparantly a well visited one. This is great! TSP, investors, fellow gov't people...

I'll be talking to you on the boards.