Thread: Geaux4it's Account Talk

Starting to feel like I'm hitting the home stretch of my career. Unless things change dramatically at work, I will indeed pull the ejection handle June 2016 at MRA of 56. In government terms, 22 months is actually like tomorrow. What an awesome feeling to be working on budgets and participating in TEWG's for programs coming after my retirement date which leads to my comments for young TSPer's.

Start now. Yes, retirement seems like many moons from now for you but it's not. Whoever coined the phrase, 'Life is short' actually knew what they're talking about. I remember the old timers who sat me down on my first day of work in 1984 telling me to invest in an IRA or other accounts. The TSP was coming on board and they told me to pile on. Albeit my salary (WG at that time) was peanuts, 10% was still 10% of my salary. I guess the point I'm trying to make here is.... Max out your contributions, invest 100% and get on with your career. If I was still in my first decade of employment I would still do the same thing. Invest 100% and go long. You have the time to ride out a steep valley that all the pundits are predicting, and still recoup any dip that you encounter.

It's better days ahead for Civil Servants come 2016. I truly believe the government will be a boom town again much like we saw in the 90's. There will be a significant pullback in stocks at some point and the young TSPer will be in the catbird seat. There will be some gains to be had soon and the younger demographic at TSP will be adding to their account base for some years to come.

With that said, I'm more conservative these days using just 70% of my balance to invest in the markets. Like the FED, I'm starting to taper.

-Geaux