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Thread: AutoTracker Rules - and how to get started

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    Default AutoTracker Rules - and how to get started

    The TSP Talk AutoTracker - Click to View


    Automated Tracker Rules
    - and how to get started

    Register for the Forum, and the AutoTracker:

    1. You must be a member of the form / message board (MB).

    Are you a current member of the Forum / Message Board?

    - No, I am not a current message board member... Click here to register for the message board.


    Important! If you do not receive an email from us to confirm your email address after registering for the message board, you should probably check your spam folder. Some email providers, especially gmail, love to block us . Otherwise, please use the "contact us" link in the menu on the right side of www.tsptalk.com to let us know. Please include your message board username in the email. After you respond to that email, it could take up to several hours before your message board membership is activated.

    - Yes, I am already a message board Member... Click here to register* for the AutoTracker.

    2.Your email address is required and will be added to our AutoTracker email alert list to receive periodic leader board updates. Removing your email address from the AutoTracker email alert list will delist your account from the AutoTracker.

    * Your AutoTracker username must match your message board username.


    Done Registering
    Start making your interfund Transfers (IFT):

    3. You can now enter your allocation. Interfund Transfer / transactions must post in the Automated Tracker before 12:10 pm ET (we give a 10-minute grace period after the TSP deadline) for entry at the Close Of Business (COB) that same trade day. Any fund transaction posted at or after 12:10 pm ET will be effective at COB on the following trade day. Simply try to get in the habit of heading straight to the AutoTracker after you make your IFT on the TSP website.
    · It is not against the rules, but we kind of discourage "trading" the L-funds. they are more buy and hold vehicles and if you are trying to time the TSP, we recommend the 5 main funds. We'll leave the L-funds to investors.

    4. A one line comment is allowed in your fund transfer post. Space is provided in the comment field.

    5. You may cancel or change your fund allocations up until the 12:10 pm ET deadline. This is accomplished by making another fund transfer and entering new allocations, or selecting the "Cancel Pending IFT" link.

    6. You can make 2 IFT's per month. After that, only IFT's that increase the G fund allocation, without increasing any other fund's allocation, will be allowed. Also, after making 2 transfers in a month, additional transfers of less than 1% are allowed (since the TSP allows them).
    · A transfer made on the last day of the month before the 12:10 ET deadline, counts towards the old month, not the new month transfer. Any transfer made after the 12:10 ET deadline on the last day of the month counts toward the next month's transfers.

    Create an Account Thread on the Message Board to discuss your account decisions, etc:

    7. When your user profile is created, you'll want to create a "Username Account Talk" thread in our “Members Account Talk” forum. Please feel free to discuss your strategy, reasons for your transactions, etc., in your “Account Talk” thread.
    · This would also be a good time to introduce yourself to the board, or just say "hi" in the Member Introductions forum. You will be warmly welcomed.

    Premium Services Members:

    8. You may use the Automated Tracker if you are following any of the premium services, but please let us know. If you pay for a service we will obscure/hide you recent IFTs and returns from public view. We will continue to track your TSP return performance and others can see your Return To Date (YTD).

    Prizes, eligibility, and requirements:

    9. You must successfully log into your AutoTracker account and / or the message board (forum) within the last 60 days, or be a premium service member, to be eligible for the monthly and annual prizes** and your account could, at the discretion of the administrator, be removed from the Autotracker.

    · This free service is intended for active TSP Talk message board members. If you do not make any interfund transfers for 90 days, simply login to the AutoTracker and/or post to the message board every couple months so we know you are still participating on the board. If you fail to log into your AutoTracker account or post on the board for more than 60-days, you will not be eligible for any monthly or annual prizes** awarded.

    · The top 5 are given prizes**, but we will pay up to 10 places in the event of ties. If there are still members tied after 10 places, the tie will be broken by the least number of days since your last login to the AutoTracker (or the Forum - updated 5/15/15). In the case of tie-breaker winners, the prizes can be determined by the administrator.

    - If an account makes an invalid IFT, one that is over the transfer limit (and we understand the rules regarding the G-fund and the 1% rule) it is ineligible for a prize that month, and for the final annual prizes. It can however, win a monthly prize in a month where there is no invalid IFT. If the invalid IFT's are repeated, the account will be closed.


    ** Monthly and annual prize winners will be notified via PM (private message) and will have 60 days to claim their prize. You might want to make sure that we have your current email address and that you have checked the box for "Receive Email Notification of New Private Messages" in your Profile.

    10.If you sign up after the start of a month/year, and only have a partial month/annual return for that month/year, you will not be eligible for a monthly or annual prize for that month/year. Your eligibility starts in your 2nd month/year. Basically, you must have a full month of returns to get a monthly prize, and a full year to get an annual prize.


    Thank you all for participating on the AutoTracker. If you have any questions, contact me via Private Message (PM) or contact us via email (support AT tsptalk DOT com) or use the "contact us" link in the menu on the left on www.tsptalk.com.

    TSP Talk
    Tom
    Market Commentary | My Blog | TSP Talk Plus | |

    I am not a Registered Investment Advisor and this is not investment advice. Please do your own due diligence.


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  3. #2

    Default Re: AutoTracker Rules - and how to get started

    Just a couple messages for our Autotracker members to clear up some recent questions.

    Late / Incorrect IFT Entries and the Deadline

    Because we have over 2000 accounts now, it has become much more difficult to handle late or incorrect entries because these changes have to be done manually and it is time consuming. Your IFT is late in the AutoTracker after 12:10 PM ET. That is 10 minutes after the TSP's transaction deadline.

    We will make a change as long as:
    • You are not showing a pattern of being consistently late
    • We hear from you by 7 PM ET on the day the IFT is effective (7 hours after the deadline)


    After we process the new daily share prices (usually after 7 PM ET) it becomes much more difficult to edit your IFT and change your returns. Perhaps someday we will automate this but still, this is a contest and making late changes is not always fair to those who do make the deadline. As advertised, TSP Talk Plus subscribers do get a 24 hour window to correct errors if the privilege is not abused and the move in the funds involved is not 1% or more.

    So, if you are late, here is what you should do:
    • Enter your IFT (even though it is late) before 7 PM ET
    • Use the Comments field on the IFT screen to let us know you meant to make this IFT before the deadline or send a PM (private message) on the message board to "tsptalk".


    If you abuse this "extra time" by doing it often you may be denied.
    Remember, the Autotracker is actually just a contest for entertainment and educational purposes, and we have no way to verify that members are actually making the transfers in their TSP account.

    If you wish to track your TSP account allocations and returns more accurately, please feel free to download the spreadsheets provided on http://www.tsptalk.com/utilities.html.

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Staying Active

    We now have over 1000 accounts on the AutoTracker, although some may not be displayed because of inactivity. Being "active" on the AutoTracker simply means logging in. You don't have to make any IFT's. You just need to sign into the AutoTracker or the Forum / Message Board occasionally so we know you are still around.

    Here is a breakdown of penalties for inactivity. If you haven't logged into either the AutoTracker or the Message Board for:

    • 60 days: You are ineligible for prizes
    • 180 days: Account will not roll into a new year
    • 1 year: Your account is delisted and you'll need to contact us to be reactivated
    • 2 years: Your account is deleted

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Your account can also be deactivated if your email address in the AutoTracker is not current. If you didn't receive a copy of this message via email recently you may not have a current email address in your profile. Go to: http://www.tsptalk.com/tracker/tsp_user_profile.php to make any necessary changes.


    To view the current returns, allocations and standings for all members, please go to www.tsptalk.com/tracker/tsp-tracker.php or... click here.

    If it has been a while, please make sure you are logged in on the forum, or take a minute to login to the AutoTracker so you don't have to worry about being "Hidden". Login now

    Thank you!!
    Last edited by tsptalk; 01-07-2020 at 09:17 AM. Reason: Penalties changed
    Tom
    Market Commentary | My Blog | TSP Talk Plus | |

    I am not a Registered Investment Advisor and this is not investment advice. Please do your own due diligence.

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  5. #3

    Default Re: AutoTracker Rules - and how to get started

    Reminder! In order to avoid being delisted, please don't forget to login to the AutoTracker every once in a while if you haven't made any IFT's. We're going to be purging idle accounts again.

    We've recently changed our "idle" policy and extended the time period to avoid deleting accounts prematurely.

    https://www.tsptalk.com/tracker/tsp_user_login.php

    These are the new idle time limits...

    Quote Originally Posted by tsptalk View Post
    Staying Active

    We now have over 1000 accounts on the AutoTracker, although some may not be displayed because of inactivity. Being "active" on the AutoTracker simply means logging in. You don't have to make any IFT's. You just need to sign into the AutoTracker or the Forum / Message Board occasionally so we know you are still around.

    Here is a breakdown of penalties for inactivity. If you haven't logged into either the AutoTracker or the Message Board for:
    • 60 days: You are ineligible for prizes
    • 180 days: Account will not roll into a new year
    • 1 year: Your account is delisted and you'll need to contact us to be reactivated
    • 2 years: Your account is deleted
    Tom
    Market Commentary | My Blog | TSP Talk Plus | |

    I am not a Registered Investment Advisor and this is not investment advice. Please do your own due diligence.

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