Great Post Miss Piggy!
One of the real benefits of TSP, and the reason for the low administrative costs, is the simplicity of the plan. Many companies that have 15 or more choices have regreted how complicated it has become to manage.
I WOULD like to see, in the future, the following changes, which I think would benefit our accounts. But other than these, Im not really in favor of changing much else.
1. Surviving spouses being able to keep money in the TSP. Currently they are required to transfer it out. This is one that is on the agenda of the Thirft Board for a legislative change in the future.
2. The default changed to the age appropriate L fund. I support the idea that those who aren't investment savy need to have a better option than just the G. If they intentionally want the G, more power to them, but I think they should get the L for their age, and then have to choose the G if that is what they want. This too is in the plans for the Thrift Board asking Congress to make the change.
3. I would support adding another foreign fund, one that touches emerging markets, including China, India, Pakistan, etc. Right now our foreign options are only in developed countries, and we could use an emerging markets component to diversify in the mix, and pick up the gains that the emerging markets are going to produce. This one is NOT in the cards at this time, but I hope the Thrift Board would consider it in the future.
4. There has been talk about adding a Roth feature to TSP. I'm still not decided on this one yet. Too new for me to get a good handle around. I'd like to see perhaps a demonstration program, allowing a limited number of volunteers step up to the plate and try it first. A demonstration program of perhaps 3,000 (hey, there is that number again!) could be very inexpensive to set up and see how it works, who wants to contribute, and what they do with it. etc. That would be cool. It would give them the data they need to decide whether to offer it government wide.
5. I'd like to see an elected component added to the Employee Thrift Advisory Council, elected by share holders. THAT would certainly make them sit up and start listening to the people that elect them.
6. If they push through the limits on moving money, I would hope that they also allow, on a one-time basis, current employees to move their money out to a private plan. This is the least desireable way to handle the war, but it probably needs to happen if they fail to listen to what the people are saying.
That is my New Year's resolution/Christmas wish list for the year ahead.
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