Search found 15 matches
- Thu Jul 14, 2011 12:31 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: How should I allocate my TSP?
- Replies: 24
- Views: 5438
- Thu Jul 14, 2011 2:18 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: How should I allocate my TSP?
- Replies: 24
- Views: 5438
How should I allocate my TSP?
Well to start off I just turned 22 last week and am currently on Active Duty. A few months ago I began contributing 90% of my income into my TSP each month and living off a chunk of change I collected during my last deployment. I have already maxed out my Roth IRA for 2011 and am trying to get my investments in line.
As of now 100% of my contributions are located in the G-Fund. I was just mailed my account information to access my TSP today and was wondering about each of the funds. I don't know much about them and was wondering if someone could either provide me with some detailed information that is somewhat catered to my situation. I'd like to know how to allocate my contributions the best that I can.
As of now 100% of my contributions are located in the G-Fund. I was just mailed my account information to access my TSP today and was wondering about each of the funds. I don't know much about them and was wondering if someone could either provide me with some detailed information that is somewhat catered to my situation. I'd like to know how to allocate my contributions the best that I can.
- Sat May 14, 2011 4:44 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Young investor in need of help with post-deployment savings.
- Replies: 18
- Views: 3722
That was initially my plan... I wanted to start contributing to my retirement (Roth, TSP) in a relatively conservative manner and then find a few riskier ventures along the way. Right now my Vanguard IRA is split between the VBMFX and VFIFX at 60/40% and I'm contributing to the L Fund through TSP.Spades wrote:What about starting conservative then ratcheting up the risk as you learn more? What's everyone else think about this? I don't like losing time, but obviously you've got tons of time on your side.
- Fri May 13, 2011 2:16 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Young investor in need of help with post-deployment savings.
- Replies: 18
- Views: 3722
Heytred, Thanks for your service and glad you got back home safe after your delpoyment. I'm also in the service, 26, but I'm not as young as MJ. I'm glad you decided to switch over to Vanguard. I'll beat the dead horse again, that USAA is not the ideal choice for investing. I found it too difficult to get information for investing from them. Have you set up an AA plan for yourself? A common aggressive stance is 75 equity 25 bond for young guys. I'm actually situated at 75 bond, 25 equity, but that's because I'm not too hot on the market at the moment. How much risk do you want? How would you like to grow your portfolio? Have you thought about the tax benefits of holding specific investments in the IRA versus the taxable account? I haven't ...
- Thu May 12, 2011 11:35 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Young investor in need of help with post-deployment savings.
- Replies: 18
- Views: 3722
heytred, First off, thanks for serving your country. I agree that you should do nothing until you read more and really understand and have internalized how investing works. Resist the urge to "do something" without first gathering wisdom. Custodial transfer from USAA to VG would probably be a good move, but you need to read more so you'll understand why. Congrats on completing your operational tour with money in the bank. As a leader I always cringed when my folks would show up with expensive new cars post-deployment, but you can't regulate stupidity. Your future is bright. Thank you. I switched over my USAA IRA to Vanguard (or am in the process) as multiple people, including posters here and the financial advisor on Post have co...
- Thu May 12, 2011 5:07 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Young investor in need of help with post-deployment savings.
- Replies: 18
- Views: 3722
- Wed May 11, 2011 1:51 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Young investor in need of help with post-deployment savings.
- Replies: 18
- Views: 3722
Thanks for all of the replies. I'm not currently deployed, as much as I'd like to be, but still saving a decent amount of money each month. I maxed my Roth IRA (2011) and just set up my TSP to withdraw 11% from my monthly base pay. If I'm correct I max my TSP at $16,500 annually, right? Am I limited to how I max this out? For example, could I just take that much from the $20,000 and max it out with the initial or what? Would that be advisable?
I'm almost positive I can't, but wanted to ask regardless.
I'm almost positive I can't, but wanted to ask regardless.
- Wed May 11, 2011 5:33 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Young investor in need of help with post-deployment savings.
- Replies: 18
- Views: 3722
Thanks for the advice with the IRA, I'll check into Vanguard.mjdo242 wrote:I did the same thing because I had everything with USAA. There were no fees when I transferred to Vanguard last year. If you go to Vanguard's website, under the IRA's tab, there should be an option to transfer an IRA to Vanguard. I think I just had to fill out one form and my funds were with Vanguard a few days later.
I'd still like to hear from other poster involving what to do with the other 20k.
EDIT: Also, any kind of advice on what Funds would be best for a Roth with Vanguard? Like I said, I'm very new to this.
- Wed May 11, 2011 4:56 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Young investor in need of help with post-deployment savings.
- Replies: 18
- Views: 3722
I was in a similar situation as you a few years ago. I'm active duty as well, 24, and had my Roth with USAA and I contributed 10% to the TSP. I recommend finishing the books you have purchased before you do anything; maybe pick up Bogleheads' Guide to Investing. I moved my Roth from USAA to Vanguard because I like Vanguard's low-cost funds, and USAA charged me a $45 commission every time I bought shares of Vanguard funds. You may want to look into Vanguard if you're planning on using their funds; they wont charge you anything to purchase their funds. USAA is good for banking and insurance, but not so great for investing. The TSP is a great option as well, if you're not all ready contributing. I can't give you the specifics on how funds are...
- Wed May 11, 2011 3:39 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Young investor in need of help with post-deployment savings.
- Replies: 18
- Views: 3722
Young investor in need of help with post-deployment savings.
Okay, so I am 21 years old and have a decent amount of cash sitting around and want to put it away instead of having it sit in a savings account doing nothing for me. I am currently active duty Military, have an appropriate 'emergency fund' set aside, $5000 invested into a USAA Roth IRA, and then $20,000 I don't know what to do with. I've had a few people tell me that for someone my age my best bet would be to grab as many equities index funds as I can and then forget about them, but the whole process has left me lost. I purchased some literature to help educate myself a little better but still figured this would be the best place to ask. I frequently lurk and read many of the threads here, but don't grasp a lot of the concepts being discus...
- Sun Aug 22, 2010 8:54 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Starting Investor seeking advice.
- Replies: 12
- Views: 1944
The money is just sitting in a USAA savings account... I'm not even sure of the interest rate (if you could really call it that) attached to it.Bobalude wrote:If the $30,000 is not in any tax-advantaged vehicle (like an IRA, 401k or TSP), and you determine that you will not need the money in the short future, move as much money as you can into the TSP and draw down the $30,000 for living expenses/daily needs.
The TSP has incredibly low expenses and offers the G fund which is hard to replicate outside of the plan.
I can easily get by without the money, especially for now. I have no dependents, no debt, financial obligations, or even living expenses right now. I could quite easily (if I were allowed) dump it all in TSP and not miss it at all.
- Sat Aug 21, 2010 9:17 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Starting Investor seeking advice.
- Replies: 12
- Views: 1944
Thank you, it sounds almost ignorant to say, but I wish I saw the value earlier in life. I can only imagine where I'd be then. The hardest part is no matter what you learn, someone is going to disagree and suggest a different route. I'm slowly realizing that you do just have to educate yourself and feel it out from there.Jack90210 wrote:I don't have much to add except to say "Congratulations" on seeing the value of saving and investing so early in life -- it'll give you a huge advantage later in life. Personally at that age I knew but I didn't act.
- Fri Aug 20, 2010 10:57 pm
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Starting Investor seeking advice.
- Replies: 12
- Views: 1944
Well luckily the only financial obligation I have is a $100 a month student loan. Thanks to everyone for the replies and advice, I'm still reading many of the stickies and links. I think I've come up with a short term plan for me that will help get my foot in the door. Next week finance will be at this FOB and I'm going to open an allotment with SDP which will yield a $1000 return on a $10,000 deposit over the course of 12 months... basically deposit $10,000... 12 months later I withdraw $11,000. I figured this is a program I NEED to take advantage of. Once this deployment is over and the TSP Roth option is available I'm going to go ahead and max it for 2011 and allocate the rest of my saving (except for ~ 3 months pay for an emergency) int...
- Fri Aug 20, 2010 3:40 am
- Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
- Topic: Military Investing
- Replies: 125
- Views: 65447
So, I'm Active Duty getting ready to start investing... this close to the end of the year should I wait on the Roth TSP, or would investing in a Roth IRA now yield similar benefits?
Also regarding a quick question you might be able to answer... in early spring 2011 I will be leaving Active Duty to go to school full time as an ROTC Cadet via the Green to Gold program. I've asked my POC as well as my Chain of Command as to whether I'll still be able to contribute to TSP. Technically since I'll be on a 4 year scholarship I'll still be in a contract with the Army. No one has gotten back to me yet however.
Any and all help is immensely appreciated.
Also regarding a quick question you might be able to answer... in early spring 2011 I will be leaving Active Duty to go to school full time as an ROTC Cadet via the Green to Gold program. I've asked my POC as well as my Chain of Command as to whether I'll still be able to contribute to TSP. Technically since I'll be on a 4 year scholarship I'll still be in a contract with the Army. No one has gotten back to me yet however.
Any and all help is immensely appreciated.
- Fri Aug 20, 2010 3:15 am
- Forum: Personal Investments
- Topic: Starting Investor seeking advice.
- Replies: 12
- Views: 1944
Starting Investor seeking advice.
Hello, I am a 21 year old Active Duty enlisted soldier currently deployed to Afghanistan. As is par with the course I've been given an immense opportunity to save for the future and hopefully plant some financial seeds. In the < 2 years that I have been serving I've been able to save more than $30,000 and that number is still climbing. Following my return from Afghanistan in late winter/early spring 2011 I will be leaving Active Duty to return to College full time as a ROTC Cadet via the Green to Gold program on a 4 year scholarship, and since I will be on a full scholarship along with a monthly stipend, living expenses, and E-5 salary, I imagine I will be able to save even more. I have asked through my points of contact and Chain of Comman...