NSurf9 Account Talk

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DWCPF just peaked its nose above the last 3-day channel, then quickly disappeared.

I would have thought somebody would have picked up on the inherent problems with the option window opening to a mutual fund. But apparently, where they are not voting for something we don't want, they are insistent on researching on barking-up the wrong tree, as well.

Article comes from GovExec and dtd not long ago - Oct 2012.
Thrift Savings Plan advisory board considers mutual funds - Pay & Benefits - GovExec.com
 
One of the comments at the end of that article mentioned he would like to have 5 free trades per month. If we could just get that I would be happy.
 
Your dear beloved John DOE will be undergoing a series of critical procedures today to save his life.

If there are children or sensitive persons in the room - - please ask them to leave the room.

Mr. DOE has a sever medical problem - his heart is not beating correctly nor pumping enough blood to sustain his body for much longer. Although he has lost a lot of weight and natural energy over the last four years - we have high hopes we can help him.

Doctors Bigben, Obuttma, and Bonner will be performing their long practiced specilized procedures.

Dr. Bigben will first administer the untwister QE4-ever adrenalin injection directly into the heart. And, doctors Obuttma and Bonner will administer the defribulation paddles - Dr. Obuttma will skillfully handle the right and, of course, Dr. Bonner will be the steadly handle on the left to provide the massive, repeated, electrical stimulus.

Prognosis: The likelyhood of success is unknown and Patient will not doubt need a lengthy recouperation time, intense rehab and likely come out of the operating room generally groggy, light in the wallet, sustain some burns, and be severly sore.

Please say your prayers now.
 
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Please take note, I am still working the window option and close to distributing the letter to all concerned - Congressman, TSP, ETAC, Thomas Trabucco (sort of a founding father to TSP, now retired) and TSP Talk.

On the TSP mutual fund option: Suppose you carefully crafted the window option so that all funds going thru the window would first be converted into a G fund pool, then re-issued at G fund value to be thereafter, traded between and amongst each of the F, C, S and I shares as ETF equivalents - No IFT restrictions, no IFT deadlines with trades at $5-$7 per trade, low establishment costs, in new Traditional or Roth retirement TSP window accounts. The G fund special purchase treasury note shares would continue to be purchased as a safe-haven from the other side of the window. That's just just to get the window open.

That could be a "mutual fund" we could use implentation could start almost immediately.

In a mutual fund everyones' money goes into a pool, it's then invested by a broker, and you get a share. ETFs portfolios are already purchased and you buy a share (yea it takes a lot money to start one).

Thus, a carefully crafted mutual window could immediately be used instead of a TSP defined, self-directed window, which may require a House Bill language change. Moreover, this crafting would meet with the SEC definition of a "mutual fund."

Congress already created the window, just unlocked the latch of just one vote of the TSP Counsel voting members with "participating brokerages" and "the same low risk we already use", put some special defined curtains around it - and it would legally and easily moved into the opened position . . . with one little finger.

Any thoughts?
 
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Please take note, I am still working the window option and close to distributing the letter to all concerned - Congressman, TSP, ETAC, Thomas Trabucco (sort of a founding father to TSP, now retired) and TSP Talk.

On the TSP mutual fund option: Suppose you carefully crafted the window option so that all funds going thru the window would first be converted into a G fund pool, then re-issued at G fund value to be thereafter, traded between and amongst each of the F, C, S and I shares as ETF equivalents. No IFT restrictions, no IFT deadlines with trades at $5-$7 per trade, low establishment costs, in new Traditional or Roth retirement TSP window accounts. The G fund special purchase treasury note shares would continue to be purchased as a safe-haven from the other side of the window. That's just just to get the window open.

That would be a "mutual fund" that a proactive TSP member could use - and its implementation could be begin almost immediately.

In a mutual fund, everyones' money goes into a pool, you get a share, then it's invested by a broker. ETFs portfolio pools are already purchased by the broker, then you buy a share (yes, it takes a lot money to start one).

Such a crafting would meet with the SEC definition of a "mutual fund" and conform to the language of the FERS Act. Thus, it would be a mutual fund to a group of ETFs. However, such a carefully crafted window could successfully opened without any House Bill language change to accomodate standard ETFs.

Although Congress already created the window, it is still "locked." But, get just one more "yes" vote from any of the five TSP Counsel and/or Union voting members; and, it would be unlocked and ready for the open.

Give that one necessary, additional voting member a guarrantee of "qualified, participating brokerages;" "similar, or the same TSP defined, ETF equivalent, low-risk funds we already use;" put on some specially designed curtains around it; and, it could very quickly be legally and easily moved into the "opened position" for proactive TSP member use.

Any thoughts?
 
Last night I did some research and found out that I could not find my feet because of my noise. In spite of all the clear delineations showing the advantages of ETFs over mutual funds by brokers. It occured to me, and I believe may well also be for the purposes of the "mutual fund" window referred to by FERS:

Noun 1. exchange traded fund - a mutual fund that is traded on a stock exchange

In a nutshell: if the window was opened, we easily should be able to invest in the same retirement compatible underlying index EFT mutual funds (F, C, S and I funds) that we are already familiar - except no IFT restrictions; no 12-noon deadline (only the 4pm close); and, at prevailing trade costs of as little as $5 a trade.

Am I a little slow on this . . . and everybody already knew it, or what?
 
nsurf9 said:
Last night I did some research and found out that I could not find my feet because of my noise. In spite of all the clear delineations showing the advantages of ETFs over mutual funds by brokers. It occured to me, and I believe may well also be for the purposes of the "mutual fund" window referred to by FERS:

Noun 1. exchange traded fund - a mutual fund that is traded on a stock exchange

In a nutshell: if the window was opened, we easily should be able to invest in the same retirement compatible underlying index EFT mutual funds (F, C, S and I funds) that we are already familiar - except no IFT restrictions; no 12-noon deadline (only the 4pm close); and, at prevailing trade costs of as little as $5 a trade.

Am I a little slow on this . . . and everybody already knew it, or what?
Click to expand...

Hi Nsurf,

If you're a little slow than I'm even slower cause I'm still trying to get a handle on how the "window" will enable the unrestricted trades? Unless I'm totally misreading your point.

Mark
 
Mark, what this means with respect to no IFT restrictions and no noon deadline is that, because an exchange traded mutual fund is, in fact, a type of mutual fund, these products could be offered thru the window created in the 2009 TSP Enhancement Act by qualified, participating brokerages, without a House Bill language change of "mutual fund" to "mutual fund or other retirement compatible investment."

You probably track agg, .inx, dwcpf and efa during the day to estimate your TSP F, C, S and I invests funds. You TSP funds and these ETFs actually track virtually the same indexes that you can buy at $5-$7 a trade with virtually no dollar limit or deadline. Unlike a mutual fund, which is normally purchased at the end of day and often experiences even more restrictions, prohibitions, and punitive trade fees to prevent investment movement than your TSP account.

Hence, TSP members could be permitted to go right thru the window to very nearly the same TSP funds (and more) that TSP members should already be intimately familiar - only with unlimited trades, no noon deadline, and at bargan trade prices - and, its already authorized by Congress in the 2009 Act and 2 of 5 TSP Board members (w 1 absent) having already voting for this very alternative.

Further, the FRTIB has been actively reconsidering this alternative since the implementation (and currently) of the recent TSP roth as of several interests, not the least of which is Senator Steven Lynch (D-Mass).

In a few words - active TSP members are only one vote away from what they want and need and I'm about to do my best to convince that one necessary vote to say "yes!"
 
nsurf9 said:
Mark, what this means with respect to no IFT restrictions and no noon deadline is that, because an exchange traded mutual fund is, in fact, a type of mutual fund, these products could be offered thru the window created in the 2009 TSP Enhancement Act by qualified, participating brokerages, without a House Bill language change of "mutual fund" to "mutual fund or other retirement compatible investment."

You probably track agg, .inx, dwcpf and efa during the day to estimate your TSP F, C, S and I invests funds. You TSP funds and these ETFs actually track virtually the same indexes that you can buy at $5-$7 a trade with virtually no dollar limit or deadline. Unlike a mutual fund, which is normally purchased at the end of day and often experiences even more restrictions, prohibitions, and punitive trade fees to prevent investment movement than your TSP account.

Hence, TSP members could be permitted to go right thru the window to very nearly the same TSP funds (and more) that TSP members should already be intimately familiar - only with unlimited trades, no noon deadline, and at bargan trade prices - and, its already authorized by Congress in the 2009 Act and 2 of 5 TSP Board members (w 1 absent) having already voting for this very alternative.

Further, the FRTIB has been actively reconsidering this alternative since the implementation (and currently) of the recent TSP roth as of several interests, not the least of which is Senator Steven Lynch (D-Mass).

In a few words - active TSP members are only one vote away from what they want and need and I'm about to do my best to convince that one necessary vote to say "yes!"
Click to expand...

What can the rest of us do to help? I'd be more than happy to pitch in any way I can, but I really don't have a clue Nsurf. Since I for one am a relative dummy about the TSP Board and the TSP Enhancement Act, the more specific talking points you can give me/us the better ... that is, if there's anything you think we can do that would help.
 
NSurf,

I go along with what Khotso said above. Anything to help get a more sane process on managing retirement funds I'm all in with.

Bailing out in 6 months after 30 years but would still like to be able to manage my funds the way I would like...within reasonable boundaries.

Thanks for all your efforts Nsurf,

Mark the pigeonguy
If the apocalyse hits Friday, we may need my pigeons to communicate with. ;)


nsurf9 said:
Mark, what this means with respect to no IFT restrictions and no noon deadline is that, because an exchange traded mutual fund is, in fact, a type of mutual fund, these products could be offered thru the window created in the 2009 TSP Enhancement Act by qualified, participating brokerages, without a House Bill language change of "mutual fund" to "mutual fund or other retirement compatible investment."

You probably track agg, .inx, dwcpf and efa during the day to estimate your TSP F, C, S and I invests funds. You TSP funds and these ETFs actually track virtually the same indexes that you can buy at $5-$7 a trade with virtually no dollar limit or deadline. Unlike a mutual fund, which is normally purchased at the end of day and often experiences even more restrictions, prohibitions, and punitive trade fees to prevent investment movement than your TSP account.

Hence, TSP members could be permitted to go right thru the window to very nearly the same TSP funds (and more) that TSP members should already be intimately familiar - only with unlimited trades, no noon deadline, and at bargan trade prices - and, its already authorized by Congress in the 2009 Act and 2 of 5 TSP Board members (w 1 absent) having already voting for this very alternative.

Further, the FRTIB has been actively reconsidering this alternative since the implementation (and currently) of the recent TSP roth as of several interests, not the least of which is Senator Steven Lynch (D-Mass).

In a few words - active TSP members are only one vote away from what they want and need and I'm about to do my best to convince that one necessary vote to say "yes!"
Click to expand...
 
Here I sit on this wilted lilly pad in this dryed up mud-puddle with my single February IFT at my side - watching the fourth or fifth large wave since the 2008 recession roll in and the S&P 1525 technical mark come into closer focus.

Does anyone suspect this rally - - that the big fish know something that we don't. Like the fiscal cliff and sequestration are just a smoke a mirror routine or maybe that inflation is about to really raise its ugly head.

This market just doesn't seem to fear anything.

Make no mistake, I realize that savings (and the G fund treasuries) are not are not keeping up with real inflation. I understand that bonds suffer the same token of little return - only with the additional risk of getting burn with higher interest rates. Thus, the "Great rotation out of Bonds" theory makes perfect sense.

But, the current money flows into the stock market without any abatment seems suspect - in view that US political polarization and imminent deadlock is supposedly only weeks away. So, as several analyst I have read have queried - where are they to go - - why stocks of course.

My question is, however, do the power players know something more. Maybe that the political polarization may as well be a square dance or because of limitless government spending and unending currency dilution, inflation is what's behind the smoke and mirror and about break is spin and minipulation.

While stocks have shown not to do well in hyper-inflation and a currency downward spiral - bonds and cash do worse. It seems to me not only are the power players getting out of cash and bonds and creating the large money flow - - but, they also know something very much more.
 
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NSurf9, all good questions/points. Whatever is going on...I just hope my reactions are quick and accurate. I plan on doing as well as I can, riding the wave, and hoping I see the signs. I'm watching the dollar and oil to see if they end up being the trigger for a change in direction.
 
1524.61, or $0.39 from the 1525 technical mark of the top of a 5th assending wave since 2008 and several recent assending but converging channels - and like magic the market begins some profit taking. As Tom remarked in his comments a little while ago, "stick a fork in it" - technically its done.

Make no mistake, I realize a significant portion of all the uninvested savings accounts (no return interest) and bonds (no return interest and burn risk) in the US remain on the sidelines.
 
I look at the BBC news almost daily and noticed that Barclay's has been in the news the last few weeks and I thought were getting fined for something they did in 2008. I wonder how much influence they had on us loosing the daily IFT to only 2 a month.
 
pigeonguy said:
NSurf,

I go along with what Khotso said above. Anything to help get a more sane process on managing retirement funds I'm all in with.

Bailing out in 6 months after 30 years but would still like to be able to manage my funds the way I would like...within reasonable boundaries.

Thanks for all your efforts Nsurf,

Mark the pigeonguy
If the apocalyse hits Friday, we may need my pigeons to communicate with. ;)
Click to expand...

Fellow federal government employees who want freedom to actively manage your TSP retirement, Congress has already answered your prayers. All we need is one additional vote to the two that voted in favor to open the window on an earlier vote (one member was absent). I plan to get that additional vote, in fact, all of them unanimously.

Full Text of H.R. 1256 (111th): Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act - GovTrack.us

SEC. 104. AUTHORITY TO ESTABLISH MUTUAL FUND WINDOW.

(a) In General- Section 8438(b)(1) of title 5, United States Code, is amended--

(1) in subparagraph (D), by striking ‘and’ at the end;

(2) in subparagraph (E), by striking the period and inserting ‘; and’; and

(3) by adding after subparagraph (E) the following:


‘(F) a service that enables participants to invest in mutual funds, if the Board authorizes the mutual fund window under paragraph (5).’.

(b) Requirements- Section 8438(b) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:


‘(5)(A) The Board may authorize the addition of a mutual fund window under the Thrift Savings Plan if the Board determines that such addition would be in the best interests of participants.

‘(B) The Board shall ensure that any expenses charged for use of the mutual fund window are borne solely by the participants who use such window.

‘(C) The Board may establish such other terms and conditions for the mutual fund window as the Board considers appropriate to protect the interests of participants, including requirements relating to risk disclosure.

‘(D) The Board shall consult with the Employee Thrift Advisory Council (established under section 8473) before authorizing the addition of a mutual fund window or establishing a service that enables participants to invest in mutual funds.’.

(c) Technical and Conforming Amendment- Section 8438(d)(1) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by inserting ‘and options’ after ‘investment funds’.
 
Boy, it took a while to find my last post. I been taking care of my dad since March to help him with his last fight - last month. See if I can post a little more regularly. I'm still hot on getting that one additional need TSP Board vote for the already approved Congressional approved window thru TSP option. More on that later.

S&P has been knocking on the floor of a break-thru three times in the last couple of weeks. If I recall correctly ~1628 mark. Debt ceiling, budget battle, interest rates (bond yields), new Fed Chairman, end of QE Infinity, Syria - perhaps all this is too much for even this Superman rally's momentum.

Good news on low estimates and bad news on any kind have been walked right over for so long, as it is now to be expected to push the needle higher, now matter what because the crutches supplied by the Fed.

My guess is the Fed got wind of the time line problem with the prior QE end dates when it came up with QE Infinity open-end installments.

The problem is we are rapidly reaching the $1T mark and the damage outside the US is now becoming worrisome enough that it may now affect US interests and equities. In other words, QE is infinite, based on desirable manipulated unemployment figures, or it finally winds its way down to purchase of your next gallon of milk, or negatively impacts interests outside the US to the point that it affects US interests. I thinks we are at the latter.

A government can only steal the buying power of it citizens with fiat money before it breaks the currency and ultimately itself.
 
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