The new TSP website is an unmitigated disaster!

[Mitchhyman]

At this point there is little reason to have confidence in the TSP. My fear is that as they work to fix this mess something they do will muck up the system for good and we will be left with no working features. You would think that at the very least they would set up a weekly status briefing and post the information to let us know where things stand. No information leads to conjecture, fear, and frustration. They have screwed things up royally and they have left the members in the dark. This is unacceptable.

Edit - I just checked the website for “known issues”. The same incomplete list naming a handful of insignificant glitches is posted there. None of the major issues reported on this thread and elsewhere are even mentioned.

Believe it or not, none of the withdrawal links, including full withdrawal, have worked this entire past week. And there has never been an installment withdrawal link in the new website. So any transaction has to be done over the dreaded phone line with hours long waits and poorly trained staff. This is worse than the twentieth century when we could fill out and send in forms.

It is incomprehensible that the TSP
is not keeping participants up to date on the status of these problems. I can’t think of any logical reason for this lack of communication.

 

[retired34]

Agreed. I'm not sure how TSP is getting away with this from a regulatory standpoint other than it gets going to get a lot more leeway and free passes just because its the government. If this was a private company treating account holders like this they would get raked over the coals.

 

[Rcf3]

Agreed. I'm not sure how TSP is getting away with this from a regulatory standpoint other than it gets going to get a lot more leeway and free passes just because its the government. If this was a private company treating account holders like this they would get raked over the coals.

I think we have to face the real possibility that they have no idea how to make this thing work. If they knew how to fix the website’s glitches they would be putting out information regarding when they expect everything to come on line. Instead we are getting crickets and even the TSP line reps have no information. That, as they say may be a clue.

 

[Mitchhyman]

I just check and partial and full withdrawal options are once again present on the website after a one week absence. Still no installment payment option and I never received a notice that my phone line cancellation of installment payments went through. Also no explanation or apology from the TSP on the withdrawal option problems.

Also after signing out I received a text and an email that my email address was changed, even though I only logged in to check my account and did not change my email. I assume that was a mistake on the part of the TSP but obviously the website is still a mess.

 

[Rcf3]

Agreed. I'm not sure how TSP is getting away with this from a regulatory standpoint other than it gets going to get a lot more leeway and free passes just because its the government. If this was a private company treating account holders like this they would get raked over the coals.

Week 7, the new website is still a wreck, the TSP line hold time is 117 minutes as of 1:30pm eastern time. No announcements from the TSP Board. This thing is off the rails.

 

[Scout333]

Got an interesting email today regarding reversing withholding adjustments on last month's installment payments (June 15). Amounts changed without our permission are being reversed back to the amounts we originally selected. They hope to have corrections made by this month's installation (July 15) but made not happen based on projections made so far.

 

[Rcf3]

Got an interesting email today regarding reversing withholding adjustments on last month's installment payments (June 15). Amounts changed without our permission are being reversed back to the amounts we originally selected. They hope to have corrections made by this month's installation (July 15) but made not happen based on projections made so far.

They are herding cats at this point. There seems to be no one holding them accountable for royally screwing this up.

 

[Mitchhyman]

I just received a monthly Installment payment even though I called to cancel two weeks ago and was assured my installments would be cancelled. This system is obviously broken.

 

[Rcf3]

I just received a monthly Installment payment even though I called to cancel two weeks ago and was assured my installments would be cancelled. This system is obviously broken.

While I agree the TSP system is totally broken, to be fair changes in installment payments can take at least one pay period to kick in. My wife has a non-TSP 401k and any changes in payment amounts take anywhere from 30 to 45 days to become effective. What concerns me is that apparently the entire transaction is not documented anywhere at present. It is a verbal request over the phone. Did they provide you with a letter of confirmation regarding your request? When I called to inquire about this they told me I would have to call back to determine if the request had been processed. That is total BS.

 

[Mitchhyman]

While I agree the TSP system is totally broken, to be fair changes in installment payments can take at least one pay period to kick in. My wife has a non-TSP 401k and any changes in payment amounts take anywhere from 30 to 45 days to become effective. What concerns me is that apparently the entire transaction is not documented anywhere at present. It is a verbal request over the phone. Did they provide you with a letter of confirmation regarding your request? When I called to inquire about this they told me I would have to call back to determine if the request had been processed. That is total BS.

I never received any confirmation of my installment payment cancellation request or whether and when it will be effective. When I called again I was told that no confirmation will be provided and the rep could not provide me any information. So I am totally in the dark and have to call a third time to get more information or to submit a new request. This is terrible customer service.

 

[Rcf3]

I never received any confirmation of my installment payment cancellation request or whether and when it will be effective. When I called again I was told that no confirmation will be provided and the rep could not provide me any information. So I am totally in the dark and have to call a third time to get more information or to submit a new request. This is terrible customer service.

It seems that every call in experience is different and that some of the TSP line reps are making stuff up as they go along. Here is what I was told exactly:

Withdrawals will note the phone request and pass it on to Operations for execution. No documentation will be generated externally and an internal record will be created until the system is fixed. The only way for me to confirm the request is to call in and inquire, or to wait until the payment changes.

Given the above I chose not to go through with the change. Based on your experience what I was told is not exactly true, or things are changing daily and what I was told is no longer the practice. This is like banking in some third world country!

 

[Geaux4it]

I thought it was just me. This website is completely unacceptable. I want to see the Project Charter, Requirements, Spec Docs, acceptance testing on and on. Way to many hidden menus with no clear explanations. The transfer funds tool is horrible. Having to wait hour plus to conduct basic account functions is UNSAT.

 

[TSATSO]

Related to Post 166 by Scout333.

I just had a small but encouraging surprise from TSP. Yesterday (7-16) I got a email notice from TSP acknowledging that they screwed up my monthly installment payment for June by withholding federal tax. I have never had federal tax withheld from my monthly payments and certainly did not ask them to withhold tax. But they did it anyway... So the email notice said "Sorry about that, we'll correct our mistake by giving you back the funds we took out". And sure enough, this morning (7-17) I checked my bank account and there is a deposit from TSP for the money they took out last month without permission. I have not yet received my July monthly payment, but fingers crossed it will be for the correct amount.

Since I did not bitch to anyone (in writing or on the phone) about the "mistake" last month, it seems they discovered their error all on their own, and elected to fix it. Perhaps there is hope that someday the system will work as advertised?

 

[Geaux4it]

Completed a partial withdrawal online. System says I have until tomorrow to complete application. Yet neither my wife or me have received the emails they were suppose to send requiring our action. Someone needs held accountable for this gross negligence

 

[Rcf3]

Related to Post 166 by Scout333.

I just had a small but encouraging surprise from TSP. Yesterday (7-16) I got a email notice from TSP acknowledging that they screwed up my monthly installment payment for June by withholding federal tax. I have never had federal tax withheld from my monthly payments and certainly did not ask them to withhold tax. But they did it anyway... So the email notice said "Sorry about that, we'll correct our mistake by giving you back the funds we took out". And sure enough, this morning (7-17) I checked my bank account and there is a deposit from TSP for the money they took out last month without permission. I have not yet received my July monthly payment, but fingers crossed it will be for the correct amount.

Since I did not bitch to anyone (in writing or on the phone) about the "mistake" last month, it seems they discovered their error all on their own, and elected to fix it. Perhaps there is hope that someday the system will work as advertised?

Well, the good news is that you can go to “payment history” on the website and see the June and July installment payments with the amount of federal tax withheld. The bad news is that there still is no online path to change, start, or stop the installment payments and withholding amount. There are tabs for every other type of withdrawal, and depending on who you ask they work or they don’t, but TSP can’t seem to figure out how to make the installment payment function work.

I think it has all been said in terms of what a colossal failure this new website has been. Unfortunately, as we all know no one will be held accountable. TSP will offer platitudes about best intentions and bumpy rides, and they will tell us how sorry they are for the inconvenience. In the end they will all keep their jobs and this will all be forgotten in a few months despite the fact that they are a bunch of feckless boobs that caused hundreds of thousands of participants untold frustration or worse due to their inept management.

 

[blindspeed]

I sit on the phone for 2 hours a couple of weeks ago and had my installment plan terminated (NO CONFIRMATION #'s OR EMAILS). A couple of days later a installment plan button showed up on my withdrawal page (at the very bottom) and 15 July passed and nothing was deducted from my account. If you do not currently have an installment plan, then you should see at the bottom of your withdrawal page a button to start one. Once, an installment plan is started, you will no longer have an installment plan button on your withdrawal page, plus you will have to call the Thrift helpline to make any changes. All by plan to stop folks from changing allotment parameters willy nilly. Also retirees should make sure their personal data has them listed as "separated" employees, could be why some retirees have reported not seeing any withdraw optionson their withdrawal page

 

[Rcf3]

I sit on the phone for 2 hours a couple of weeks ago and had my installment plan terminated (NO CONFIRMATION #'s OR EMAILS). A couple of days later a installment plan button showed up on my withdrawal page (at the very bottom) and 15 July passed and nothing was deducted from my account. If you do not currently have an installment plan, then you should see at the bottom of your withdrawal page a button to start one. Once, an installment plan is started, you will no longer have an installment plan button on your withdrawal page, plus you will have to call the Thrift helpline to make any changes. All by plan to stop folks from changing allotment parameters willy nilly. Also retirees should make sure their personal data has them listed as "separated" employees, could be why some retirees have reported not seeing any withdraw optionson their withdrawal page

So let me get this straight, a while back TSP made a big deal about changing the rules so that retirees with installment payments already set up could stop, or change the payments at anytime rather than just once a year. Now you are telling us that they rolled out a new website and purposefully made it more difficult to make these changes by not including the capability online? I can’t believe this is accurate. Not even the government would be so stupid. Where did you get this information?

By the way, what about adjusting the withholding on installment payments? Even OPM has a simple online tool for that on their website. Why wouldn’t TSP allow installment payment recipients that online capability? Some is fugazi here.

 

[blindspeed]

Those 2019 changes were not something the TSP Board did willingly. Retirees were voting with their feet because of TSP strict withdrawal rules which in turn forced TSP to make the changes. It's a business, unlike OPM, if they make a change it has to do with the bottom line. As far as setting up installments on line then calling the thrift helpline to make changes....it was laid out in a TSP pamphlet (Distributions, Installments,Total and Partial Distributions,Life Annuities) dated May 2022 and can be found on the website. I have seen numerous articles talking about problems with the new website, but have yet to see anything official talking about installment plans being broke and TSP working diligently to fix them. The statements I have made are my opinion based on what I have seen, read, and heard.

see distribution pamphlet
[URL]https://www.tsp.gov/living-in-retirement/distribution-options/ [/URL]

 

[Rcf3]

Those 2019 changes were not something the TSP Board did willingly. Retirees were voting with their feet because of TSP strict withdrawal rules which in turn forced TSP to make the changes. It's a business, unlike OPM, if they make a change it has to do with the bottom line. As far as setting up installments on line then calling the thrift helpline to make changes....it was laid out in a TSP pamphlet (Distributions, Installments,Total and Partial Distributions,Life Annuities) dated May 2022 and can be found on the website. I have seen numerous articles talking about problems with the new website, but have yet to see anything official talking about installment plans being broke and TSP working diligently to fix them. The statements I have made are my opinion based on what I have seen, read, and heard.

see distribution pamphlet
https://www.tsp.gov/living-in-retirement/distribution-options/

The last time I heard the TSP is there to serve us, not the other way around. Making changes to monthly installment payments is standard throughout the industry and I could give a rat’s behind if too many participants making frequent changes makes the TSP work a little harder. If someone actually decided to set up the new website in a manner that does not allow participants to make changes to their installment payments online they should be summarily dismissed. Additionally, if this was done in a purposeful manner the least those morons at the TSP could have done is made sure that the system worked seamlessly when the change took place. As it stands, the TSP line representatives are mostly clueless about what to do, and participants are being forced to make telephonic changes with no documentation, and no idea when and if the change will take place. This kind of dereliction deserves swift action to rid the TSP of personnel who allowed this to happen, or God forbid thought it would be a good idea.

 

[Cobra]

Those 2019 changes were not something the TSP Board did willingly. Retirees were voting with their feet because of TSP strict withdrawal rules which in turn forced TSP to make the changes. It's a business, unlike OPM, if they make a change it has to do with the bottom line. As far as setting up installments on line then calling the thrift helpline to make changes....it was laid out in a TSP pamphlet (Distributions, Installments,Total and Partial Distributions,Life Annuities) dated May 2022 and can be found on the website. I have seen numerous articles talking about problems with the new website, but have yet to see anything official talking about installment plans being broke and TSP working diligently to fix them. The statements I have made are my opinion based on what I have seen, read, and heard.

see distribution pamphlet
https://www.tsp.gov/living-in-retirement/distribution-options/

I don't see anything that states I must call to make a change to my monthly installment. if you can tell me the page I would appreciate it.
Also, on Page 4 of the booklet it states: After your installments are set up, you can make changes to them at any time by using one of theThriftLine options listed at the beginning of this booklet. all I see is contact information which we all know sucks.
This seems like a make step backwards as once you sent in your notorized documents in the old site you didn't have to call anyone