TSP board to limit interfund transfers

"For example, Ray said on Oct. 19, about 2,000 participants moved $295 million into the I Fund’s international stocks. Those 2,000 participants then shifted their money out of the I Fund five days later. Most of the daily trading involves the I Fund, Ray said."

Nnutt,
Is Barclay's really doing the trades at the end of day? For any of the funds? Seems if we watch the charts at the bottom of our home page the volume spikes often occur around 2 or so. Could Barclays be making more $ on us than they let on? Just wondering??
 
"For example, Ray said on Oct. 19, about 2,000 participants moved $295 million into the I Fund’s international stocks. Those 2,000 participants then shifted their money out of the I Fund five days later. Most of the daily trading involves the I Fund, Ray said."

Nnutt,
Is Barclay's really doing the trades at the end of day? For any of the funds? Seems if we watch the charts at the bottom of our home page the volume spikes often occur around 2 or so. Could Barclays be making more $ on us than they let on? Just wondering??

Also, how do they know it's the same 2,000 (or was it 3,000?) people shifted their funds five days later. Are they monitoring the participants by name or SS# without their knowledge? Is that legal?
 
Also, how do they know it's the same 2,000 (or was it 3,000?) people shifted their funds five days later. Are they monitoring the participants by name or SS# without their knowledge? Is that legal?


Yes. They are the government. And they are here to protect you against yourself.


I remember when the Americans were the good guys, didn't ever start wars, protected individual privacy rights, and stood up for freedom against governments who monitored what their citizens were doing.

Do you remember?
 
Why can't they just limit transfers for the I fund???

There is a much easier, simpler solution. They just haven't thought of it yet.

The problem is basically this: They take orders until noon. BY 2:30 each day, they know how many shares they must buy or sell. Period. For the C fund, the G fund, and the F fund, no problem. Barclays recevies the order and then goes out on the open market, and buys or sells what they need to cover the orders in the last hour or so of trading. The only thing they CAN'T do is buy and sell shares in markets that are not open. (I fund).

Then the markets in North America close at 4:00 pm. Barclays estimates what they THINK the shares will cost in overseas markets overnight, and quotes a price back to the TSP people about the expected price. (the old FV thingy).

Problem one: Then TSP publishes the share exchange prices at around 7 p.m.

and then the computer updates all the prices and share values overnight, actually in about a one hour period, ending around 6 a.m., when it is double checked, the computers are backed up again, and then the new data is available to shareholders first thing the next morning, usually by 7 a.m. Joe snuffy can sit down around 8.am. eastern time, and see what his account is worth. Now, remember that it USED to take all night for the slow computers to run the updates through a million accounts. It now takes less than an hour.

Why does TSP publish the share prices at 7 pm.?

Because they've always done it that way. Since back when they only had the "C" fund as the only option, TSP has run the thrift line (before computers) and had the prices of C, G and F set by 7 p.m. each night.

Now, Japan opens about 7 pm. eastern time. And then by midnight, all of Asia, the middle east, and Austrailia has begun trading. Around 5 a.m. eastern time the first European markets open up, and trades begin. London is well underway at 6 a.m. By 6 a.m. Barclays knows full well what the share price needs to be, and whether or not the FV forecasted the day before was correct, or way off.

the solution is simple.

Don't set the price of the "I" fund until 6.a.m. the next morning. By delaying the publication of the price by just 11 hours, they eliminate the need to use "fair value estimates". they STILL have time to enter the correct prices, and run the hour long update. And then Joe Snuffy can STILL see what his account is worth when he logs in at 8 A.M. Or, should there be a short delay for some reason, he can still see it well before the noon cutoff time.

This is the solution we need to push. Just don't publish an "I" fund price until 6 or 7 a.m. the next morning, and you eliminate that $25 million cost that the TSP Board is talking about.

But that would mean changing their thinking. Make them think OUTSIDE the norm of "but that is the way we have always done it".

And THAT is the thing we have to overcome.
 
Andrew Saul is the Chairman of the TSP board.

He is also the on the board of Cache inc. Cache has lost 41% YTD and had a slight dead cat bounce the day after Thanksgiving, the stock shows a definite head and shoulders last December, January. This is a good time to disinvest holdings in this company due to an apparent credit bubble burst and market conditions not conducive to businesses dependent on discretionary consumer spending.

.:D:mad: Seasons Greetings.
http://finance.google.com/finance?client=news&q=cache


Frankly, that looks like a "pump and dump" stock (ala PALM) that I try NOT to own. I consider myself more of a value investor, and try to buy good stocks that are out of favor. I'm buying PFE right now. The spectre of HilllaryCare is killing big Pharma right now. Alas, we can't trade individual stocks in our plan, unlike the Chrysler Plan.
 
Dear TSP Board:


Here is a way to eliminate the $25 million cost you cite in your desire to protect us from ourselves.

Just price the "I" fund and 7 a.m. (the followign day) instead of 7 p.m. the day of trading.

A 12 hour delay in annoucing the price will have absolutely no adverse affect on account holders, will save $25 million or more the first year, and protects the right of the individual to move his assets as he/she sees best for their own situation.

Sincerely,

A concerned TSP holder.
 
"For example, Ray said on Oct. 19, about 2,000 participants moved $295 million into the I Fund’s international stocks. Those 2,000 participants then shifted their money out of the I Fund five days later. Most of the daily trading involves the I Fund, Ray said."

Nnutt,
Is Barclay's really doing the trades at the end of day? For any of the funds? Seems if we watch the charts at the bottom of our home page the volume spikes often occur around 2 or so. Could Barclays be making more $ on us than they let on? Just wondering??

I think they estimate the FV for the "I" fund, it is reflected in your TSP account about 19:30. The problem evidently is miscalculations and WE are charged for the mistakes. I think this has NOTHING to do with the Members they need to correct the system, not punish US for an inadequate system.
The individual "I" fund members are charging more for the transfers Like, Nikkei 300 etc.
Hey, I'm no expert on the workings of the FV and the "I" fund, just the way I see it!
 
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no wonder he dropped out of the race for public office

Well it appears he was having professional relations with commercial entities as AN MTA board member while also accepting money from them as a candidate. I am curious what dirty money his financial investment Company has on the books. They work with a lot of companies. TSP works with a lot of companies. It is very likely his company has financial affairs with companies TSP has affairs with. There is very positive possibility of a conflict of interest.

Having performed more than my fair share of farm labor I can say with some authority, it is best to start the harvest with the low hanging fruit.
 
Some old news:
Who Among Us Helps the GOP?
The following New Yorkers were the top donors to the Republican Party in 2003–2004, based on contributions to GOP candidates, party committees, and leadership PACs.
$292,602

Thomas A. and Mary Saunders III
Founding partner of the investment firm Saunders Karp & Megrue.
$270,817
George B. and Calvert Moore
George is a founding partner of the law firm Johnson Johnson Moore. Calvert, his wife, is the daughter of Thomas Saunders.
$235,520
Richard and Gail Siegal
Richard is the CEO of the Bistate Oil Company.
$210,046
Thomas E. and Paula McInerney
McInerney is the general partner at Welsh Carson Anderson and Stowe, and an early contributor to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist.
$192,172
Bippy and Jacqueline Siegal
Bippy is the CEO of the venture-capital firm Raycliff Capital, currently backing mini-DVDs that attach to fast-food beverage-cup lids.
$181,200
Andrew and Denise Saul
The president of Saul Partners, an investment firm, is also a trustee for the Manhattan Institute.

$163,500
Peter and Mary Kalikow
Peter, a real-estate developer and former owner of the New York Post, is chairman of the MTA.
$159,054
Marvin and Donna Schwartz
Schwartz, the managing director of Neuberger Berman, is a big donor to the Central Park Conservancy, including $2 million to restore the wrought-iron fencing around the reservoir.
$158,535
Stephen Schwarzman
A founder of the Blackstone Group, he once held the record for buying the most expensive Manhattan apartment: $38 million in 2000.
$157,411
Leonard and Emily Blavatnik
A Russian oil magnate who is worth $2 billion and has still managed to be rejected by two Manhattan co-op boards.
Source: Center for Responsive Politics; additional reporting by Eric Wolff
 
I think there is one thing we have to remember and that is:

"the Thrift Savings Plan - the equivalent of a 401(k) plan for members of Congress and other government employees - is one of the best retirement plans around."
Source: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/moneymag_archive/2006/12/01/8395180/index.htm

I think we need to remind Congress that if we get hurt in our TSP, they get hurt too. Personally, IMHO, I think this is one of the reasons this was quietly shoved out while Congress was in recess. It was hoped that this would be too far gone in the implementation phase by the time they got wind of it.
 
Well it appears he was having professional relations with commercial entities as AN MTA board member while also accepting money from them as a candidate. I am curious what dirty money his financial investment Company has on the books. They work with a lot of companies. TSP works with a lot of companies. It is very likely his company has financial affairs with companies TSP has affairs with. There is very positive possibility of a conflict of interest.

Having performed more than my fair share of farm labor I can say with some authority, it is best to start the harvest with the low hanging fruit.

M.T.A. Executive Gets Political Donation From Bidders on Railyards

By WILLIAM NEUMAN
Published: November 17, 2007
A vice chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority who is running for Congress in New York’s northern suburbs has taken political donations from two developers bidding for the right to build a mammoth residential and commercial complex over the authority’s West Side railyards, according to federal election filings.

Hmmm, withdraws Nov 20th?
 
gwert:

Here is another thread that this WSJ article would probably more properly be categorized into.

http://www.tsptalk.com/mb/showpost.php?p=134061&postcount=1

Can you move it there?

This thread is for TSP NEWS- Board to limit IFT's, and I think I'd like to try and keep that theme going here- we can't move our money out until retirement.

thanks in advance for your consideration.

That's fine, but not my point. I'm trying to look at the bigger picture. Why is everyone so concerned with a few federal "daytraders?" Because 2-3000 feds subscribe to services that promote pension maximization? If you look at the date of this article, it is 2004. It's taken them a few years, but they've finally come after our "401K." ML, Citicorp, BA are writing off trillions. Can anybody say "Resolution Trust Corp.?" Here's a freebie for all you traders: Get to the G fund ASAP!
 
Frankly, that looks like a "pump and dump" stock (ala PALM) that I try NOT to own. I consider myself more of a value investor, and try to buy good stocks that are out of favor. I'm buying PFE right now. The spectre of HilllaryCare is killing big Pharma right now. Alas, we can't trade individual stocks in our plan, unlike the Chrysler Plan.

You are cracking me up. "Pump and dump" The only pump and dump we have around here is the septic system servicing people. Thought we had an issue this week but it turned out to be a water softening issue.

That Cache(NYSE:cach) INC thing Saul owns kinda reeks a bit, looks like a pump and dump Company.
 
M.T.A. Executive Gets Political Donation From Bidders on Railyards

By WILLIAM NEUMAN
Published: November 17, 2007
A vice chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority who is running for Congress in New York’s northern suburbs has taken political donations from two developers bidding for the right to build a mammoth residential and commercial complex over the authority’s West Side railyards, according to federal election filings.

Hmmm, withdraws Nov 20th?

This strikes me that Saul is way to busy to be the mastermind of the TSP lockdown. I'm guessing he's more of a patsy, and that he's just rubberstamped this deal for somebody else. Heck, read his resume of his Thrift Board service, it's so inflated Al Sharpton could destroy him in a debate. Nope, there's something bigger going on here. I'm looking to a Barclays, ML, Citicorp, Goldman cabal.
 
On March 19, Chairman Andrew M. Saul announced the selection of Gregory T. Long as Executive Director of the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board. The Board members had convened yesterday for their monthly meeting. The Executive Director of the Board serves as the Chief Executive Officer and managing fiduciary of the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) for Federal employees. For the past year, Long has been the Director of Product Development for the TSP, serving as the Agency’s chief research officer and principal advisor for all product development and related policy matters. Before joining the TSP, Long spent seven years with CitiStreet where he served as Director of Marketing for the American Bar Association Retirement Funds.
 
Advice-

Disregard Saul. He's got his own problems right now.

Griffin and I are going to work on a fact-sheet- straight and simple, under two pages, outlining what the FV problem is, and how TSP Boards solution could make the matter worse, and how our solution (just change the time of day the I fund value is announced) can save the $25 million without having to restrict trades. The whole problem is the use of FV rather than actual value, and can be solved simply by moving the time the price is annouced from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. the next morning. If they do that, they still have enough time to update all accounts, and it eliminates the possibility of a bad FV guess and a charge. No bad guesses, no charges. Simple. Clean. Easy.

Then we can post the fact sheet here, and start having conversations around it. We're going to work on it tomorrow. When we have consesus over what it will say, then we can start talking about how we are going to strategically get it into the hands of the right people.

Remember these words:

"This is the lesson: never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy." Sir Winston Churchill, address to Harrow School, 29 October, 1941


Gotta go.

Good night.
 
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