TSP Has a Lazy August

Most of the funds in Thrift Savings Plan ended August in the black, but the offerings overall put on a lackluster performance.

The Thrift Savings Plan’s S Fund, invested in small and mid-sized companies, had the highest growth in August, gaining 0.8 percent. It was up 9.13 percent for the year to date.

August returns for the other funds were even more modest. The common stocks in the C Fund earned 0.14 percent last month and had the second highest gains for 2016, at 7.85 percent.

The international (I) fund increased a slight 0.08 percent last month, while the government securities (G) fund held steady at 0.13 percent. Fixed income bonds in the F Fund fell 0.11 percent, the only fund in the red in August.

For the year-to-date, the I Fund has increased 1.54 percent; the G Fund, 1.19 percent; and the F Fund, 6.05 percent.

The retirement plan’s lifecycle (L) funds, a mix of TSP’s five basic investment options that grows more conservative as participants near retirement, also all came out ahead for August.

The L Income fund, for people who have already started withdrawing money, grew 0.13 percent for the month. L 2020 was up 0.16 percent; L 2030, 0.18 percent; L 2040, 0.20 percent; L 2050, 0.21 percent.

TSP’s lifecycle options were also in the black for the year to date, with L income up 2.61 percent; L 2020, 3.84 percent; L 2030, 4.83 percent; L 2040, 5.33 percent; and L 2050, 5.70 percent.