Finally whole again!!

[f6gal]

So, the at risk portion of my retirement investment hit an all time high on Feb 12, 2020.  Soon after, I lost 27.75% and it bottomed out on Mar 23, 2020.  Today, I'm happy to say I'm 100% recovered to the Feb 12 level... wooohooo.  Happy early birthday to me!  Maybe I should celebrate and buy another Valkyrie!!  (See, Valkyrie related!).

[carolinarider09]

 

[Serk]

I make a habit of NOT looking at my 401k.... Just did..... Niiiiiiiiiice!

Hope it lasts!

Even my crypto holdings are doing well!

[Psychotic Bovine]

Just checked on mine.  Percolating along nicely again!

[f6gal]

Hope it lasts!

Fear of what may come is what keeps me going to work.  
Retirement is calling hard.

Oh, and happy early birthday to you, as well!   

[Serk]

Hope it lasts!

Fear of what may come is what keeps me going to work.  
Retirement is calling hard.

But you're more...... senior.... than I am....

I've got the better part of 20 years left until I can even think about that.....

[f6gal]

Just checked on mine.  Percolating along nicely again!

And happy early birthday to you, as well! 

Is this a Sagittarius thread?

[Serk]

Just checked on mine.  Percolating along nicely again!

And happy early birthday to you, as well! 

Is this a Sagittarius thread?

It is now! Another December escape from the womb day veteran reporting in!

[f6gal]

Just checked on mine.  Percolating along nicely again!

And happy early birthday to you, as well!  

Is this a Sagittarius thread?

It is now! Another December escape from the womb day veteran reporting in!

I knew that, I had edited my post, but you missed it.  Sorry!  As I said, happy early birthday to you as well.

[Patrick]

This is a thread just for Sagittarius ? OK, then I'll respond too.

Yep, I like seeing the DOW climb. Can't wait to open the next report.

[DDT (12)]

Connie,

I'm not a Sagittarius, so I hope I'm not crashing the party... Congrats on your 'wholeness'! Regrettably I'm still 'hole' a bit... again... Oh well, I'm so lucky in other ways, though, I truly have no real complaints... Hope you and Mike are doing well and retirement finds you soon enough!

DDT

[0leman]

Sounds great that your retirement is whole again.

I worked for 40 plus years for Fed Gov.   I do have civil service retirement so don't have to  to rely on the other means for my living.   Though do have what what Fed Gov called "Thrift Savings" plan.   Sort of 401 type saving system for Fed workers.  When I retired some 12 years ago had around $30k in the account now after removing some every year have over $60K.  Kind of nice just going back into it to see it has increased with having remove X$$ a year (one of those IRS things have to do after 70 + years). 

[f6gal]

This is a thread just for Sagittarius ? OK, then I'll respond too.

Yep, I like seeing the DOW climb. Can't wait to open the next report.

Happy belated birthday!!  Hope you had a great day! 

[f6gal]

Connie,

I'm not a Sagittarius, so I hope I'm not crashing the party... Congrats on your 'wholeness'! Regrettably I'm still 'hole' a bit... again... Oh well, I'm so lucky in other ways, though, I truly have no real complaints... Hope you and Mike are doing well and retirement finds you soon enough!

DDT

Ah, you have been living the life!   I wish I had the guts to just walk away and do what you do.
I would probably still be in the hole a bit, but I made some precautionary moves when the downward spiral began.

[f6gal]

Sounds great that your retirement is whole again.

I worked for 40 plus years for Fed Gov.   I do have civil service retirement so don't have to  to rely on the other means for my living.   Though do have what what Fed Gov called "Thrift Savings" plan.   Sort of 401 type saving system for Fed workers.  When I retired some 12 years ago had around $30k in the account now after removing some every year have over $60K.  Kind of nice just going back into it to see it has increased with having remove X$$ a year (one of those IRS things have to do after 70 + years).  

I worked for Fed for 23 years; in 2011, I took an early out during a RIF.  Unfortunately, I'm in FERS, not CSRS.  So, it's not enough $$ to retire.  At least I kept my awesome medical insurance (even though I pay for it, not them).  I maxed out my TSP contributions every year while I was working there.  They had higher matching for FERS employees than CSRS (some compensation for the crappier retirement). I always had my TSP in the highest risk categories (it did very well).  When I rolled out of TSP 4 years ago, I had $480,000 in it.  

[Jess from VA]

I was also FERS (with rolled in, paid up active duty time) and not CSRS (so we paid into SS, and get SS retirement money) (but when you looked at what those CSRS retirement checks were, it was well worth it to lose SS, and not have to pay in either)

FERS is great while you are working, but their post-retirement rules are very restrictive in allowing what you can do with your own money, and the G could always change up FERS rules in more draconian ways at any time, so like you I rolled my FERS into my Traditional IRA (as soon as I retired) (or wherever you rolled it).  I trust Fidelity and and Wells Fargo more than the Fed, any day of the week.  

Just another for-instance, if the Fed wants all your FERS info, they can have it for the asking.  If the Fed wants all your private IRA information, they have to get a search warrant authorized by a judge.

You beat me on my FERS high balance, but not by much (but I kept my IRAs going the whole time, switching to Roth when I got no more deductions from income).

I used a large chunk of my FERS to pay off my house (and big taxes on the chunk), but since then, it just sits there  (but NOT in the market). 

[Patrick]

This is a thread just for Sagittarius ? OK, then I'll respond too.

Yep, I like seeing the DOW climb. Can't wait to open the next report.

Happy belated birthday!!  Hope you had a great day! 

Thank You !  It was a good day.  It was a cold nasty day so I made some chili and a couple Key Lime pies and some friends came over. We'll celebrate again this weekend when we hang around outside, I'll fry a turkey and make a couple more pies. Having 2 birthday parties is a good thing.

[f6gal]

I was also FERS (with rolled in, paid up active duty time) and not CSRS (so we paid into SS, and get SS retirement money) (but when you looked at what those CSRS retirement checks were, it was well worth it to lose SS, and not have to pay in either)

FERS is great while you are working, but their post-retirement rules are very restrictive in allowing what you can do with your own money, and the G could always change up FERS rules in more draconian ways at any time, so like you I rolled my FERS into my Traditional IRA (as soon as I retired) (or wherever you rolled it).  I trust Fidelity and and Wells Fargo more than the Fed, any day of the week.  

Just another for-instance, if the Fed wants all your FERS info, they can have it for the asking.  If the Fed wants all your private IRA information, they have to get a search warrant authorized by a judge.

You beat me on my FERS high balance, but not by much (but I kept my IRAs going the whole time, switching to Roth when I got no more deductions from income).

I used a large chunk of my FERS to pay off my house (and big taxes on the chunk), but since then, it just sits there  (but NOT in the market). 

I think you meant TSP for the savings part of your post.  Although I was no longer making TSP contributions after I left, I didn't roll out immediately.  I waited, 'cuz I thought I would I get hit with the 10% early withdrawal penalty (under 59 1/2).  But, since I rolled into other retirement funds, it wouldn't have mattered.  Oh well, it made quite a bit of money during that 6 year delay, so it wound up being a good thing.  

[f6gal]

This is a thread just for Sagittarius ? OK, then I'll respond too.

Yep, I like seeing the DOW climb. Can't wait to open the next report.

Happy belated birthday!!  Hope you had a great day! 

Thank You !  It was a good day.  It was a cold nasty day so I made some chili and a couple Key Lime pies and some friends came over. We'll celebrate again this weekend when we hang around outside, I'll fry a turkey and make a couple more pies. Having 2 birthday parties is a good thing.

Ha!  My b-day is this weekend.  I'll be right over.  But can you make pecan or banana cream pie?  LOL. 

[f6gal]

I was also FERS (with rolled in, paid up active duty time) and not CSRS (so we paid into SS, and get SS retirement money) (but when you looked at what those CSRS retirement checks were, it was well worth it to lose SS, and not have to pay in either)

FERS is great while you are working, but their post-retirement rules are very restrictive in allowing what you can do with your own money, and the G could always change up FERS rules in more draconian ways at any time, so like you I rolled my FERS into my Traditional IRA (as soon as I retired) (or wherever you rolled it).  I trust Fidelity and and Wells Fargo more than the Fed, any day of the week.  

Just another for-instance, if the Fed wants all your FERS info, they can have it for the asking.  If the Fed wants all your private IRA information, they have to get a search warrant authorized by a judge.

You beat me on my FERS high balance, but not by much (but I kept my IRAs going the whole time, switching to Roth when I got no more deductions from income).

I used a large chunk of my FERS to pay off my house (and big taxes on the chunk), but since then, it just sits there  (but NOT in the market).  

P.S.  They converted from CSRS to FERS in 1987.  At the time, they offered to let any CSRS employees transfer into FERS... guess how many took that deal?  Haha!  I didn't start with them until 1988 and, yes, we did pay into SS and FERS.

[Jess from VA]

I was also FERS (with rolled in, paid up active duty time) and not CSRS (so we paid into SS, and get SS retirement money) (but when you looked at what those CSRS retirement checks were, it was well worth it to lose SS, and not have to pay in either)

FERS is great while you are working, but their post-retirement rules are very restrictive in allowing what you can do with your own money, and the G could always change up FERS rules in more draconian ways at any time, so like you I rolled my FERS into my Traditional IRA (as soon as I retired) (or wherever you rolled it).  I trust Fidelity and and Wells Fargo more than the Fed, any day of the week.  

Just another for-instance, if the Fed wants all your FERS info, they can have it for the asking.  If the Fed wants all your private IRA information, they have to get a search warrant authorized by a judge.

You beat me on my FERS high balance, but not by much (but I kept my IRAs going the whole time, switching to Roth when I got no more deductions from income).

I used a large chunk of my FERS to pay off my house (and big taxes on the chunk), but since then, it just sits there  (but NOT in the market).  

I think you meant TSP for the savings part of your post.  Although I was no longer making TSP contributions after I left, I didn't roll out immediately.  I waited, 'cuz I thought I would I get hit with the 10% early withdrawal penalty (under 59 1/2).  But, since I rolled into other retirement funds, it wouldn't have mattered.  Oh well, it made quite a bit of money during that 6 year delay, so it wound up being a good thing.  

Yeah, I was talking about TSP.  Well, TSP lets you take only a one time withdrawal from you account for any reason (loans excluded).  After that one withdrawal, you are only allowed to set up a traditional annual annuity lifetime payout.  So after I used my one time withdrawal to pay the home off (and the better part of 30K in taxes), I was not allowed to take out another dime, unless it was pursuant to a lifetime annuity setup.

Well they could KMA on that; I was still contemplating selling my house and moving.  I did not intend to ever do another mortgage, so it was possible I might need another large chunk of cash, depending on timing (though I would get paid back when my home sold).

While I understand the G's interest in trying to limit federal retirees from blowing their life savings instead of spreading it out for a lifetime retirement (and thus not ending up on the G public assistance gravy train), it was MY money and my decision.  And then I read up on all the relative risks and protections of TSP vs private 401K or traditional IRA.  So I rolled over right after the home payoff.  Any qualified rollover (like to your existing Traditional IRA; both being pretax dollars), is penalty free.

The TSP has limited investment options, but does manage to outperform the market nearly every year, and of course the private sector has unlimited investment options.  But that wasn't why I rolled out of TSP.

My days of risking anything in the market ended when I retired.  I've lost a pile of likely earnings in that 10 years, but my principle was enough for my lifetime, and the days of checking my seesawing portfolio daily with the associated worry and stress over it was worth it to me.  Losing nearly 35-40% of my life savings in 2008 (on paper, if you don't sell, you don't lose anything) (just before my retirement) had a lot to do with that attitude.  And still does.  I trust the market about as much as I trust the G.

And I'm sure you know, the closer you get to retirement, the more conservative your market choices should be.     

[f6gal]

My days of risking anything in the market ended when I retired.  I've lost a pile of likely earnings in that 10 years, but my principle was enough for my lifetime, and the days of checking my seesawing portfolio daily with the associated worry and stress over it was worth it to me.  Losing nearly 35-40% of my life savings in 2008 (on paper, if you don't sell, you don't lose anything) (just before my retirement) had a lot to do with that attitude.  And still does.  I trust the market about as much as I trust the G.

And I'm sure you know, the closer you get to retirement, the more conservative your market choices should be.      

After the 2008 "crash," I took the opposite strategy, since I was still working.  My attitude was that the market was "on sale."  I threw every dollar I could into my TSP, including maxing out my catch-up contributions (conveniently, I had turned 50).  My paychecks were really skinny those last 3 years, but it paid off big time.  I had almost all of it in the S fund, some in the I fund.  

When I rolled out of TSP in Feb 2017, 2/3 went into relatively no risk products; the other 1/3 in the market.  I left some money on the table with that strategy, but at 59, I needed some security.  I probably need to re-adjust my portfolio, since the at risk 1/3 has far outperformed the other 2/3, I'm out of whack on the risk/non-risk percentages.  I'm a bit of a gambler, so it's kind of hard for me to move into safe harbors.  LOL.

[Patrick]

This is a thread just for Sagittarius ? OK, then I'll respond too.

Yep, I like seeing the DOW climb. Can't wait to open the next report.

Happy belated birthday!!  Hope you had a great day! 

Thank You !  It was a good day.  It was a cold nasty day so I made some chili and a couple Key Lime pies and some friends came over. We'll celebrate again this weekend when we hang around outside, I'll fry a turkey and make a couple more pies. Having 2 birthday parties is a good thing.

Ha!  My b-day is this weekend.  I'll be right over.  But can you make pecan or banana cream pie?  LOL. 

Pecan pie just isn't in my recipe book, never acquired the taste for it. But, banana cream is. Its one of my favorites in either flavor cream. So come on over. I'll try my best to convert you to Key Lime pie though. Mine is a bit different than most, it more cheese cakey.
Fried turkey, baked beans, acorn squash, mojito's. Everyone will also bring something. I'll set out a couple extra plates.

[Rams]

My only advice is to buy Gold or Silver prior to the Harris/Biden administration's economic policies kicking in.

Rams

[Serk]

My only advice is to buy Gold or Silver prior to the Harris/Biden administration's economic policies kicking in.

Rams

Lead and brass too, if you can find any...

[Beardo]

My only advice is to buy Gold or Silver prior to the Harris/Biden administration's economic policies kicking in.

Rams

Lead and brass too, if you can find any...

I try to stay out of the political threads, but that was funny right there. 

[f6gal]

My only advice is to buy Gold or Silver prior to the Harris/Biden administration's economic policies kicking in.

Rams

Yep, until they outlaw personal acquisition. 

[f6gal]

My only advice is to buy Gold or Silver prior to the Harris/Biden administration's economic policies kicking in.

Rams

Lead and brass too, if you can find any...

You know I'm doing that!