Podcasts about s fund

Is 2026 the year you finally take control of your military finances? With a 3.8% pay raise, new TSP contribution limits of $24,500, and proven strategies that helped one E-7 reach $600,000 in net worth by year 14, Spencer and Jamie break down exactly how to build wealth while serving, even if you're starting from scratch or recovering from financial setbacks. In this episode, we provide a comprehensive 2026 financial reset for military families, covering everything from emergency funds and debt payoff to maxing tax-advantaged accounts and avoiding lifestyle creep. Perfect for anyone wanting to turn the new year into a fresh financial start. Main Discussion Points Know Where You Are Before You Start Track your spending using apps like Monarch Money, YNAB, Rocket Money, or simple spreadsheet Face your financial reality- write down all debt and net worth even if it's negative Government shutdown proved why emergency funds matter: 3-6 months of expenses minimum Example: $500 car repair covered by emergency fund eliminated stress entirely Unique Military Financial Advantages Tax-free income: BAH, BAS, COLA not subject to federal income tax or payroll taxes (7%+ savings) State tax residency: Change to tax-free state (Texas, Florida, etc.) when stationed there! Spouse can too under Military Spouse Residency Relief Act TSP match: 5% automatic match after 2 years for BRS members. Don't leave free money on table Healthcare and housing covered through Tricare and BAH/base housing Example: Saving $300/month by changing state residency adds up to thousands annually 2026 Numbers to Know TSP contribution limit: $24,500 (up from previous year) TSP annual additions limit: $72,000 (includes match and combat zone contributions) Roth IRA limit: $7,000 per person ($14,000 for married couples, even if spouse doesn't work) Military pay raise: 3.8% coming. Automate at least 1% of increase into TSP E6 with 8+ years gets roughly $150-180/month extra income from pay raise Priority Order for Tax-Advantaged Accounts Contribute 5% to TSP (get full government match for BRS members) Max Roth IRA: $7,000 for you, $7,000 for spouse Go back and max TSP at $24,500 Only then consider taxable brokerage accounts Total to max everything: $48,500 for married couples Don't stress if you can't max—contributing 10-20% is still excellent and beats average American 5% savings rate Invest Simply Using LADS Method Low-cost, Automated, Diversified, Simple TSP Lifecycle 2075 fund: 60% US stocks, 40% international, minimal bonds—perfect set-it-and-forget-it option Alternative: 80% C Fund, 10% S Fund, 10% I Fund Don't performance chase because last year's winner often becomes next year's loser Boring is beautiful in investing. Let it compound for 20 years Path to Military Millionaire Status E7 example: $500/month starting as E3, by age 45 = $1 million at 7% return Real example from Reddit: E7 with 14 years, $600,000 saved, contributing $20-25k/year In 10 years that E7 will have $1.2 million just from money already contributed (before new contributions) Add military pension: $30k/year plus $40k from 4% rule = $70k annual income in retirement Time is your biggest asset. US stock market doubles roughly every 7-10 years Common Mistakes to Avoid in 2026 Not contributing to TSP at all (minimum 5%, goal 15%+) TSP loans for non-emergencies...change behavior instead New car trap: 7-year car loans becoming standard, shooting yourself in financial foot Lifestyle creep: Give half of pay raise to savings, half to lifestyle improvements Waiting for "perfect time." Spoiler: there's never a perfect time. Start this weekend Capture Free Money Review LES monthly for accuracy File paperwork for CZTE, hostile fire pay, family separation allowance Follow up with finance multiple times if needed. Don't give up on money you're owed Request corrected W2s if aircrew touching tax-free zones in Nov/Dec Spencer recovered $20,000+ over career by being persistent with finance Take Action Now Schedule family money meeting. Make it a priority! Hire babysitter if needed, dedicate one hour Write down all debt on paper: credit cards, student loans, auto loans Acknowledge it's overwhelming but necessary to move forward Resources: Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover or Ramit Sethi's I Will Teach You to Be Rich Resources & Links Budgetting and tracking: Monarch Money, YNAB (You Need A Budget), Rocket Money, Every Dollar Credit card offers: Card Pointers Chrome plugin Free books: Libby app + MWR library on base Military Money Manual by Spencer Reese Selected as US Air Force Academy Class of 2023 graduating gift Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover Ramit Sethi's I Will Teach You to Be Rich and Money for Couples TSP match/max charts by rank The Money Guy Show: Financial Order of Operations   Spencer and Jamie offer one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions. Get your personal military money and personal finance questions answered in a confidential coaching call. militarymoneymanual.com/mentor Over 20,000 military servicemembers and military spouses have graduated from the 100% free course available at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3 In the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course, you can learn how to apply for the most premium credit cards and get special military protections, such as waived annual fees, on elite cards like The Platinum Card® from American Express and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card. https://militarymoneymanual.com/amex-platinum-military/ https://militarymoneymanual.com/chase-sapphire-reserve-military/ Learn how active duty military, military spouses, and Guard and Reserves on 30+ day active orders can get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3 If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. Want to be confident with your TSP investing? Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual.

For those considering moving their TSP investments to an IRA, here are mutual funds and ETFs that mirror the C Fund, S Fund, I Fund and F Fund of the Thrift Savings Plan. We also look at the G Fund, which doesn't have an alternative.Join the newsletter: https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...

It's Friday, so we have some great questions from listeners starting with:Cass is trying to find the right emergency fund.Mindy wonders what to do with a granchild's earnings.Vince has the ultimate hodgepodge portfolio.Mark is trying to decide on the best small cap value fund.Bree is looking to make some TSP changes.Derek shares his opinions of the future viability and purpose of cryptocurrency.Finally, Leslie asks Don to check out a financial planner. 

"While in the service, you are pawns of the government. We serve our nation against enemies foreign and domestic...when you decide to exit the military, either transition out or retire- the military is DONE with you." In this episode we cover bad debt and how to pay off debt along with the Blended Retirement System match. -Pay off debt using Debt Snowball (smallest to largest) - Each car should not be more than 25% of your yearly income or no more than 3 months of pay - If in Blended Retirement System, turn on your 5% match. - Contribute into ROTH TSP 70% C Fund/20% S Fund/10% I Fund within your TSP - Stay out of G Fund and Lifecycle Funds Connect with me: www.instagram.com/leadingwithcents www.instagram.com/timmemak

Several readers have sent us blueprints they followed to millionaire status. , like the man who went from an account balance of 0 to just over $1.3 million in 23 years. If you are doing well, congrats. Nice work! But could you be doing even better? If you are one with a TSP portfolio heavily or 100% in the stock indexed C, S and I funds, are you overlooking the best of the bunch. Arthur Stein believes you should think about it. He’s a well-known financial planner in the Washington D.C. area. Several of his clients are TSP millionaires. And he teaches classes on TSP investing at Montgomery College. And he thinks lots of investors are missing out on a good thing. Based on past performance, he says investors should take another look at the S fund. He’s my guest today on our Your Turn radio show.

TESLA motors is moving the needle again today with nice gains. Boeing has successfully flown with passengers. "The U.S. House of Representatives passed a law to kick Chinese companies off U.S. stock exchanges if they do not fully comply with the country's auditing rules" - Fox Business Thrift Savings Plan Overview: "The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) is a retirement savings and investment plan for Federal employees and members of the uniformed services, including the Ready Reserve. It was established by Congress in the Federal Employees' Retirement System Act of 1986 and offers the same types of savings and tax benefits that many private corporations offer their employees under 401(k) plans." - https://www.tsp.gov/about-us/ Dave Ramsey's suggesting for TSP is 40% C Fund ; 40% S Fund and 20% I fund and nothing to the F and G fund due to low returns. My suggestion is 10% the latest and greatest Life cycle fund and 90% C Fund. The only issue with my plan is that you have to keep moving it every 5yrs. :-) If you have no clue on what to do with your funds in your TSP and you are not about to retire in 10yrs? put all of it in C and ride the wave. Check out how you doing after 10yrs.. Remember, when the market goes down, the shares are just going on sale! Sponsors: Webull - Don't miss your chance of claiming free stocks! Sign up, open an account and make your first deposit and get 4 free stocks! (12/1/2020 - 12/7/2020) -- Please continue to support the show by subscribing, sharing and leaving comments on your favorite platforms. This help others like yourself find me. Supporting the show will allow me to continue to provide great content and special guests. Follow the About That Wallet: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aboutthatwallet/ Website Landing page: https://linktr.ee/aboutthatwallet DISCLAIMER: I am not a CPA, attorney, insurance, contractor, lender, or financial advisor. The content in this audio are for educational purposes only. You must do your own research and make the best choice for you. Investing of any kind involves risk. While it is possible to minimize risk, your investments are solely your responsibility. It is imperative that you conduct your own research. I am merely sharing my opinion with no guarantee of gains or losses on investments. If you need advice, please contact a qualified CPA, CFP, an attorney, insurance agent, financial advisor, or the appropriate professional for the subject you would like help with. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/aboutthatwallet/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/aboutthatwallet/support

Why do people seem so surprised when they discover that even experts fail to accurately and consistently predict the future?Should a caller diversify the funds in his TSP?Should you dollar-cost-average or invest a lump sum?

Most people know the rule is to buy low, sell high. If you buy that, the problem is knowing when the market has peaked or bottomed out. A growing number of Thrift Savings Plan investors are nervously wondering how much longer the current bull market — 10-plus years without a correction of 20% or more — will last, and can last. So many things could go wrong: Turkey and Syria, Chinese trade and the Hong Kong problem, post-Brexit Europe, or impeachment — a major disaster. Arthur Stein, a Washington, D.C.-area certified financial planner, weighs in on this episode of Your Turn with Mike Causey.

Effective Sept. 15, major changes will take effect in the TSP, changes that will make it more attractive for life-time investors and more convenient for people who need to withdraw different amounts over their retirement. Jessica Klement, NARFE vice president for advocacy and Mark Keen, certified financial planner and adviser gives us the details on this episode of Your Turn with Mike Causey.

On this episode of Your Turn, Arthur Stein, a Washington, D.C.-area financial planner with a lot of active and retired federal clients, discusses what people should not be doing with their TSP accounts. Your Turn with Mike Causey airs at 10 a.m. EDT on 1500 AM in the Washington, D.C. area and www.federalnewsnetwork.com.

When it comes to employer-backed 401k plans, most experts say that the federal Thrift Savings Plan, with its 5% match and super-low administrative fees, is the best deal around. At the end of March, the TSP had 5.6 million participants and was worth $561 billion. Arthur Stein, a Washington area financial planner, spent a day on Capitol Hill last month talking to Senate staffers about their investment options. Most of them were in the TSP, but in some cases, he said they should be investing less. Why? Find out on this episode of the Your Turn radio show. Your Turn with Mike Causey airs at 10 a.m. EDT on 1500 AM in the Washington, D.C. area and www.federalnewsnetwork.com.

So you’ve done well, now what? One of the first things you need to do is recognize your true financial value, living and dead, then have a plan. Having a will alone no longer works for many people. Some need a trust and medical directives. But what kind, and how do you know? Tom O’ Rourke, an estate and tax attorney and former IRS lawyer, answers these questions on this episode of Your Turn with Mike Causey. The Your Turn radio show airs at 10 a.m. EDT on 1500 AM in the Washington, D.C. area and www.federalnewsnetwork.com.

Would you give up a year of sex for a free year of college for your child? A crazy question with a somewhat surprising answer. Don discusses a study with some interesting facts about how parents save for their children's future educational needs. Plus how to emulate the total stock market in the US Government Thrift Savings Plan (TSP).

For the vast majority of federal workers investing in the Thrift Savings Plan is a must, period. Chances are it will provide anywhere from 30 to 50 percent of the income they have in retirement, which is a very big deal. It may be the difference between steak and hamburger or, worst case scenario, cat food. And you don’t have a cat! So if you have a TSP account what did you do in December when the high-flying stock market, after wobbling a couple months, dropped big time? On this episode, financial planner Arthur Stein talks us through the highs and lows of investing in the TSP. He has a number of federal clients including several who are TSP millionaires. The Your Turn radio show airs at 10 a.m. EST on1500 AM in the Washington, D.C. area and www.federalnewsnetwork.com.

When it comes to the federal Thrift Savings Plan, the average annual returns don’t tell you everything because TSP stock funds do not have many “average” years. “The typical ways to view TSP returns is to look at the total return over a certain time period — annually, quarterly, year to date — or over a number of years,” according to financial planner Arthur Stein. He says patterns are easier to spot when returns are ranked by size. Your Turn is a radio show (Wednesday's at 10 a.m. EST) streaming on Federal News Radio or at 1500 AM in the D.C. area.

Did the recent stock market nosedive send you moving money from the stock indexed C and S funds into the G fund for safety? If so, was that a smart move? And what’s next? Are you waiting, as in sweating, a much bigger correction that many experts say is long overdue? We asked Arthur Stein, a Washington-area financial planner who tracks the Thrift Savings Plan what he thinks is going on. Did the recent stock market nosedive send you moving money from the stock indexed C and S funds into the G fund for safety? If so, was that a smart move? And what’s next? Are you waiting, as in sweating, a much bigger correction that many experts say is long overdue? We asked Arthur Stein, a Washington-area financial planner who tracks the Thrift Savings Plan what he thinks is going on. He’s our guest on this episode of Your Turn, a radio show (Wednesday's at 10 a.m. EST) streaming on Federal News Radio or at 1500 AM in the D.C. area.