Working in the services comes with a lot of responsibilities, as well as benefits. One such benefit is the TSP F Fund which few people know of. It is a way of investing and getting returns in the best way possible. You can invest your donations in the TSP F Fund, a separate fund under the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), while working in the services. This helps increase your long-term earnings and accomplish your investing objectives by using the F Fund in the best efficient way possible. The TSP F Fund can be used by service personnel for diversification, reduced risk, and preservation of their capital. So, what is the TSP F Fund? Read on to find out.

The TSP F Fund

The Fixed Income Index Investment Fund is known as the F Fund. The fund’s objective is to operate at a level comparable to that of the U.S. Aggregate Bond Index from Bloomberg Barclays. Thus, the F Fund is an index fund for bonds. It is one of the five special funds offered by the TSP. You can put your TSP contributions towards investment-grade fixed-income assets by using the F Fund. Compared to other bond funds, the risk here is reduced with investment-grade securities.

Funds in the TSP F Fund

This fund exclusively keeps bonds and notes of the highest caliber that will mature in more than a year. Government, secured, and credit bonds have recently made up the fund. Despite the fund’s imitation of the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index, not all securities are owned by the TSP. 

Still, it has over 11,000 bonds and notes, so having every single one included in the F Fund seems excessive. As a result, the F index fund is chosen to contain a variety of asset-backed secured, corporate, and overseas government securities.

Bonds in the TSP

When you participate in bonds, you make a fixed-income loan to a business or the government. Federal, state, and local governments, businesses, and municipalities all require or desire to borrow money for various reasons, just like you and everyone else do. These organizations can borrow money by selling bonds to pay for new bridges, structures, or projects. 

Another name for bonds is fixed-income investments. This is because they will pay you a predetermined interest rate on the amount borrowed, often known as the bond principal, in exchange for the funds you lend them.

Management of the F Fund

BlackRock Institutional Trust Company fully managed the TSP F Fund for a long time. Or BRock, as most people refer to them. It was suggested to the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board after analysis by a consultancy company with all of the F, C, S, and I Funds with one investment group probably could have been better. This is why a second TSP manager was introduced in April 2021. BlackRock is in charge of 80% of the F Fund. State Street Global Advisors oversees the other 20% of the portfolio.

Rate of Return on the TSP F Fund

The average yearly return since the TSP F Fund’s start in 1988 is 6.04%. Here are the most current return rates.

  • 10 Years: 3.63%
  • 5 Years: 3.14%
  • 3 Years: 5.40%
  • 1 Year: -18%
  • 2021 Year-to-date: -1.49%  

Investment Fee of the TSP F Fund

In case you didn’t know, assets cost money. All of it, including the TSP, has a price. The F Fund’s total cost ratio is .060%, which indicates that for every $1,000 you contribute to the fund, the TSP and investment management take $.0600.

To further break it down for your better understanding: For every $1,000 you deposit, the TSP charges $.480 in administrative fees. Additionally, State Street Global Advisors and BlackRock fee $.120 for every $1000 invested.

Conclusion

The TSP F Fund is the safest and most convenient way for service personnel to correctly secure and utilize their capital and savings. For more information on how to earn more benefits from the TSP F Fund, contact our experts at the Armed Forces Benefits Network for professional legal assistance.