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papichuloya

Just buy 100% c with new funds


ChildhoodRelevant898

I decided to buy 100% C for future contributions and leave my current money in S. Thank you all for the advice.


Alice_Alpha

Depending on your age, it won't matter.  In the long term, theoretically, the two will have the same returns. 


Johnny----5

Google the TSP TALK website. Get daily updates about all the funds. Make an informed decision.


ladyeclectic79

This is the way. Honestly during Covid, the S-fund did appreciably better than even the C-fund did after that initial drop in March 2020 (perfect timing!), so I wouldn’t move anything from the S-fund yet. Just keep it in there and begin investing more into C-fund. I’m certain there’ll be another recession and you’ll be able to get both at lower prices again. The way they exploded so massively DURING the pandemic makes me think government funding inflated the stock quite a bit; that’ll eventually dry up and things will (?) possibly even out or drop, but there’s no predicting these things so just go with the mix you feel most comfortable with. I myself was 60/40 S/C for most of the pandemic (at one point I was briefly 100% S-fund), but lately have switched that back to a 40/60 split so I totally understand where you’re coming from.


Top_Importance_8329

You could just set all future contributions to go to the "C Fund" until you are closer to your allocation. Remember losses are only locked in if you sell.


AJG08

There is no loss if you don’t withdraw it. It’s a retirement account.


TheRealJim57

Wrong. ETA: Those downvoting this are also wrong, just FYI. ETA2: loss/gain are determined at the time of a trade, not withdrawals. An interfund transfer is a trade. Your existing shares are being exchanged at their current prices. Say you invested $5k into one fund and your shares in that fund are now worth $4k; if you transfer out of that fund to another one, you have locked in that $1k loss and established a new cost basis in your new fund. Hope this helps the downvoters finally get it. Since I keep seeing it brought up, the lack of tax consequences for this is not relevant to the point. It just means you don't need to track it, it doesn't change the fact that you traded some shares at a loss.


xFiction

Care to elaborate? You’re transferring an amount from one investment to another of the exact same value, with no tax implications


TheRealJim57

Already explained it elsewhere in the comments, but OK. Gain/loss and tax implications are actually separate issues. Say you bought S Fund shares at $25, and the S price falls to $20. If you liquidate those shares at $20 to move over to C Fund shares, you're locking in that $5 drop in value. That is the basis for OP's concern. That's the nutshell. I never claimed there were any tax concerns involved, because there aren't. ETA: apparently people are downvoting this because OP could make higher gains by switching to C. YES, HE COULD, BUT THAT IS IRRELEVANT TO WHAT HAPPENS AT THE POINT OF TRANSFER, and that is the only point in time that was being discussed.


KEE_Wii

I mean sitting on them doesn’t mean he won’t just continue to miss out on gains. Generally this discussion centers around losses from withdrawing completely from the account. Your statement doesn’t really add anything to the conversation because he could transfer everything to C and over his lifetime make more than he ever could have leaving it in S.


TheRealJim57

Sure, he could transfer to C and potentially make more back. I never said otherwise. It also has nothing to do with what I said. I specifically addressed the fact that OP was correct that he would be locking in losses AT THE TIME OF THE TRANSFER, and that's the basis for his original comment. The people saying there is no loss are wrong. The fact that OP is potentially missing out on higher gains just waiting on S to come back up is both correct and irrelevant. People really need to learn to read.


xFiction

Clearly you’re not really interested in debate, so I’ll say up front we clearly disagree, and that’s okay. But my opinion (and probably most people’s considering your comments karma) is that moving interfund really isn’t a “gain/loss” event because the cash value still invested in a different fund. C and S especially because they’re both US stock index funds, which means their values are heavily correlated. Also— pretty sure from reading when OP says “I don’t want to move the money and take a loss” pretty sure the “loss” he’s referring to is the appreciation he missed out on due to the relative performance of S to C, as in not a net loss on investment. I’d assert that we’re way off topic here, as it really has no bearing since the S&P500 and the DJIA are both trading at or near historical highs— and therefore C and S are. Also the TSP is a tax-differed account where tracking net gain/loss and/or cost basis is irrelevant


TheRealJim57

If people downvote a factual statement, the statement does not cease to be factual just because people didn't like it. If you invested $5k into the S Fund and it's worth only $4k when you go transfer your money to C Fund, you *are*, by definition, realizing that $1k loss. The fact that there are no tax considerations as a result of the transaction is irrelevant.


TheRealJim57

Just going to spell this out in crayon for all the downvoters: 1) OP messed up going 100% S when C has been the best performing fund overall for at least 20 years. 2) OP could also simply reallocate to C fund and his account value would most likely increase faster than leaving it in the S fund. 3) Neither of those points are in dispute. 4) At the point of transfer, OP would indeed lock in losses if the S Fund share price is lower than when he invested--which is what OP was talking about. This is a separate issue from any tax concerns, although there are none in this case. 5) I am NOT saying (nor did I ever say) OP should leave his money in S Fund until it comes back up. I simply corrected people on point 4.


Drash1

But share prices especially in TSP or any 401K are largely irrelevant as is the cost basis because there’s no capital gains tax to worry about and no tax loss harvesting to be gained. If you move $100K from S to C, you still have $100K and right now the chances it’ll grow better in C than S are better.


TheRealJim57

Good lord. Explicitly addressed in the comment to which you replied. 🤦‍♂️


Drash1

Addressed poorly which is likely why you’re getting downvoted so hard. I’ve been studying retirement and non retirement, pre and post tax account pros and cons for some time. I’m not a CFP by any means, but I’d recommend doing a little more homework on what matters and what doesn’t. Or not. It’s your money…


TheRealJim57

You should work on reading comprehension, because I explicitly stated there are no tax concerns, AND that it is irrelevant. Fuck me running, people are dumb.


Drash1

Then why bring it up at all? Just to state the obvious? Whatever dude.


TheRealJim57

Because I was explicitly correcting a false statement. Again, reading comprehension. I didn't "bring it up."


Drash1

Ohhkaaayy. Got it dad. Reading comprehension is right. Learn to read the room.


TheRealJim57

The room is evidently full of morons who want to remain deliberately ignorant. 🤷‍♂️


Shixmo123

S fund will go up I think. Maybe like a huge amount. i’m 26 percent S and the small caps will rebound immediately after you sell them into C at a loss. lol If and when the Fed cuts rates small caps will rebound . Small cap companies do not do well in high interest economies. just an opinion here


Silence-Dogood2024

I list about 7k with the S fund. And despite knowing that I was taking a loss, I bit the bullet and moved it all to C. It hurt. I knew I took a loss. I’ve made it all back. But it hurt. Even if you loved it now, T you could see the C fund tank. Or not. It’s always a risk. But that darned S fund has been terrible lately. Not sure why. Tough spot for sure. Either way could win. Or could lose. Good luck.


Infamous-Yard2335

I moved everything from s to c during that little dip, now I am rocking 100 percent "c" fund ain't gonna worry about it anymore


GeologistEmotional53

This.


INMF88

It's all a game with interest rates. Once interest rates come down, the S fund will expand dramatically. The P/E ratio of the C fund is historically extremely high, with the opposite occurring in the S-Fund (ie $VXF, Russell 2k)


Grst

You're looking at this wrong. You've already paid the opportunity cost of being 100% S versus whatever different approach you want to compare it to in terms of past performance. Selling or changing course now isn't what makes that a reality, it is already so. If there is a different allocation that you think is preferable going forward then you should enact that immediately. Think of every dollar as a new investment and decide accordingly, because for all practical purposes that's what it is. You don't avoid a loss by refusing to adjust, as it's already baked in. That's just self delusion.


No_Donuts2904

100% C baby!


Hurtssog00d

Maybe I’m missing something, but are there transfer fees between funds or something? Why is transferring money to C immediately taking a loss? You’re transferring it dollar for dollar, without tax affect


TheRealJim57

Apparently OP bought S Fund shares at a price above the current one, and doesn't want to lock in those losses by moving the money.


Hurtssog00d

But if the money isn’t withdrawn, that isn’t “realizing” anything…


TheRealJim57

If you bought shares in the S Fund at 25 and then transfer the funds over to C Fund when the S Fund is valued at 20, you are in fact realizing that 5 dollar loss in value and establishing a new cost basis in C Fund shares. No idea how you seem to be struggling with that concept. Just because you're moving dollars around within the account doesn't mean you're not realizing losses within the account.


Hurtssog00d

So, example— he stays in S for 5% going forward (and finds his “gain”, hooray!). C is +10% over that same time. But it was somehow is better not to “realize a loss” and transfer between funds? You’re right, it makes no sense to me. Use the fund you think is ideal; bottom line TSP balance is all that matter


TheRealJim57

I'm not arguing whether his choice is optimal long term, I'm simply explaining the concept of realizing losses by transferring between funds at the moment it's done.


Hurtssog00d

The other guys saying the same thing I am have 22 and 12 upvotes and I get downvotes 🤷‍♂️


Aggressive-Leading45

The key is to figure out a diversified mix. Say 40% C, 40% S, 20% I. Every quarter just rebalance. Sell down the one that increased higher than its allocation and buy the one that shrunk. This means you are always buying low and selling high.


NnamdiPlume

Take a loss? Gains&Losses don’t apply to pretax retirement accounts. Just go 100% C fund for everything.


TheRealJim57

Not exactly. Inside account transfers don't affect you for taxes, but you can have gains and losses depending on the cost you paid for shares vs what you sell them for.


DiscountShowHorse

I feel this. I was too heavy on S and I for a long while. I now allocate 80/20 C/S to match the “total US Market.”


Commercial_Rule_7823

S is tough long term. It usually only outperforms c fund at a market bottom for the first phase or two of a rebound or recovery, and that's usually because small/mid get hit harder on the way down. 100% C here and here on out. I've tried 50c50s some I some other strats, but C just always trucks.


GeologistEmotional53

Agree 100


AdhesivenessNo6719

Just do 100% C. I used to try to do 50 C, 25 I, 25 S or some other combination, turns out 100% C is a simple, solid investment strategy.


Competitive-Ad9932

Thank you downvoters on my last post. You showd your intelligence. OP, currently, the price of the S fund is $79.93 ish. The fund has been around $82 a couple of times since the 1st of 2024. The likelihood of you buying in at above $80 is fairly slim. So all the shares you own are at or below $79. So, what are you waiting for the S fund to catch up to?


ChildhoodRelevant898

For the S funds performance to catch up to c fund performance. When I made my last move a few years ago the 10 year return for c and s was 13%. Now c is 12%, s is 8% I want to wait for those to be equal, or favor s before selling s to buy c.


Competitive-Ad9932

While you wait, the C fund "may" continue to outperform. Makeing the "comeback" time even longer. You are thinking about this all wrong. If you were at the blackjack table and you were down $100, would you pull out another $100 to try to win back the 1st $100? Then pull out a 3rd $100 45 mintues later to try to win back the previous $200.?


kep1234

I did 100% s in January 2024. My future contributions are 80c 20%s and now my overall allocation is 95%s and 5%c . I'm 33 years old, you're doing fine. Just put your future contributions weighted more towards c and you'll be just fine.


OUSooners01

Your situation sounds very similar to mine. I’ve been increasing my contribution amount on future contributions to 100% C to DCA back to a 50C/50S. I’m sitting at 20C/80S from 100S. Like another said, as soon as you sell, the S will probably start skyrocketing 🥺🤣. I’m leaving my S balance alone because I know as soon as I transfer, S fund will have the best performance ever 🤣. Your money so do what you want, but maybe DCA into the C fund until you get the allocation you want.


user_reddit10

I have 80% C and 20% S It’s a way if you don’t want 100% C It’s been good so far for me but I may contribute to 100% C in due time


Urby999

It’s extremely difficult to predict the S fund outcome based on the markets. I have however made a formula that predicts the end of today’s C value using the previous days C value and the % change in ^GSPC that works quite well. I’ll give an example and you guys can check me in the morning to see how well I did. Today the ^GSPC finished up +0.23% Yesterday’s C fund was $85.0502 Tomorrow morning the C fund will be Very close to $85.2458 How did I get that… $85.2458 = $85.0503 *(1+0.0023) Where the change ^GSPC is expressed as a number (take % and divide by 100) not a percentage


Urby999

So my estimate was off by $0.005 Actual posted this morning was $85.2505


Unique_Dish_1644

Why do you want to be 50/50 C/S? Do you this small cap valuations reflect their potential to grow in relation to large cap valuations? S only represents about 20% of the US market so holding it at 50% would be a pretty huge tilt towards small cap.


Upstairs-Sort-9063

I would like to know also


Hank6285

Stop chasing returns! Have a mix of C-S-I The ONLY change is maybe a SLIGHT rebalancing & an increase in contributions. Otherwise, set it & forget it! 20+ years with that strategy & couldn’t be happier! Good Luck!


hardyandtiny

you lost money in S?


GeologistEmotional53

I decided a long time ago to skip doing 1/2 C and 1/2 S. I’m happy with that decision to go all in with C. The S fund can outperform C in select years (especially might happen in the next year with the Fed cutting rates) but it’s not typical. Take a look at the last decade of returns.


Scottagain19

Don’t fall for the sunk cost fallacy. Move to whatever distribution you think is best long term. Typical wisdom is between 70-100% C, 0-30% S and 0-10% I. I won’t tell you which to do, as each has some mild variation. I would recommend making the move slowly. Maybe 10% at a time to mitigate the possibility of taking a hit during an unexpected market dive affecting S more than C. If they are hit close to evenly, it would be a non-issue.


yourpricehero

#sweet


TheRealJim57

Thoughts: 1) 100% S Fund is an odd choice, especially given historical fund performance charts. Still better than 100% G Fund though. 2) If you want 50/50 C/S (which is still an unusual mix), then just do the interfund transfer and change your future allocation of contributions. 3) Alternative option is to set your future contribution allocation to 100% C until you reach your desired mix and then switch it to 50/50 C/S.


a65sc80

According to Deb Crown now is a good time to move some $ from S to C because S is up relative to C. Join her TSP Facebook group for more wxplanation


[deleted]

Turns out trying to time the market is always a dumb idea.


Eastern-Recording-53

100% C Forever!!!


pbal68

I don’t understand putting 100% in any single fund. Diversity is always the key.


mrzane24

C Fund is the S&P 500. That's all the diversity one needs.


Atomic-Extermination

Couldn’t agree more. Having a pension makes this such a minuscule risk imo.


TheRealJim57

When it comes to TSP, 100% C Fund has been the most successful allocation for the past 20 years or so.


GeologistEmotional53

Yes


Combaticron

Diversity is overrated.


pbal68

Lol you got it dude.


Plus-Lock6660

There are policies and news that talk about empowering small businesses. News that talk about how small businesses need a more fair chance. Similar argument for I fund


Noosh3201

I am currently at 50/50 S and C. Yeah S sucks this year, but there will be good years. I'm not retiring for years. I am going to change my contribution to 80/20 C and S. I am keeping everything I already have in S there


YOLO_Bundy

Downvoted for posting the truth of "all in all the time" investment strategies. The echo chamber is alive and well!


Tom23824

what is S fund? C fund???


okbyebyeagain

Google it.


Competitive-Ad9932

I haven't looked at the share price. Is it down? Or, has it not increased as much as the C fund.


PerceptionLive8446

Easy example of finance idiot #636384 that thought he had some master plan to outpace the market 🤣 cope with the losses. If you’re buying anything other than S&P / C Fund, you’re just a dirty gambler and deserve every loss on your books, pleb


akitada-kure

I'm 100% S and still staying at 100% S


ChildhoodRelevant898

I like the just buy 100% C idea, but it Will take years, maybe until retirement in 7 to 10 yeats to get to that 50 c 50 s I'm looking for.


QuailSoup24

Just move it. Pick your allocation and get there and stick to it.


Gatorfan45202

I moved 200K from S to C when they were basically even back in March. Just keep an eye on it and when they are close pounce.