Four of the federal government's five 401(k)-style retirement savings plans lost investment ground in April. Douglas Sacha / Getty Images
Most TSP funds took a tumble in April
After two months of sustained gains, only one portfolio in the federal government’s 401(k)-style retirement savings program finished last month in the black.
Following two months of growth, the vast majority of the portfolios in the federal government’s 401(k)-style retirement savings program finished April in the red.
The Thrift Savings Plan’s G Fund, which grows at a statutorily mandated rate, was the only TSP offering to show positive performance, gaining 0.35% last month. So far this year, the G Fund has grown 1.41%.
The small- and mid-size businesses of the S Fund saw the worst decline, falling 6.46% in April. That descent nearly wiped out all of the fund’s gains for the year, which now sits at 0.01% since January.
The common stocks in the C Fund finished last month 4.08% in the red, bringing its 2024 performance down to 6.03%. And the international investments of the I Fund fell 3.17%. So far this year, the I Fund has grown 2.60%.
The fixed income (F) fund fell 2.47% in April, bringing its 2024 losses to 3.20%.
Each of the TSP’s lifecycle (L) funds, which shift toward more conservative investments as participants get closer to retirement, similarly lost ground last month. The L Income Fund, for people who have already begun making withdrawals, fell 0.95%; L 2025, 1.27%; L 2030, 2.48%; L 2035, 2.76%; L 2040, 3.03%; L 2045, 3.27%; L 2050, 3.49%; L 2055, 4.06%; L 2060, 4.06%; and L 2065, 4.06%.
So far this year, the L Income Fund has grown 1.85%; L 2025, 2.12%; L 2030, 2.76%; L 2035, 2.87%; L 2040, 2.99%; L 2045, 3.09%; L 2050, 3.22%; L 2055, 3.98%; L 2060, 3.98%; and L 2065, 3.97%.