We all know that $1 million ain’t what it used to be. Still, it’s better to have it then not have it. Even if gas is cheap.

Having a $1 million nest egg is something that a lot of federal and postal workers have learned is possible through investing smartly in their Thrift Savings Plan accounts. A growing number of them—4,167 to be precise—now have million-dollar-plus account balances.

More than 21,000 feds are approaching the million dollar barrier. Currently, there are 21,458 feds with accounts worth between $750,000 to $999,999.

As of Feb. 6, one lucky/smart fed had an account that was valued at $4,803,304. And 23 cents.

So how did the millionaires become millionaires? Some are former private sector lawyers who became federal judges or took other federal work. Many transferred money from their outside 401(k) plans into the federal TSP in order to take advantage of its lowest-in-the-business administrative fees. Thinking like that is partly how they became millionaires. But there are home-grown TSP millionaires too.

A large number of feds became millionaires the hard way. Investing over time. They invested the maximum amount allowed and stuck with the stock-market indexed funds through good times and bad.

Bad, when you are buying stocks, is good.

During the recession, those who kept putting tax-deferred dollars into the C, S and I funds saw their accounts shrivel up. For a time. A long time for many. They bought low, when stocks were in effect “on sale” and now they are seeing the payoff.

Last week we heard from a recently retired fed. He put in 28 years with Uncle Sam and, obviously, was a steady investor. His account balance stands at $1,068,000.00. He wonders how this compares with other investors. Well, he’s in very good company, but the millionaires club is growing almost every day. So where do you stand?

Here’s the breakdown:

• 2.798 million workers (and military personnel) have balances under $50,000.
• A whopping 1.426 million have between $50,000 and $249,999.
• 375,472 have accounts between $250,000 and $499,999.
• 95,664 have TSP accounts worth between $500,000 and $749,000.
• 21,485 are in the $750k to $990,999k range.
• And there is a mystery person with more than $4.8 million that is fast-approaching the $5 million mark.

So the obvious question is who is he or she?

Logical question.

Good question, but there’s just one thing…

I don’t know! His or her identity is unknown. But, if you happen to be him or her, and you want to share your secrets with millions of inquiring minds, email me!

NEARLY USELESS FACTOID:

Microsoft’s Bill Gates is the richest person in the world with a net worth of $79.2 billion. (Source: Forbes) – by Julia Ziegler

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