C, S and I funds: How long can the boom last?

Despite the life-altering impact of COVID-19, international tensions and unprecedented political divisions in the country, the stock market keeps on going up and up. The experts give us lots of after-the-fact explanations. But, how often are they right?

For many long-term investors — like folks in the Thrift Savings Plan — the question is simple. What, if anything, should I be doing with my portfolio? More stocks or sell high and seek the “safety” of the Treasury securities G fund while the going is good?

In some, maybe many cases, the answer to the what-should-I-do question is simple. Nothing. And certainly don’t act out of greed, fear, a feeling or what your favorite cable guru says.

The reality is that nobody knows the real answer. Not the wise guy in your carpool, not your tarot card reader and not even your financial planner. Nobody.

To help walk us through it, we’ve got Arthur Stein, a financial planner, as our guest today on Your Turn. He was an economist with Congress and most of his clients are active or retired feds. Several are TSP millionaires.