How do you compare to others at your station in life?

[benhem612]

Age 33
Training Specialist
GS 12/4
TSP balance: 94,000
Hoping to retire at 57
Current Investment rate 11% with 7% Regular TSP and 4% Roth

[Aitrus]

You may want to look into some USCIS opening around your area for GS-11/12 and some go up to 13 or ICE for LEO.

Thanks, I'll look into it. Not sure how much I'll find, and not looking to move, but I'll see what's out there. Always glad to get some advice from a fellow crab wearer.

[Scorpio70]

I don't think it is a good idea to compare yourself to others. Pay off the debt, save as much as possible, be happy.

[ArrieS]

This is also interesting.

http://money.cnn.com/tools/networth_ageincome/

Enter your age and your income and it will give you the averages for both.

For example I'm 35 and a GS 12 at $77,460. So the average net worth at my age is $51,575 and the average net worth for my income is $301,475.

[benhem612]

This is also interesting.

http://money.cnn.com/tools/networth_ageincome/

Enter your age and your income and it will give you the averages for both.

For example I'm 35 and a GS 12 at $77,460. So the average net worth at my age is $51,575 and the average net worth for my income is $301,475.

ArrieS, I had a question for net-worth. I have seen it calculated differently. I did a net worth calculator yesterday and it accounted for the equity I have in my house and my other assets but did not negatively count the balance owed on my house.

I signed up for the Personal Capital site mentioned in earlier posts and it counted the balance owed on my property against my net worth. In one scenario I am doing great and in the other I have negative net worth. When the calculator on the site you listed says it includes real estate does that mean mortgage balances as well or just equity?

[ArrieS]

I signed up for the Personal Capital site mentioned in earlier posts and it counted the balance owed on my property against my net worth. In one scenario I am doing great and in the other I have negative net worth. When the calculator on the site you listed says it includes real estate does that mean mortgage balances as well or just equity?

Well just because I talk a lot doesn't mean I should be giving advice, just that I have an over inflated value of my opinion. That being said, the most basic and common net worth calculation is Assets - liabilities = net worth.

That should include your mortgage. Mint also uses it in the net worth calculation.

But, I think the best way to see how you're doing is to add everything up and exclude your home's value. Debt is debt and your home is the most illiquid asset you have. Plus you don't really know what it's worth is until you sell it, where a dollar in your checking account equals a dollar, so you know it's real value.

Not including your homes value but only the mortgage is a calculation I think financial planners use to see where you are, and how to meet your goals. Because the debt still has to be serviced.

[evilanne]

This is also interesting.

http://money.cnn.com/tools/networth_ageincome/

Enter your age and your income and it will give you the averages for both.

For example I'm 35 and a GS 12 at $77,460. So the average net worth at my age is $51,575 and the average net worth for my income is $301,475.

They are not giving you the average for your age, it is the median for range of ages.
Median net worth for your age [25-34] is: $8,525
Median net worth for your age [35-44] is: $51,575
Median net worth for your age [45-54] is: $98,350
In comparison, we are all doing great as government employees, but would be in bad shape for retirement.

[benhem612]

Thank you Evilanne and ArrieS. I like this site for the active community who are willing to share their knowledge.

[greengrass]

Age: 38
GS 14/3
TSP balance: 150,000
Retire ~ 63
Current Investment rate 17% with 12% Regular TSP and 5% Roth
Started from 0 in TSP 7 years ago.

[bogie]

Amen Bogie! Loving family....all my retirement is for my wife and baby.

::thumbsup

[bogie]

Age: 37
GS salary level: 14/2
Current TSP balance: $96k
Contributions: $18k/year ($13k tsp, $5k Roth tsp), just maxed contributions 6 months ago
Number of Years until PLANNED retirement: as long as it takes....
Years in Federal Service: almost 7
Other: $20k retirement fund, $200k equity in house
Debt: $15k student loans, $400k house, $12k car

Most importantly, I'm loving life and my family. That's what all this is for.

I was just beginning Fed service 12 years ago at age 37, had $225K mortgage debt & negative equity in my house in 2004......started my TSP in March 2004....my only investment in 2004 was $70K in a company 401K plan......that dwindled to $35K during the 2008 drop. My TSP took a $20K hit during 2008 as well....I eventually transferred $39K from the 401K plan into the TSP. Thankfully 2010 (-2.15%) & 2012 (-0.35%) have been my only losing years since 2008.

Nice turnaround! Hoping to keep my equity! No signs of a slowdown in my area anytime soon.

Brings up another point... Cost of living is a killer on the coasts and in Colorado for example. If I was back n the Midwest, even giving up some of this Denver/Boulder pay differential, I'd be way better off. Not to mention over a grand a month in child care at a fed day care (which is at the 50% for my area) for one kid!

[mmmmmbeer]

So... how is everyone coming along?

A little update for me. When I posted the OP I had just started on tspcenter.com, a I was very new to any of this seasonal mix nonsense! Haha..

A buddy of mine and I after pouring over the Seasonal Mix Musings threads decided to give it a shot and committed to Jubulon's Mix for 1 year. We started in June.

June went well, then July.. and we tricked ourselves into following the "F in July on Presidential Years". So while our July was positive.. We missed out on a pretty great C fund at over 3% ROR.

Then it was off into the fall.. where we had our first negative month... and then another... and another?!

At this point I was thinking to myself.. oh Fffffff... what have I done? I've done and gone screwed my retirement. Me and my buddy had quite a few.. "just stay the course".. "don't get emo!" conversations with each other. Haha..

Well we stuck with it and things have turned out pretty well.

This first year Jun 2016-June 2017 has been somewhere around 14%ish ROR.

My TSP went from:

Jun 16: 198k

To

Jun 17: 246k

Rolling right along! We're pretty excited to see where we go from here. We've talked the last few days about trying this new "year" as a another experiment with the Daily Seasonal strategy. Exciting...

But all in all I want to thank you guys/gals for all your knowledge, encouragement, and selflessness in helping us all on our journey!

How'd your last year go?

[evilanne]

Nice update mmmbeer...I'm sure you will reach the $1M mark and probably higher. I will be interesting to see how some of the tweets to MJ's mix work out. I don't follow any single method but thinking about incorporating a fractional amount in June to see what happens. I think I will increase S on the 9th trading day followed by I on the 12th trading date..have not figured out the percentages to use yet. I'm more concerned with capital preservation than maxing my return.

[BR549]

Nicely done.

[MrSnrub]

Age: 35
Salary: $83K
Current TSP Balance: $115K
TSP residential loan outstanding balance: $28K
Number of years until retirement: Uhhhh... 30 I guess? I don't really know.
Current investment rate: $693 per paycheck to Traditional TSP