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The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Business, Finance, and Careers > Long Term Investing & Retirement: The second best time is now
 
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frumpus
Nov 28, 2005

 I'm pretty worried about my retirement plan allocations.

I have a 403b plan with TIAA-CREF. I'm 39yo and the account only has about 38k in it right now. My total plan assets as of the quarter that just ended 10/03/08 are down 5% from the previous quarter.

Current allocations:



This quarter, real estate was up a tiny bit and money markets actually did really well. Everything else tanked. So 20% of my investments are making money and 80% are losing it right back and then some.

If this matters: I do not own a home but am planning to buy one in the spring. This will likely involve borrowing from my 403b for the down payment.

Any advice to keep me from retiring homeless and destitute will be appreciated.

* # ¿ Oct 6, 2008 17:42
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# ¿ Apr 29, 2024 17:04
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frumpus
Nov 28, 2005

80k posted:

frumpus, that doesn't add up. you say you 80% of your investments are losing money, but it shows you have 41.57% in guaranteed investments and 13.27% in money market. Seems like more than half of your investments should be stable, no?

The "guaranteed" investments lost money last quarter. v:)v

* # ¿ Oct 6, 2008 20:27
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frumpus
Nov 28, 2005
code:
Accounts            Quarter End Balance(06/30/2008) Current Balance( 10/03/2008 )

[b]Guaranteed             $16,295.16                      $15,449.80[/b]
   TIAA Traditional    $16,295.16 	               $15,449.80

quote:

TIAA Traditional Annuity
A guaranteed annuity backed by TIAA's claims-paying ability, TIAA Traditional (PDF) guarantees your principal and a minimum interest rate,1 plus it offers the opportunity for additional amounts in excess of the guaranteed rate.* These additional amounts, when declared by the TIAA Board of Trustees, remain in effect for the "declaration year" that begins each March 1. TIAA has credited additional amounts of interest every year since 1948.

It doesn't make sense to me either.

* # ¿ Oct 6, 2008 20:55
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frumpus
Nov 28, 2005

 Ok that's part of it.

About 2 years ago I borrowed money from my plan to pay down some high interest credit card debt. Now it seems like every month when I make a payment to them on that loan, they transfer some money out of Traditional and into money market.

I have no idea why they do this and it only accounts for $440.37 of the money Tradional lost in the last quarter though so I'll give them a call and see if I can figure out what's what.

* # ¿ Oct 6, 2008 21:35
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frumpus
Nov 28, 2005

 Ok apparently it all has to do with the loans I took out previously.

All that aside, I still want to know if my allocations are ok or if I should be changing them around.

* # ¿ Oct 6, 2008 21:53
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The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Business, Finance, and Careers > Long Term Investing & Retirement: The second best time is now