2012 Annual Report on Financial Literacy Efforts of 

the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board 

February 8, 2012 
FRTIB Annual Report on Financial Literacy Efforts Page 2 of 4 

Introduction 

 The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) Open Elections Act of 2004 contains the following 

requirement: 

REPORT ON FINANCIAL LITERACY EFFORTS. The Board 

shall annually report to the Committee on Governmental Affairs of 

the Senate and the Committee on Government Reform in the House 

of Representatives on its Thrift Savings Plan education efforts on 

behalf of plan participants. Pub. L. 108-469, §2, 118 Stat. 3891, 3892. 

 In 2012, financial literacy initiatives undertaken by the Federal Retirement Thrift 

Investment Board (FRTIB) included a large number of print products, web-based offerings, and in-person training sessions for employees and agency representatives. 

 Financial literacy and numeracy are critical elements of retirement readiness. To 

that end, we are committed to delivering compelling messaging that encourages participants to save for retirement; to educate, communicate, and interact with participants to 

help them make smart choices; and to deliver innovative products and programs to assist participants in achieving their retirement goals. 

Roth TSP Education 

 The TSP Enhancement Act of 2009 (P.L. 111-31, Title I) authorized the addition 

of a Roth 401(k) feature to the TSP. The Roth TSP feature was implemented in May 

2012, accompanied by a massive Roth education effort comprising feature articles in 

print and on the Web, posters, leaflets, videos, webinars, live training sessions, and a 

Web-based Contribution Comparison Calculator that allows participants to compare the 

effects of Roth vs. traditional contributions on take-home pay, projected account balances, and retirement income. The Roth education effort also required changes to virtually every publication, form, and notice in our inventory. As of December 31, 2012, 

these efforts had resulted in 101,000 participants making Roth TSP contributions, and 

total Roth balances of nearly $130 million. Sample posters and output from the Roth 

Contribution Comparison Calculator comprise Appendices A and B, respectively. 

TSP4gov on YouTube 

 During 2012, we began developing short video clips to help participants explore 

various aspects of the TSP, and opened a TSP channel on YouTube. Participants can 

now visit www.YouTube.com/TSP4gov to access an array of videos and archived webinars. An image of the menu screen may be found at Appendix C. 
FRTIB Annual Report on Financial Literacy Efforts Page 3 of 4 

New Participant Statements 

 We redesigned our quarterly and annual statements for 2012, incorporating numerous best practices in statement presentation and design. The redesigned statements display information on Roth TSP balances (for participants who have them), and 

provide participants with a wealth of information to help them make informed decisions 

with respect to managing their retirement investments. This includes the rates of return 

for the TSP funds, administrative expenses, personal rates of return, and vesting information, all in a user-friendly format. 

Secure Message Center 

 2012 saw the addition of a secure messaging feature to the TSP website 

(www.tsp.gov). Participants can send their TSP investment questions electronically and 

receive a return message or a personal call within 24 business hours. Answers to the 

most frequently asked questions are posted to the message center for 24-7 access. 

Interactive Form Wizards 

 Interactive form wizards were developed on the website to walk participants 

through the completion of complicated withdrawal forms. As an alternative to completing a paper form, participants can access the withdrawal wizards through their accounts 

on the TSP website. The wizards walk participants through a series of questions and fill 

out the forms electronically. They even provide a customized checklist of what needs to 

be done to complete the forms and get them to the TSP. 

Educational Materials in Print 

and on the Web 

 The workhorses in the TSP educational arsenal are our print materials and the 

TSP website. The print products are distributed to employing agencies and services, 

and made available through our call centers and the TSP ThriftLine (877-968-3778). 

Participants can also view and/or download publications through our website. These 

products help participants fully understand the details of their TSP benefits and the consequences or risks of their choices. The TSP website offers informative articles, online 

calculators, and interactive pie charts along with information on share prices, historical 

returns, and administrative expenses to assist participants in making informed decisions 

about their retirement investments. A list of new or substantially revised educational 

materials issued in 2012 is enclosed at Appendix D. 
FRTIB Annual Report on Financial Literacy Efforts Page 4 of 4 

 We also produce technical bulletins as needed to keep agency human resources 

and payroll personnel informed of changes to TSP policies and procedures, and to keep 

them abreast of new TSP features. In 2012, we produced a total of 43 bulletins to help 

our agency and service partners administer the TSP. 

In-Person Agency Representative Training/Employee Briefings 

 By law (5 U.S.C. §8350) the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is required 

to operate a training program for retirement counselors in the employing agencies of 

government. This law is intended to ensure that employees are able to obtain current 

information and a level of personal service in response to their retirement-related questions. Since 1987, we have worked synergistically with OPM to sustain a network of 

TSP agency representatives within that community of retirement counselors. The TSP 

agency representatives receive training and stay current by attending specialized TSP 

training sessions. In 2012, 679 agency representatives attended a total of 47 training 

sessions led by the TSP training staff. Additional information about the content of the 

courses and training schedule is provided under the “Information for Agency/Service 

Representatives” link on our website. 

 In addition to these “train the counselor” sessions, in 2012 our training staff delivered 343 TSP briefings to groups of civilian employees and uniformed service members. A total of 17,961 employees attended the sessions in person, and another 990 

participated from off-site via webinar, conference call, and video teleconference. We 

provide these sessions free of charge to employing agencies and services. Representative responses to several of these training sessions are enclosed at Appendix E. 

 We also set up TSP exhibits at conferences and financial/benefits fairs for civilian 

employees and members of the uniformed services. In 2012, we participated in 25 such 

events, enabling members of our staff to “talk TSP” with more than 4,100 attendees. A 

list of these events is at Appendix F. 
Appendix A: New TSP Posters for 2012 

 

 
 

Appendix B: Sample Output from the Roth Contribution Comparison 

Calculator 
Appendix C: Menu Screen, www.YouTube.com/TSP4gov
 New and revised TSP Materials - 2012

Annual Letter from the Executive Director

Highlights Newsletter

Date Title

January/February 2012 Is Roth for You?

April 2012 Your Roth Questions Answered

July 2012 Your New Quarterly Participant Statement

October 2012 New TSP Tools and Materials

Military Saves Articles

Date Title

April 2012 TSP Rolls Out Roth in May

May 2012 Roth TSP: More Questions and Answers

August 2012 Contribution Allocations and Interfund Transfers: What's the Difference?

November 2012 Tools You'll Want to Use from the TSP

YouTube videos:

Introducing Roth

Is Roth Right for Me? (Civilian version)

Is Roth Right for Me? (Uniformed Services version)

How to Change Your Address

Contribution Allocations and Interfund Transfers

The 10% Withdrawal Penalty Tax

Posters

Spring 2012

America/Military Saves Week

Financial Literacy Month

Fall 2012

Web content/communications changes to include:

Messages from the Executive Director

Plan News

Home page banners

E-messaging service for members of the uniformed services

E-messaging for civilian participants

Quarterly Participant Statements

Notices

Notice Number Notice Name

GC/U 706 Refund of Catch-up Contributions Across Plans

JU 101 Form TSP-65 Confirmation (civilian to uniformed services)

JC 102 Form TSP-65 Confirmation (uniformed services to civilian--no tax exempt money)

JC 103 Form TSP-65 Confirmation (uniformed services to civilian--with tax exempt money)

JC/U 104 Form TSP-65 Rejection

LC/U 120 Taxable Distribution (reserved for Agency use only)

LC/U 401 Pending Taxable Distribution (default)

LC/U 403 Taxable Distribution 

LC/U 404 Separated Participant with Outstanding Loan

LC/U 406 Pending Taxable Distribution Reminder for Default

MC/U 105 Required Minimum Distribution

MS 105 Required Minimum Distribution

MC/U 106 Required Minimum Distribution and G Fund Transfer Notice

TC/U 401 Confirmation for Funds Transferred to TSP

TC/U 402 Rejection for Funds Transferred to TSP

TC/U 403 Confirmation for Roth Funds Transferred to TSP
WC/U 101 Age-Based and Partial Withdrawal Confirmation

WS 101 Partial Withdrawal Confirmation for Beneficiary Participants

WC 103 Automatic Enrollment Refund Confirmation

WC/U 104 Financial Hardship Withdrawal Confirmation

WC/U 202 Annuity Estimate

WC/U 204 Withdrawal Rejection (hardship withdrawal)

WS 204 Withdrawal Rejection (full withdrawal--beneficiary participant)

WC/U 207 Withdrawal Rejection (full withdrawal)

WC/U 208 Withdrawal Rejection (age-based withdrawal)

WC/U 209 Withdrawal Rejection (partial withdrawal)

WC/U 301 Full Separation Withdrawal Confirmation

WS 301 Withdrawal Confirmation (beneficiary participant)

WC/U 400 Recalculation for Transfers into the TSP (dollar amount)

WC/U 401 Life Expectancy Recalculation

WC/U/S 402 Annual Notice to Change Amount of Monthly Payment

WC/U 403 Change in Monthly Payment Type

WS 403 Change in Monthly Payment Type

XC/U 401 Restoration of Abandoned Account Confirmation

XC 402 Restoration of Statutory Forfeiture

* C=Civilian; U=Uniformed Services; S=Spouse (Beneficiary Participant)

Forms

Form Number** Form Name

TSP-1 Election Form

TSP-U-1 Election Form

TSP-1-C Catch-Up Contribution Election

TSP-U-1-C Catch-Up Contribution Election

TSP-13-S-C Spouse Election of Payment Method for Court-Ordered Payment 

TSP-20 Loan Application

TSP-21-G Loan Agreement (General)

TSP-21-R Loan Agreement (Residential)

TSP-25 Automatic Enrollment Refund Request

TSP-26 Loan Payment Coupon

TSP-44 Refund of Excess Deferrals

TSP-60 Request for Transfer Into the TSP

TSP-60-R Request for Roth Transfer into the TSP

TSP-65 Request to Combine Civilian and Uniformed Services TSP Accounts

TSP-70 Request for Full Withdrawal

TSP-70-A Late Request for Full Withdrawal

TSP-72 Request for TSP Materials for Separated Participant

TSP-73 Change in Monthly Payment Amount

TSP-75 Age-Based In-Service Withdrawal Request

TSP-76 Financial Hardship In-Service Withdrawal Request

TSP-77 Request for Partial Withdrawal When Separated

TSP-78 Monthly Payments Maintenance

TSP-79 Change From Monthly Payments to Final Payment

TSP-81 Death Benefit Election for a Non-Spouse Beneficiary

TSP-90 Withdrawal Request for Beneficiary Participants

** U=Uniformed Services version

Many forms were redesigned such that certain versions could either be eliminated or collapsed into a single version.

Booklets

Booklet Number Booklet Name

TSPBK02 Withdrawing Your TSP Account After Leaving Federal Service

TSPBK04 Loans

TSPBK08 Plan Summary

TSPBK11 Court Order
TSPBK12 In-Service Withdrawals

TSPBK30 Managing Your Account 

TSPBK31 Death Benefits: Information for Participants and Beneficiaries

TSPBK32 Managing Your Account for Beneficiary Participants

TSPBK33 Your TSP Account: A Guide for Beneficiary Participants

Leaflets

Leaflet Number Leaflet Name

TSPLF13 How to Read Your Quarterly TSP Participant Statement 

TSPLF15 Considering Your Next Move? TSP Withdrawals

TSPLF29 How to Read Your Quarterly TSP Participant Statement for Beneficiary Participants

TSPLF30 Roth: A New TSP Element

Tax Notices

Tax Notice Number Tax Notice Name

TSP-536 Important Tax Information About Payments From Your TSP Account

TSP-537 Special Tax Withholding Rules for Thrift Savings Plan Payments to Nonresident Aliens

TSP-582 Tax Treatment of Thrift Savings Plan Payments Made Under Qualifying Orders

TSP-583 Important Tax Information About Thrift Savings Plan Death Benefit Payments

TSP-775 Important Tax Information About Your TSP Withdrawal and Required Minimum Distributions

TSP-776 Tax Information About TSP Withdrawals and Required Minimum Distributions for Beneficiary

TSP-780 Tax Information for TSP Participants Receiving Monthly Payments

Fact Sheets

Fact Sheet Number Fax Sheet Name

OC03-03 Catch Up Contributions

OC03-11 Your Shares in the TSP Funds

OC04-11 Nonpay Status Rules Chart 

OC91-13 Annual Limit on Elective Deferrals

OC91-16 The Thrift Savings Plan and IRAs

OC94-20 Transfers From the Thrift Savings Plan to Eligible Retirement Plans

OC95-4 Effect of Nonpay Status on Your TSP Account

OC95-5 TSP Benefits that Apply to Members of the Military Who Return to Federal Civilian Service

OC95-10A Bankruptcy Information--Petitions filed before October 17, 2005

OC95-10B Bankruptcy Information--Petitions filed on or after October 17, 2005
Appendix E: Representative Responses to TSP Training Sessions 

8. What did you like best about this training? Why? 

1. It was comprehensive, and included clear explanations of the new choices in TSP 

2. Investing in the TSP. 

Give me an idea the best allocations of my money. 

3. the Q&A 

4. provided more understanding of the system 

5. Very informative.Learned much. Will make changes do to what I learned. 

6. The instructor was very engaging and easy to understand. The topics covered were 

all very important. 

7. I liked the ability to ask questions during the training because allowed for more 

audience participation. 

8. the instructor is absolutely fantastic: knowledge + ability to communicate 

9. Covered both simple and complex aspects of TSP. 

10. Options after retirement. I am close to retirement. 

11. Always something new to learn about the TSP. 

12. ability to ask questions 

13. Instructor's knowledge and ability to communicate the topic and the importance of 

the plan. 

14. The speaker knew his subject well and did a wonderful job at relaying the 

materials 

Employee comments, National Institute of Standards and Technology employee survey, 

September 2012 
Thrift Savings Plan, June 13, 2012

COMMENTS:

• Explained about all the funds great  

• I wish he had gotten to the post‐retirment options.  

• It was useful to hear about the new Roth options.  

• TOO LONG.  

• I loved this presentation. Some insider information would have been incredible, but

understandable the capacity of the presenter would not allow it.  

• Outstanding info ‐ solid presentation.  

• Good speaker and good information.  

• You must give him more time.  

• He was VERY GOOD.  

• Very good speaker, loads of information  

• This was the most I've learned about TSP since I joined!The information was very good.  

• speaker was excellent and managed to convey the information in an understandable manner.  

• Good information.  

• Probably provide a current print out of ones TSP holdings.  

• Good information on the new Roth TSP option. Candid remarks appreciated. He seemed a bit

rushed to deliver all points in his presentation. Perhaps allocate additional time for this topic.  

• Most of the information provided can be found on the TSP Website.  

• I'm still not sure about the Roth IRA program. I am under CSRS and have a TSP account with no

matching funds from my employeer.  

• I did not understand most of what was presented. It seemed more geared to those quite

conversant with financial planning terminology. As I am not, I did not get anything out of the

presentation.  

• this was okay but probably a little less honest than the ones you can get over lunch hour at

Main State from the SDFCU because the guy represented TSP.  

• Presenter did a great job and successfully towed the line between good points and "insider

trading tips"  

• The speaker answered participants’ questions very well.I learnt something which I will apply in

the future.  

• Good overview, would have like more information on the new Roth but, time didn't permit.  

• As with the FSPS presenter, this speaker knew his material, delivered it well, offered valuable

counsel and insights, and stuck to the topic. Good session.  

• Fantastic presenter.  

• Great speaker/presenter. I made immediate changes to my TSP account and long‐term

planning because of this presentation.  

Employee comments, Foreign Service Institute employee survey, June 2012
Date: 10/25/2012 05:50 PM 

Subject: TSP Training 

Dear Emma and Alain, 

Thank you so much for inviting Kelly and I to the TSP training today. 

Both sessions were extremely helpful. This trainer's seminars were the 

most knowledgeable I've seen on the subject. At some point, we plan to 

invite him to the Court of Appeals. When we do, we hope to return the 

favor. 

Best, Shelly Wulff 

Agency feedback from TSP briefing sessions 
2012 TSP Participation in Conferences and Benefits Fairs 

In 2012, the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board (Agency) 

attended and/or actively participated in a total of 25 conferences and Federal 

Benefit fairs. A total of 16 sessions supported the Federal civilian sector, 2 

supported the U.S. Postal Service union workers, and 8 events were in support 

of the Department of Defense and the remaining uniformed services. Of the 16 

events supporting the Federal civilian sector, we attended 5 conferences 

sponsored by employee organizations such as Blacks in Government (BIG) or 

Federally Employed Women (FEW). For reference, the 25 events attended are 

part of the 472 TSP training events conducted in 2012 by the Agency. 

With regards to the cross-over outreach, the conferences sponsored by 

Federal employee organizations along with DoD sponsored events allowed the 

Agency to reach out to both Federal civilian employees and members of the 

uniformed services in attendance. 

Federal Civilian Program Benefits Fairs, Training or Conferences- 16

Includes: 

Federal Agency Benefits Fairs, Conferences or Training Events- 11

OPM Conference 

Financial Literacy Fair 

Financial Fair 

Federal Railroad Administration 

University of Maryland Financial Fair 

TSA 

OPM Fall Festival 

Department of Homeland Security 

Department of Veterans Affairs 

Department of Transportation 

National Institute of Standards 

Federal Employee Organization Annual Conference- 5 

Blacks In Government (BIG), Exhibit & Brief 

Society of American Indian Government Employees (SAIGE) 

27th Federal Asian Pacific American Council National Conference 

Federally Employed Women (FEW) 

National Image Conference 
Postal Union Conferences- 2

Includes: 

National Association of Letter Carriers 

National Rural Letter Carriers Association 

Uniformed Services Conferences and Forums- 8 

Includes DoD sponsored events and DoD affiliated organizations that support the 

uniformed services. 

Military Organization Annual Conferences- 8 

AFCEA/USNI Western Conference 

NG Bureau’s Military Saves 

Joint Base Myer Henderson 

DoD Military Saves Week 

Navy League (Sea-Air-Space) 

Modern Day Marine 

Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education 

Association of the US Army