Kevin Esler is the creator of tipsladder.com, a free website that helps you purchase TIPS -- Treasury Inflation Protected Bonds. Back on July 18th, Kevin joined Economics Matters - the Podcast to walk everyone though his tremendously valuable tipsladder.com
Hi, I don't get how it works. I pulled this from the web: The G Fund, also known as the Government Securities Investment Fund, pays investors the higher yield that comes from longer-term US government bonds, but it does so without the risk of their day-to-day market price fluctuations.
Is the return somehow guaranteed? Otherwise, it is surely marked to market and must fluctuate. My guess is it's just like any other bond fund. It's real return can be zapped by inflation and increase in interest rates.
But if it's being run as a closed end fund, then the major risk is inflation. Is that your understanding. I don't see it as a substitute for a TIPS ladder that eliminates the risk of withdrawals of regular and retirement account assets as determine by MaxiFi.com.
Hi, I don't get how it works. I pulled this from the web: The G Fund, also known as the Government Securities Investment Fund, pays investors the higher yield that comes from longer-term US government bonds, but it does so without the risk of their day-to-day market price fluctuations.
Is the return somehow guaranteed? Otherwise, it is surely marked to market and must fluctuate. My guess is it's just like any other bond fund. It's real return can be zapped by inflation and increase in interest rates.
But if it's being run as a closed end fund, then the major risk is inflation. Is that your understanding. I don't see it as a substitute for a TIPS ladder that eliminates the risk of withdrawals of regular and retirement account assets as determine by MaxiFi.com.
Thanks very much for your reply. Here's a comment that I think explains the G fund well: "What is special about the G Fund is that its crediting rate tracks the weighted average market interest rate of Treasuries with 4+ years of maturity. However, it is guaranteed to have a lossless NAV. " https://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=7056312&sid=468892ad6786a87ba469697189366083#p7056312
Of course the TSP is only open to current/former federal employees.
(By the way, I'm a longtime reader of your writing and a subscriber to maxifi. Thanks for all of your work!)
Professor Kotlikoff, what do you think of the TSP G Fund as an alternative to a TIPS ladder?
Those will be real handy come Mad Max days.....