The federal government’s 401(k)-style retirement savings program followed a familiar trend last month, with domestic investments underperforming their overseas counterparts.
The common stocks of the Thrift Savings Plan’s C fund fell 0.68% in April, bringing their 2025 performance to -4.93%. And the small- and mid-size businesses of the S Fund fell 0.78%. Since January, the S Fund has lost 9.65% in value.
But the international stocks of the I Fund gained 4.16% last month, bringing its 2025 gains to 9.00%. The fixed income (F) fund gained 0.39% in April, improving its returns so far this year to 3.18%.
The G Fund, which is made up of government securities, grew by its statutorily mandated rate of 0.35% in April. Since January, the G Fund has grown 1.48%.
Each of the TSP’s lifecycle (L) funds, which shift toward more conservative investments as participants get closer to retirement, kept its head above water in April. The L Income Fund, designed for people who have already begun making withdrawals, gained 0.67%; L 2025, 0.68%; L 2030, 0.92%; L 2035, 0.95%; L 2040, 0.97%; L 2045, 0.99%; L 2050, 1.00%; L 2055, 1.01%; L 2060, 1.01%; L 2065, 1.01%; and L 2070, 1.01%.
So far this year, the L Income Fund has grown 1.13%; L 2025, 1.06%; L 2030, 0.25%; L 2035, 0.25%; L 2040, 0.10%; L 2045, -0.04%; L 2050, -0.18%; L 2055, -0.82%; L 2060, -0.82%; 2065, -0.82%; and L 2070, -0.81%.
