Dear Bureaupat,

I was told the www.tsp.gov website was changing, but when I last checked my TSP account it was the same site I've come to love. Is it true that the TSP website is changing?

Dear Thrift Saver,

You're not the only one who loves the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) website. It is one of the of the top 50,000 most visited sites in the world and is currently ranked 3,316 out of millions of websites in America. And yes it's true that the TSP website will be revamped early in 2010.

The upgraded site will be a major overhaul of the current version (shown below) which has not changed since its debut in 1997.

The new website (shown below) will feature more interactive features, a new layout, and better-organized information and charts.

Rest assured, your money will be safe, what's left of it after the prolonged slump anyway. My job answering your questions may not be safe, however, since the coming TSP upgrade will enable participants to submit questions about their accounts via a secure online messaging service, a the current system lacks. Today, questions are answered by a call center that handles about 15,000 inquiries each day.

When participants first log on they will be taken to a page that provides and overview of their account balance and the rate of return for each of their funds and the current rate for each share of a particular fund.

The site won't drastically change its content and is expected to be fully operational in February or March, unless there are major changes recommended.

Some TSP participants will get an early view of the site. About 1 in every 500 TSP participant who logs onto the site will be invited to test-drive the updated site. Once your tour is completed you'll be asked to complete a survey to comment on the changes.

Yours in Gov,

Bureaupat

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