Strategist, Optimist, Avoider, or Security Seeker—Which Retirement Personality Are You?

August 07, 2025

Every federal employee knows they should plan for retirement.

But how you plan—and how you react when the plan changes—often has less to do with your TSP knowledge... and more to do with your personality.

And here’s the twist: your personality might be pushing you toward a six-figure retirement mistake.

The question is, which one are you?

🔎 Meet the 4 Retirement Personalities

🧠 The Strategist

Mindset: “I’ve read the TSP manual cover to cover. Twice.”

You excel at: Planning, projecting, optimizing, and double-checking.

The hidden trap: Analysis Paralysis. You’re always refining—but rarely executing.

  • Waiting too long to rebalance out of the G Fund

  • Delaying Roth conversions past your tax sweet spot

  • Overcomplicating simple decisions

Try this shift: Perfect is the enemy of profitable. Put a date on your strategy, then act.

🛡️ The Security Seeker

Mindset: “I’d rather miss out than mess up.”

You excel at: Consistency, saving, sticking to a plan—even in rough markets.

The hidden trap: Over-protecting your TSP.

  • Too much in the G Fund (especially in your 50s)

  • Fear of “losing” causes long-term underperformance

Try this shift: Use time buckets to match safety to short-term needs, and let your long-term dollars grow.

☀️ The Optimist

Mindset: “It’s all going to work out. Markets go up, right?”

You excel at: Staying calm, riding out volatility, and avoiding panic decisions.

The hidden trap: Underestimating risk.

  • Overlooking tax drag in retirement

  • Ignoring long-term healthcare costs

  • Assuming 7% returns will save the day

Try this shift: Run your numbers through a "what if I’m wrong?" scenario—just once. You might thank yourself at 72.

🙈 The Avoider

Mindset: “I’ll figure it out later. Probably.”

You excel at: Living in the moment. Not overthinking.

The hidden trap: Set-it-and-forget-it retirement.

  • TSP left in default allocations

  • Missed Roth opportunities

  • FEHB and pension options chosen in a rush

Try this shift: Block 30 minutes a quarter. Just to check in. That alone can save you tens of thousands.

📊 Why This Matters

Your TSP doesn't care about your personality. But your decisions do.

And those decisions—when made over years—become your retirement.

A Strategist might miss their Roth window. A Security Seeker might leave 6-figures in growth on the table. An Avoider might retire with a surprise $500/month FEHB premium they didn’t plan for.

That’s the bad news.

The good news? You can adjust right now.

Best,
—FWR