# 57 - TSP F Fund - What You Need To Know

The TSP F Fund is the Thrift Savings Plan version of a corporate bond fund. However, if you dig a little bit you'll quickly see why this fund is NOT a corporate bond fund in the least. Why do I say this? Look what happened in 2008. In 2008 everything, and I mean EVERYTHING got hammered. That is, everything for government bond funds. Government bonds did swimmingly in that year as everyone was fleeing from risk into assurance. What did a typical corporate bond fund do in 2008? Well look at USAA's Income Fund, USAIX. It was down over 5%. What did the TSP F Fund do? It was UP over 5%! The only way to do that was to have exposure to government bonds, such as GNMAs. Does the F Fund have some corporate bonds in it too? Yup. That's why I actually changed my mind mid-episode as to the fund I'd choose for my fixed income holdings, the G Fund or the F. The F has a broader range of fixed income products in its portfolio.