TSP fund returns: August 2026
I Fund led at +3.32%. F Fund trailed at +0.40%.
All 16 funds below, with year-to-date and 12-month figures. Taken from the official TSP share-price history and net of fund expenses.
1. The month at a glance
2. Core funds: G, F, C, S, I
| Fund | August | YTD 2026 | 12 months | Share price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G Fund Government securities. Cannot lose principal. | +0.41% | +3.00% | +4.84% | $20.1747 |
| F Fund U.S. investment-grade bonds. | +0.40% | -0.16% | +2.32% | $20.8475 |
| C Fund S&P 500 — large U.S. companies. | +2.72% | +13.12% | +24.79% | $123.8857 |
| S Fund U.S. companies outside the S&P 500. | +2.27% | +16.10% | +26.11% | $116.5737 |
| I Fund Non-U.S. developed and emerging markets. | +3.32% | +19.18% | +35.61% | $66.1362 |
Share prices are the closing values on 2026-08-31. All figures are net of administrative and investment expenses, so no further fee adjustment is needed. What each fund actually holds is covered in the complete fund guide.
3. The Lifecycle Funds
| Fund | August | YTD 2026 | 12 months | Share price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| L Income | +1.11% | +6.34% | +11.00% | $31.0984 |
| L 2030 | +1.75% | +9.78% | +17.99% | $63.7801 |
| L 2035 | +2.04% | +11.15% | +20.14% | $19.6510 |
| L 2040 | +2.19% | +11.87% | +21.55% | $75.8349 |
| L 2045 | +2.31% | +12.50% | +22.77% | $21.1005 |
| L 2050 | +2.43% | +13.14% | +24.02% | $47.0118 |
| L 2055 | +2.85% | +15.57% | +28.56% | $24.7662 |
| L 2060 | +2.86% | +15.57% | +28.56% | $24.7630 |
| L 2065 | +2.86% | +15.57% | +28.56% | $24.7596 |
| L 2070 | +2.85% | +15.56% | +28.55% | $14.6743 |
| L 2075 | +2.86% | +15.56% | +28.55% | $12.8180 |
Each L Fund is a fixed mix of the five core funds, rebalanced daily and shifted gradually more conservative each quarter. The spread between L Income and the far-dated funds in any month is simply the difference in how much stock each one holds. Whether the standard glide path fits someone with a FERS pension is a separate question, worked through in L Funds for feds with a pension.
4. What it means, and what it doesn’t
All TSP funds posted gains in August 2026. The stock-based funds led the way, with the I Fund rising 3.32% for the month and sitting at 19.18% for the year. The C and S Funds also gained, up 2.72% and 2.27% respectively. The G and F Funds moved modestly, each up roughly 0.40%. Lifecycle Funds reflected their underlying holdings, with growth-oriented options like the L 2055 through L 2075 funds gaining around 2.86% for the month.
One strong month, or even a strong year, does not guarantee anything about what comes next. Long-term investors are generally better served by staying focused on their time horizon and contribution habits than by reading too much into any single period's results. Past performance does not predict future returns.
The TSP allows two fund reallocations or transfers per calendar month, and after that you can only move money into the G Fund. That limit exists to make reacting to a single month difficult. If you are within five years of retirement, the allocation cliff is the mistake to avoid; if the market has just fallen, what to actually do in a downturn covers the sequence.
5. Frequently asked questions
What were the TSP fund returns in August 2026?
I Fund led the five core funds at +3.32% and F Fund trailed at +0.40%. The G Fund returned +0.41%, the F Fund +0.40%, the C Fund +2.72%, the S Fund +2.27% and the I Fund +3.32%. Returns are computed from TSP share prices and are net of fund expenses.
Should I change my TSP allocation based on one month?
Almost never. A single month is noise against a retirement that runs thirty years or more, and the most expensive TSP mistake is moving to the G Fund after a decline and missing the recovery. Set a target allocation in calm conditions, rebalance on a schedule rather than in reaction to a number, and hold the money you will spend in the next three to five years somewhere it cannot fall.
How are these returns calculated?
From the change in each fund's share price between the last trading day of the prior month and the last trading day of the reported month, using the official TSP share-price history. Share prices are already net of administrative and investment expenses, so no additional fee adjustment is needed.
← July 2026 returns · All monthly reports
Returns computed from the official TSP share-price history for 2026-07-31 through 2026-08-31. This page is informational and is not investment advice.