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Quick answer
Your TSP grows from your contributions, the agency’s 5% (1% automatic + 4% match) and compound returns. Example: age 35 with $50,000, contributing 10% of a $75,000 salary with 2% raises and a 7% return → $1,356,901 at 62 ($696,633 in today’s dollars), about $4,523 a month at a 4% withdrawal rate. In 2026 you can contribute up to $24,500, plus $8,000 catch-up at 50+ ($11,250 at 60–63).
Enter your balance, pay and contribution to project your Thrift Savings Plan balance year by year — with the real FERS matching formula, 2026 IRS limits, catch-up contributions, raises and inflation.
Last updated: · Sources: TSP.gov, IRS Notice 2025-67, 5 CFR 1600 · Fund returns to December 31, 2025 · TSP growth examples · employer match · 2026 contribution limits
Traditional and Roth combined. Contribute at least 5% for the full match.
4% is a common rule of thumb
e.g. when you leave federal service
TSP balance at age 62
$1,356,901
$696,633 in today's dollars · 27 years
$4,523/month at a 4% withdrawal rate ($2,322 today)
Where the money comes from
First year: you put in $7,500 (10.0% of pay), the agency adds $750 automatic + $3,000 match.
TSP growth chart
Year-by-year projection
| Age | You | Agency | Growth | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36 | $7,500 | $3,750 | $3,857 | $65,107 |
| 40 | $8,118 | $4,059 | $8,684 | $139,412 |
| 45 | $8,963 | $4,482 | $17,315 | $272,028 |
| 50 | $9,896 | $4,948 | $29,954 | $465,990 |
| 55 | $10,926 | $5,463 | $48,271 | $746,822 |
| 60 | $12,063 | $6,032 | $74,613 | $1,150,410 |
| 62 | $12,551 | $6,275 | $88,095 | $1,356,901 |
Estimates only — returns are not guaranteed and vary year to year. Contributions are spread evenly through the year and compound monthly.
7% return, 2% raises and the FERS agency contribution unless noted. Today’s dollars use 2.5% inflation.
Age 35, $50k balance, $75k salary, 10% + match, retire at 62
$1,356,901
$696,633 today · $4,523/mo at 4%
New hire: $60k salary, auto-enrolled at 5%, 10 years
$92,624
$72,358 today · $309/mo at 4%
Age 44 with $198k, no more contributions, retire at 62
$669,227
$429,085 today · $2,231/mo at 4%
Max out $24,500 a year from 30 to 60, plus catch-up
$3,219,835
$1,535,033 today · $10,733/mo at 4%
$426k balance, $884 per pay period, age 45 to 60
$1,931,591
$1,333,697 today · $6,439/mo at 4%
Same as the first example, all in the G Fund (2.76%)
$672,078
$345,045 today · $2,240/mo at 4%
Every month, your balance earns the investment return and new money goes in from you and your agency. Over decades, growth becomes the largest part of the balance — in the example above, $909,278 of the $1,356,901 is growth.
1. Your contribution
% of pay or $ per pay period, up to $24,500 (2026) plus catch-up from 50.
2. Agency contribution
1% automatic + 100% of the first 3% + 50% of the next 2% you put in (FERS and BRS).
3. Return
Your fund mix’s annual return, compounded monthly. 6–7% is a common long-run planning figure.
4. Time
Raises increase contributions each year. Inflation converts the result to today’s dollars.
Balance from $0 with a fixed monthly amount (you + agency) at 7% a year. Add the future value of your current balance on top.
| Per month | 10 years | 20 years | 25 years | 30 years | 35 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $250 | $42,763 | $126,884 | $195,760 | $292,363 | $427,853 |
| $500 | $85,526 | $253,768 | $391,521 | $584,726 | $855,707 |
| $1,000 | $171,052 | $507,536 | $783,042 | $1,169,453 | $1,711,414 |
| $1,500 | $256,578 | $761,305 | $1,174,563 | $1,754,179 | $2,567,120 |
| $2,000 | $342,103 | $1,015,073 | $1,566,084 | $2,338,905 | $3,422,827 |
Shaded cells pass $1 million. A $50,000 balance alone grows to $271,372 in 25 years at 7%.
Example plan (age 35 → 62, $50k, 10% of $75k + match) at different returns.
| Return | Balance at 62 | Today’s dollars | Monthly at 4% |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4% | $817,986 | $419,954 | $2,727 |
| 5% | $963,899 | $494,865 | $3,213 |
| 6% | $1,141,183 | $585,883 | $3,804 |
| 7% | $1,356,901 | $696,633 | $4,523 |
| 8% | $1,619,706 | $831,557 | $5,399 |
| 10% | $2,331,294 | $1,196,886 | $7,771 |
All in the G Fund (2.76%): $672,078.
FERS / BRS, $80,000 basic pay, per year.
| You put in | Automatic 1% | Match | Total going in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0% ($0) | $800 | $0 | $800 |
| 1% ($800) | $800 | $800 | $2,400 |
| 2% ($1,600) | $800 | $1,600 | $4,000 |
| 3% ($2,400) | $800 | $2,400 | $5,600 |
| 4% ($3,200) | $800 | $2,800 | $6,800 |
| 5% ($4,000) | $800 | $3,200 | $8,000 |
| 10% ($8,000) | $800 | $3,200 | $12,000 |
New hires are auto-enrolled at 5%. The automatic 1% vests after 3 years of service for most employees; matching vests immediately.
IRS limits. Once you hit the regular limit, extra contributions spill over into catch-up automatically.
| Limit | 2026 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Employee contributions (traditional + Roth) | $24,500 | $23,500 |
| Catch-up, ages 50–59 and 64+ | $8,000 | $7,500 |
| Catch-up, ages 60–63 | $11,250 | $11,250 |
| Total with catch-up, age 50+ | $32,500 | $31,000 |
| Total with catch-up, ages 60–63 | $35,750 | $34,750 |
| Annual additions (you + agency) | $72,000 | $70,000 |
Earned over $150,000 in 2025? Your 2026 catch-up contributions must go to Roth. Maxing out over 26 pay periods = $942.31 per paycheck.
Traditional TSP. Roth earnings are tax-free after age 59½ and 5 years.
| Age 59½ | Withdraw without the 10% penalty, even while still working (in-service withdrawal). |
| Separate in/after the year you turn 55 | No 10% penalty on withdrawals after leaving federal service. |
| Public safety: age 50 or 25 years | Law enforcement, firefighters, air traffic controllers, CBP officers. |
| Before that | Income tax plus 10% early withdrawal penalty (some exceptions). |
| Age 73 (75 if born 1960+) | Required minimum distributions start once you have left federal service. |
Official annualized returns after expenses (0.034–0.051% a year, or 34–51¢ per $1,000). L Funds mix these five funds and get more conservative as their target date nears. Past performance does not predict future returns.
| Fund | Invests in | 2025 | 5-year | 10-year | Since inception |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G Fund | Special-issue U.S. Treasury securities (cannot lose value) | 4.44% | 3.48% | 2.76% | 4.65% (April 1987) |
| F Fund | U.S. investment-grade bonds (Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate) | 7.21% | -0.30% | 2.11% | 5.30% (January 1988) |
| C Fund | Large U.S. companies (S&P 500) | 17.85% | 14.39% | 14.79% | 11.34% (January 1988) |
| S Fund | Small and mid-size U.S. companies (Dow Jones U.S. Completion) | 11.38% | 6.24% | 11.04% | 9.42% (May 2001) |
| I Fund | International developed and emerging markets | 32.45% | 9.41% | 8.70% | 6.01% (May 2001) |
In the example plan the balance passes $1 million at age 59.
See more worked projections in How much will my TSP grow?, the TSP match, or the 2026 contribution limits. Add your pension with the FERS calculator.
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