What is the TSP contribution limit?

The IRS elective deferral limit applies to combined traditional and Roth TSP contributions each calendar year, with a separate catch-up limit at age 50+ and a higher "super catch-up" for ages 60–63. This tool shows the verified limits for the selected year.

Does the agency match count against my TSP limit?

No. Agency automatic and matching contributions do not count against your elective deferral limit — only your own contributions do. Combined employee plus agency money is bounded by the much higher IRS annual additions limit.

What growth rate should I assume for my TSP?

That is your choice, not ours — this tool defaults to a conservative illustrative rate and lets you change it. Past fund performance is published on TSP.gov; no growth rate is guaranteed.

What is the Thrift Savings Plan?

The TSP is the federal government's workplace retirement savings plan — the federal equivalent of a 401(k) — offering traditional and Roth contributions, low-cost index funds, and, for FERS employees, agency automatic and matching contributions.

TSP Calculator

Project your Thrift Savings Plan balance to retirement. Models your contributions, the 1% automatic agency contribution, the full match tiers (100% of the first 3%, 50% of the next 2%), annual contribution and catch-up limits from the verified IRS/TSP figures, and compound growth year by year.

Works offline — your inputs never leave this device. How that works

Current TSP balance$Annual salary$Your contribution% of payAgency adds 5% (1% automatic + match).Assumed annual return%Your assumption — returns are not guaranteed. Past fund performance is on TSP.gov.Years to projectyearsCurrent ageyearsInclude catch-up contributions when eligibleAge 50+: +$8,000; ages 60–63: +$11,250 (verified 2026 limits)

Projected balance in 20 years$501,359

Your contributions$90,000

Agency money(automatic 1% + match)$90,000

Growth$271,359

Scenario compare — same assumptions, different contribution rate:

+5 points (10%)$671,860 (+$170,501)

Year-by-year table

Year	Age	You	Agency	Growth	Balance
1	40	$4,500	$4,500	$3,270	$62,270
2	41	$4,500	$4,500	$4,006	$75,276
3	42	$4,500	$4,500	$4,787	$89,063
4	43	$4,500	$4,500	$5,614	$103,677
5	44	$4,500	$4,500	$6,491	$119,167
6	45	$4,500	$4,500	$7,420	$135,587
7	46	$4,500	$4,500	$8,405	$152,992
8	47	$4,500	$4,500	$9,450	$171,442
9	48	$4,500	$4,500	$10,557	$190,998
10	49	$4,500	$4,500	$11,730	$211,728
11	50	$4,500	$4,500	$12,974	$233,702
12	51	$4,500	$4,500	$14,292	$256,994
13	52	$4,500	$4,500	$15,690	$281,684
14	53	$4,500	$4,500	$17,171	$307,855
15	54	$4,500	$4,500	$18,741	$335,596
16	55	$4,500	$4,500	$20,406	$365,002
17	56	$4,500	$4,500	$22,170	$396,172
18	57	$4,500	$4,500	$24,040	$429,212
19	58	$4,500	$4,500	$26,023	$464,235
20	59	$4,500	$4,500	$28,124	$501,359

Verified 2026-07-30 against IRS Notice 2025-67 (2026 retirement plan limits) + TSP.gov contribution pages (effective 2026-01-01)

Estimate only — not legal, financial, or benefits advice. Only TSP can determine your actual benefit.

Official source: TSP.gov — official TSP calculators ↗

🎓 Understand this tool

What it is

A projection tool for your Thrift Savings Plan balance: what your current balance, your contribution percentage, the agency automatic 1% and match, and a growth assumption compound into by your retirement year.

How it works

Each projected year adds your contributions (capped at the verified IRS elective-deferral limit, plus catch-up at 50+ and the 60–63 super catch-up), the agency automatic 1% and match tiers (100% of your first 3%, 50% of the next 2%), then applies your chosen annual growth rate. Limits come from the verified TSP/IRS rule pack for the selected year.

Getting the most from it

Enter your current TSP balance, salary, and the percentage of pay you contribute.
Check the agency-money line — if you contribute under 5%, the tool shows the match you are leaving on the table.
Try two or three growth assumptions rather than one; real returns are not guaranteed.
Watch the limit warnings — contributions above the annual limit are flagged, not silently projected.

Reading your result

Read the projection as a range of possible futures driven by your growth assumption, not a promise. The most reliable line in the output is the agency match math — that part is a rule, not a forecast.

What it can't tell you

It cannot predict market returns, future salary increases, or future IRS limits, and it does not model loans, in-service withdrawals, or fund mix. TSP.gov's own calculators are the official planning reference.

Frequently asked questions

FERS employees get an automatic 1% agency contribution regardless of what they save, plus a match of 100% on the first 3% of pay contributed and 50% on the next 2%. Contributing at least 5% captures the full 5% agency money.

Part of: Federal Employee Retirement: The Complete Money Guide →

Related calculators

TSP Loan

Estimate the payment on a TSP general-purpose or residential loan, see total interest — which you pay back into your own account at the G Fund rate — and understand the repayment term rules and what happens to an outstanding loan when you separate from federal service.

FERS Retirement

Estimate your FERS annuity from your high-3 average salary, creditable service years, and retirement age. Applies the 1% multiplier, the 1.1% multiplier at age 62 with 20+ years, your minimum retirement age by birth year, and the MRA+10 early-retirement reduction — with every step of the math shown.

FERS Supplement

Estimate your FERS annuity supplement — the bridge payment for federal employees who retire before 62. Uses the OPM estimating formula (your age-62 Social Security benefit × FERS service ÷ 40), applies the annual earnings test, and shows exactly why the supplement ends at age 62.

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📈TSP Calculator