TSP Calculator

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Plan for Your Future With Our TSP Growth Calculator

Start your journey toward long-term financial security with our comprehensive TSP growth calculator. Designed to estimate how a Thrift Savings Plan account may grow over time, this tool factors in employee contributions, applicable agency matching, and assumed investment growth to provide a practical planning estimate. Whether you are early in your career or approaching retirement, it helps illustrate how your ongoing contributions and growth assumptions may influence your future TSP balance and long-term retirement savings potential.

Who This TSP Calculator is for

Our TSP calculator is built for federal employees who want to understand how their Thrift Savings Plan may grow over time. Whether you are early in your career or approaching retirement, it provides a clearer view of your future savings. By factoring in current contributions and growth assumptions, the calculator estimates long-term outcomes and projects your potential future TSP balance to support informed retirement planning.

Why Use a TSP Growth Calculator?

Retirement planning can feel complex and uncertain, especially as you get closer to making final decisions. A TSP growth calculator helps federal employees translate today’s contribution choices into a clearer picture of future retirement income. By entering key details such as your current salary, contribution rate, years to retirement, and expected growth, this thrift savings plan calculator provides a practical estimate of how your Thrift Savings Plan may grow over time.

It’s designed to help answer the questions federal employees care most about as retirement approaches:

• How much could my TSP be worth when I retire?
• How do changes in my contribution rate affect long-term growth?
• What role does agency matching play in my final TSP balance?

Using a TSP calculator allows you to compare scenarios, identify potential gaps, and make informed adjustments so your retirement strategy is guided by realistic projections rather than guesswork.

How to Use the TSP Growth Calculator

• Enter Current Account Balance: Input your current TSP balance as the starting point. If you're just beginning, you can enter "0."
• Expected Rate of Return (%): Estimate your annual return based on the funds you’re investing in, such as:
  G Fund (Government Securities): ~2.5%
  C Fund (Common Stock): ~10%
  Blended Rate (mix of stocks and bonds): ~7% Adjust this rate according to your risk tolerance and historical fund performance.
  
• Years Until Retirement: Enter how many years you plan to work and contribute to your TSP retirement. The longer you invest, the more your savings grow through compounding.
  
• Annual Contribution + TSP Match: Include your contribution and your employer's matching contribution. For instance, if you contribute 5% of your salary and your employer matches 5%, input this combined amount.

Example Calculation

Let's assume the following

• Initial TSP account balance (PV): $50,000
• Expected annual rate of return (r): 5% (or 0.05)
• Number of years until retirement (n): 20 years
• Annual contribution + TSP match (PMT): $10,000

Plugging these values into the formula

Total future value of your TSP account at retirement

FV total = 132,664.89 + 330,659.54 = 463,324.43

So, the total future value of your TSP account at retirement would be $463,324.43.

Plugging these values into the formula

Benefits of Using a TSP Calculator

A TSP growth calculator helps federal employees understand how their Thrift Savings Plan may grow over time and how today’s decisions can affect future retirement outcomes. Rather than relying on rough estimates or assumptions, TSP calculator growth provides structured projections that support clearer, more confident retirement planning.

Key Benefits :

• Clear visibility into future TSP value: See how your current balance and ongoing contributions may grow over time based on realistic growth assumptions.
• Better understanding of compounding and time: Understand how consistent contributions especially when combined with agency matching can significantly influence long-term retirement savings.
• Scenario-based planning: Test different contribution levels, retirement timelines, or growth assumptions to see how changes may affect your projected TSP balance.
• Support for informed decisions: Use projected outcomes to evaluate contribution strategies, identify potential shortfalls, and make adjustments before retirement decisions become difficult to change.
• Stronger retirement readiness: Gain a clearer picture of whether your current savings strategy aligns with your retirement goals and expected income needs.

Using a TSP calculator growth tool allows federal employees to move beyond guesswork and base retirement planning decisions on structured estimates that reflect real-world variables and long-term planning considerations.

TSP Contribution Limits for 2026 (IRS Update)

For tax year 2026, the IRS and the Thrift Savings Plan have updated the contribution limits that govern how much federal employees can defer into their retirement accounts:

• Employee Elective Deferral Limit: $24,500 this is the maximum amount you can contribute from your paycheck to your TSP in 2026.
• Catch-Up Contributions (Age 50+): $8,000 available in addition to the standard limit for participants aged 50 and older.
• Higher Catch-Up (Age 60–63): $11,250 under the SECURE Act 2.0, employees aged 60 to 63 can take advantage of an even larger catch-up contribution limit.
• Total Maximum (Age 50+): Up to $32,500 (standard + catch-up) or up to $35,750 for ages 60-63.

These limits apply to traditional (pre-tax), Roth (after-tax), or combined contributions but the total of those contributions cannot exceed the limits above.

Maximizing Your TSP Contributions

To get the most from your Thrift Savings Plan, consider these strategies:

• Contribute enough to get the full agency match: Contribute at least 5% of your basic pay to receive the full matching funds. Matching contributions can significantly boost your projected TSP balance over time.
• Aim for the 2026 IRS contribution limits: The standard employee contribution limit is $24,500. If you’re 50 or older, you can add a catch-up contribution of $8,000. Employees aged 60–63 can contribute up to $11,250 extra. Hitting these limits maximizes the growth potential in your TSP.
• Start early and stay consistent: Regular contributions, especially early in your career, allow compounding to work effectively, helping your account grow faster over decades.
• Automate and increase contributions: Setting up automatic payroll deductions ensures you save consistently, and gradually increasing your contributions with pay raises helps grow your balance without impacting take-home pay.
• Spread contributions evenly: Dividing your annual maximum across all pay periods avoids hitting limits too early and ensures you capture the full employer match throughout the year.
• Use windfalls wisely: Direct bonuses, tax refunds, or other unexpected income into your TSP to accelerate growth and see a bigger impact in the calculator projections.

Maximizing your TSP contributions is just one piece of the retirement puzzle. Many federal employees struggle with knowing if they’re saving enough, choosing the right funds, or coordinating their TSP with other retirement benefits. To make sure nothing falls through the cracks, use our Retirement Planning Checklist for a complete step-by-step guide.

Start Planning Today with Our TSP Retirement Calculator

Our TSP Retirement Calculator simplifies your retirement planning. By entering your current savings, expected rate of return, and annual contributions, you can see how your TSP balance will grow. This helps you stay aligned with your retirement goals and make adjustments to maximize your savings.

Use our tsp growth calculator growth growth to explore various scenarios and understand how changes in your contributions or investment returns can impact your future balance. By regularly using the TSP Growth Calculator, you can make informed decisions that will ensure a secure and comfortable retirement. Start today and take control of your financial future with our easy-to-use tsp calculator growth.

TSP Investing Strategies

It is important to determine your Thrift Savings Plan investment strategy. Are you able to clearly define your investment strategy objective? Most people are unable to define what investment strategy they are using. The TSP Retirement Calculator can only project based on expected return, not TSP investment advice.

Are the L Funds the Best TSP Investment Mix?

The L funds may be the right choice for someone who either doesn’t have the time or skill to review TSP investment options on their own. The ideal way to use L Funds is to pick the year closest to your retirement then put your entire TSP balance in it.  Ultimately, the TSP L funds will end up in the L Income fund over time, which we know is heavily invested in the G fund. This gradual progression to a G fund-heavy investment objective may not be the right fit for you. Over time, the L Income fund may struggle to keep up with inflation.

Why Choose Federal Pension Advisors?

Choosing Federal Pension Advisors means opting for a client-first approach that focuses on understanding your individual retirement goals and risk tolerance. We utilise diversification to help reduce risk and navigate market fluctuations, creating strategies designed to deliver both stability and long-term growth. Our team stands out through its specialised knowledge, years of experience, and unwavering commitment to transparency and ethical guidance. We act solely in the best interests of our clients, offering trusted advice backed by the highest professional standards. When planning your financial future, rely on the expertise of a Certified Financial Planner – your assurance of excellence in pension and retirement planning.

Have a Conversation with a TSP Expert

Unlock the full potential of your Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) with expert advice and proven strategies tailored for 2026. From building the ideal TSP investment mix to identifying the top-performing TSP funds, our specialists guide you every step of the way. Whether you're looking for practical TSP investing advice, refining your strategy, or considering a TSP rollover to a 401(k) or IRA, our experienced TSP Financial Advisors offer insights that make a difference.

Navigate the complexities of TSP with clarity and confidence. Make informed decisions using our powerful TSP calculator retirement tools and in-depth analysis of Thrift Savings Plan fees. Stay ahead with up-to-date investment strategies and discover the best TSP fund recommendations to elevate your financial future.

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