TSP Calculator
Project your Thrift Savings Plan balance at retirement with BRS employer matching, contribution growth, and monthly retirement income estimate. Everything runs in your browser — no data is stored or sent to any server.
How the TSP Calculator Works
The Thrift Savings Plan is a defined contribution retirement plan available to military service members and federal employees. Under the Blended Retirement System (BRS), the government automatically contributes 1% of your base pay and matches up to an additional 4% of your contributions for a total of 5% employer match. This calculator uses the future value formula to project your TSP balance based on your current balance, monthly contributions, employer match percentage, expected annual return, and years until retirement.
The growth formula used is: FV = PV(1+r/12)^(12t) + PMT x [((1+r/12)^(12t) - 1) / (r/12)], where PV is your current balance, PMT is your total monthly contribution including match, r is the annual return rate, and t is years until retirement. The calculator also estimates monthly retirement income using the 4% safe withdrawal rule.
BRS Matching and Contribution Strategy
The Blended Retirement System provides automatic and matching contributions. Service members receive an automatic 1% contribution from the government regardless of their own contribution level. The government then matches dollar-for-dollar the first 3% you contribute, and 50 cents on the dollar for the next 2%. To maximize the full 5% match, you need to contribute at least 5% of your base pay. Not contributing enough to get the full match is essentially leaving free money on the table.
When choosing between Traditional and Roth TSP contributions, consider your current and expected future tax brackets. Traditional contributions reduce your taxable income now but are taxed upon withdrawal. Roth contributions are made with after-tax dollars but grow and are withdrawn tax-free in retirement. Many military members benefit from Roth contributions because military pay is often in a lower tax bracket during active service.
TSP Investment Fund Options
The TSP offers several investment funds including the G Fund (government securities), F Fund (bonds), C Fund (S&P 500 stocks), S Fund (small-cap stocks), and I Fund (international stocks). There are also Lifecycle (L) Funds that automatically adjust allocation based on your target retirement date. Historical average returns for a diversified stock-heavy portfolio have been around 7-10% annually, though past performance does not guarantee future results. This calculator uses your chosen expected return rate to project growth.
Maximizing Your Military TSP
- Contribute at least 5% to get the full BRS match — this is an immediate 100% return on the matched portion.
- Consider Roth contributions while in a low tax bracket during active duty.
- Increase contributions with each promotion or pay raise.
- Use combat zone tax exclusion to contribute tax-free to Roth TSP during deployments.
- Avoid early withdrawals — the 10% penalty plus taxes significantly erode your savings.