Project your Thrift Savings Plan balance with FERS agency matching and 2026 IRS contribution limits.
Allocation mix (% of balance; normalized if it doesn't total 100)
Fund averages: tsp.gov Rates of return, data through . Average annual returns, nominal (not adjusted for inflation), after fund expenses as tsp.gov reports them. "Short history" funds started July 2020. L 2070 and L 2075 are omitted (too new). Past performance does not guarantee future results; educational only.
■ Starting balance + contributions ■ Investment growth
| Year | Age | Salary | You | Agency | Growth | Balance |
|---|
Agency contributions (FERS): 1% of basic pay automatically, plus a match of 100% on the first 3% you contribute and 50% on the next 2%, for up to 5% total when you contribute 5% or more.
2026 IRS limits (source: tsp.gov Bulletin 25-3, verified Oct 2026): elective deferral limit $24,500; catch-up $8,000 for ages 50+ ($11,250 for those turning 60 to 63). Catch-up contributions spill over automatically once you reach the regular limit. Agency contributions don't count toward the $24,500 limit. Limits are held at 2026 levels in later years, which is conservative since the IRS usually raises them.
Assumptions: contributions are made evenly through the year, so they earn about half a year of return in the year they're made. Returns compound once a year. Your contribution is capped at the IRS limit, and the match is based on the percentage you actually contribute after that cap. Amounts are nominal (not adjusted for inflation). Taxes, fees and the Roth catch-up rule for earners over $150,000 are ignored.