GI Bill & TSP · calculator
TSP calculator for service members
How much goes into your Thrift Savings Plan from your basic pay and from your service under the Blended Retirement System, and what it could grow into.
Projected TSP balance after 20 years
$190,258
You put in $47,362, the service $47,362, growth $90,535 (pay held at the 2026 rate).
| Basic pay per year | $47,362 |
| Your contributions per year | $2,368 |
| Service contributions per year | $2,368 (5%) |
| Match left on the table | none |
| Room under the 2026 limit | $22,132 |
2026 limits: $24,500 of your own contributions, $72,000 with matching and tax-exempt combat-zone pay. BRS: 1% automatic plus up to 4% matching. How this is calculated.
The Thrift Savings Plan is the retirement savings account of federal employees and members of the uniformed services, managed by the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board. Service members contribute a percentage of basic pay, traditional or Roth, up to the IRS limit of $24,500 in 2026, with catch-up contributions from age 50. Members under the Blended Retirement System also receive service contributions: 1% of basic pay automatically, and a match of up to 4% more on their own contributions, which reaches its maximum when the member contributes 5%. An E-5 with six years who contributes 5% puts $2,466 a year into the TSP and receives the same from the service. Over twenty years, at a 5% yearly return and pay held at today's level, those contributions would grow to about $163,081. The calculator lets you change the grade, the rate, the horizon and the return assumed.
Checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · How we calculate
Projections at different contribution rates
| Member | Contribution | Your money per year | Service money per year | Balance after 20 years (5%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-5, 6 years | 3% | $1,480 | $1,973 | $114,157 |
| E-5, 6 years | 5% | $2,466 | $2,466 | $163,081 |
| E-5, 6 years | 10% | $4,932 | $2,466 | $244,622 |
| O-3, 6 years | 5% | $4,642 | $4,642 | $306,998 |
| E-7, 12 years | 5% | $3,355 | $3,355 | $221,874 |
The step from 3% to 5% is the most valuable change most members can make: it adds two points of their own pay and one more point from the service. Going from 5% to 10% doubles the member's own savings but brings nothing more from the service.
How the BRS contributions work
The automatic 1% is paid on basic pay whether or not the member contributes. The match follows a simple scale: the service matches 100% of the first 3% the member contributes and 50% of the next 2%. Members who joined since October 1, 2020 are enrolled automatically at 5%, so they receive the full match unless they lower it. Members under the legacy High-3 system receive no service contributions at all, which makes their own TSP contributions the only source of savings beyond the pension.
Where the money goes
Contributions are invested in the TSP funds you select, or by default in the lifecycle fund matching your expected retirement date. The TSP is known for very low administrative costs. The account can be combined with a civilian federal TSP account later; veterans who become federal employees keep a single account. For the 2026 limits and catch-up rules, see TSP contribution limits; for how the TSP fits with the pension, the BRS calculator.
Reading the projection honestly
A projection is only as good as its assumptions. The calculator keeps basic pay at the 2026 level, so it leaves out promotions and yearly raises, which would increase contributions over a career. It assumes a constant return, while real returns vary from year to year and can be negative for several years in a row. It ignores fees, which are small in the TSP, and taxes on withdrawal for traditional balances. Used to compare choices, such as 3% against 5%, or starting now against starting in five years, it is reliable; used to promise a balance at retirement, it is not.
Starting early
Time matters more than the rate in the long run. An E-3 who contributes 5% from the first year and leaves after six years can leave the account invested for decades; the same contributions started ten years later have far less time to grow. That is the main argument behind automatic enrollment at 5% for new members, and the reason the calculator lets you change the number of years independently of the grade.