How to maximize your federal TSP retirement contributions
I did the math so that you don't have to. If you're a federal employee and want to maximize your Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) retirement contributions for 2026, read on!
FOR ALL FEDERAL EMPLOYEES
The TSP contribution limit for elective deferrals in 2026 is $24,500. Your maximum contribution per pay period should be $942.
The first pay period in which you can make TSP contributions for 2026 is Pay Period 25, which starts this year, on December 14, 2025. All contributions for Pay Period 25 will go toward your 2026 TSP savings.
To ensure your 2026 contributions start on time, update your payroll contribution at your agency's personnel profile (such as EPP) by the end of THIS pay period (November 28).
FOR EMPLOYEES WHO WILL BE 50-59 IN 2026, OR ARE OVER AGE 64
In addition to the $24,500 annual limit, you can contribute up to $8,000 in catch-up contributions.
Your maximum contribution per pay should be $1,250.
FOR EMPLOYEES WHO WILL TURN 60-63 IN 2026
In addition to the $24,500 annual limit, your catch-up contribution limit is $11,500.
Your maximum contribution per pay period should be $1,384.
ABOUT CATCH-UP CONTRIBUTIONS
Contributions in excess of the $24,500 annual limit can be allocated as catch-up contributions.
Before you allocate funds as catch-up contributions, you must first establish a Roth TSP account, if you don’t have one already. Prior guidance stated that a Roth TSP account would automatically be created; that is not the case.
Federal employees aged 50+ who earned over $145,000 in 2025 must make catch-up contributions to the Roth TSP instead of the Traditional TSP.
For 2026, the income limit is $150,000. This threshold will be adjusted for inflation annually.
TSP is a great retirement savings plan for many federal employees. If you want to maximize your contributions and the agency matching contributions, contribute the amounts specified above, spread evenly across all 26 pay periods.
Note: This post was updated on March 4, 2026, to reflect superseding guidance from the National Finance Center.