TSP contribution limits, 2026
Source: Thrift Savings Plan, contribution limits page at TSP.gov. Verified by Avidity Capital on 2026-06-23. The verification on file used a licensed reference document, which is not republished here.
The Thrift Savings Plan is the federal government's retirement savings plan, the equivalent of a 401(k) for service members and federal employees. The IRS sets how much you can put in each year. Under the Blended Retirement System the government also puts money in. This page lists those figures.
The figures
The higher catch-up for ages 60 to 63 is larger than the standard catch-up, and both sit on top of the elective deferral limit.
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Elective deferral limit, your own contributions for the year | $24,500 |
| Catch-up contribution, age 50 and over, on top of the deferral limit | $8,000 |
| Higher catch-up contribution, ages 60 to 63, in place of the standard catch-up | $11,250 |
| Maximum government contribution under BRS, as a percent of basic pay | 5% |
| Retirement system the government contribution applies to | BRS |
How this is used in your plan
The government contribution under BRS is the most valuable line on this page. Part of it is automatic and arrives whether or not you contribute. The rest is a match that is paid only when you contribute, so your own contribution has to be high enough to collect all of it, up to 5% of basic pay in total.
The elective deferral limit is a ceiling, not a target. If you reach it before the last pay period of the year, your contributions stop and so does the matching contribution for the rest of the year. The app warns you when your contributions for the year are near the limit.
Catch-up contributions start the year you turn 50.
Roth and traditional TSP share the same limit. Splitting between them does not raise it.
Questions people ask
Does the government contribution count against my limit?
No. The elective deferral limit applies to your own contributions. Government contributions are added on top.
What happens if I hit the limit in October?
Your contributions stop for the rest of the year, and under BRS the matching contribution stops with them. The automatic contribution continues. Spread contributions across every pay period so the limit lands in December.
Do Roth and traditional TSP have separate limits?
No. One limit covers both. You can split your contribution between them in any proportion.
Where does the limit come from?
The IRS sets it each year and TSP.gov publishes it. This page is rebuilt from the verified dataset when the new figure is signed, and the verification line above shows the date.
See these numbers with your own rank and situation
The free reality-check shows whether the TSP percentage you enter collects the full government contribution for your years of service. No account. No card.
Run the free reality-checkThis page is educational and is not investment, tax or legal advice. Figures are published by the source named above and may change; verify the current figure with that source before acting on it. Avidity Capital Inc. is not affiliated with the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, the Thrift Savings Plan or the Department of Defense. Avidity Capital Inc. is a registered investment adviser. Read the firm's Form CRS and Form ADV Part 2A.