How the percent is worked out
- Start with the limit for your age: $24,500, $32,500 or $35,750.
- Take off what you have already contributed this year.
- Add up basic pay for the months left, using the higher rate from the month a promotion or longevity raise takes effect.
- Divide the first number by the second.
TSP elections are whole percents, so the calculator shows the whole percent on each side of the exact answer. The lower one stops a little short of the limit. The higher one reaches it, sometimes a month early.
If you are under the Blended Retirement System
The government puts in 1% of basic pay automatically and matches up to 4% more: dollar for dollar on the first 3% you contribute and fifty cents on the dollar for the next 2%. The match starts after two years of service and is paid only in months when you contribute.
That makes two rules worth keeping:
- Contribute at least 5% of basic pay every month to get the full match.
- If you are aiming for the annual limit, pick a percent that reaches it in December, not before.
2026 TSP limits
| Limit | 2026 amount |
|---|---|
| Elective deferral (traditional plus Roth) | $24,500 |
| Catch-up, age 50 and older | $8,000 |
| Catch-up, ages 60 to 63 | $11,250 |
| Annual additions, including government money and tax-exempt contributions | $72,000 |
Questions
What is the TSP contribution limit for 2026?
The elective deferral limit is $24,500. If you turn 50 or older in 2026 you can add $8,000 in catch-up contributions, for $32,500. If you turn 60, 61, 62 or 63 in 2026 the catch-up is $11,250, for $35,750. Traditional and Roth contributions count toward the same limit.
What percent of my pay maxes out TSP?
Divide what is left of the limit by the basic pay you have left this year. An O-3 over 6 years earns $7,737 a month, so reaching $24,500 over twelve months takes about 26.4% of basic pay. Starting later in the year, or earning less, pushes the percent up.
Why does it matter if I hit the limit before December?
Under the Blended Retirement System the government matches what you contribute each pay period. Once you reach the annual limit your contributions stop, and so does the match for the rest of the year. Spreading contributions so the last one lands in December keeps the full match.
Can I contribute more than $24,500 in a combat zone?
Tax-exempt contributions made from pay earned in a combat zone do not count toward the $24,500 elective deferral limit when they go into traditional TSP. They count toward the annual additions limit, which is $72,000 for 2026. This calculator covers the regular limit only.
Do bonuses and special pays count?
You can contribute from special pay, incentive pay and bonuses, each with its own percent election. This calculator works from basic pay only, so contributions from those pays would lower the percent you need.