FERS TSP calculator: GS pay and agency match
FERS employees get 1% of basic pay from their agency automatically, plus up to 4% more in matching when they contribute 5%. Choose your pay plan, locality, grade and step to see what goes into your TSP each pay period, using the 2026 OPM pay tables.
2026 salary: $74,678 (OPM pay table).
Each pay period (every 2 weeks) (estimate)
- You (5% of basic pay)
- $143.61
- Automatic 1%
- $28.72
- Matching
- $114.89
- Total into your TSP
- $287.22
About $7,468 a year, $3,734 of it from the government.
About $622 a month on average. Most federal employees are paid 26 times a year.
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How the agency match works
The Agency Automatic (1%) contribution arrives every pay period, even if you contribute nothing. Matching follows what you put in from basic pay, up to 5%.
| You put in | Automatic | Match | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0% | 1% | 0% | 1% |
| 1% | 1% | 1% | 3% |
| 2% | 1% | 2% | 5% |
| 3% | 1% | 3% | 7% |
| 4% | 1% | 3.5% | 8.5% |
| 5% or more | 1% | 4% | 10% |
Percent of basic pay, for FERS employees. The match is 100% on your first 3% and 50% on the next 2%.
2026 TSP contribution limits
The most you can contribute from your own pay is $24,500 in 2026, plus catch-up of $8,000 at age 50 or older, or $11,250 at ages 60 to 63. Agency contributions don't count toward this limit. If you reach the limit before your last pay period, your contributions stop for the year, but the agency's automatic 1% continues.
| Your age in 2026 | Most you can put in |
|---|---|
| Under 50 | $24,500 |
| Age 50 to 59, or 64 and older | $32,500 |
| Age 60 to 63 | $35,750 |
Roth catch-up rules and combat-zone limits: TSP contribution limits for 2026
Which pay tables this uses
- General Schedule: 2026 OPM locality pay tables for all 58 locality areas.
- Law enforcement officers: the 2026 GS LEO locality tables.
- Special rates: OPM 2026 special salary rate tables, looked up by table number.
- Other pay plans (FWS, SES, VA, etc.): enter your annual basic pay.
Common questions
How much does the government match in the TSP for FERS employees?
FERS employees get an Agency Automatic (1%) contribution of basic pay whether or not they contribute, plus matching of up to 4% more: dollar-for-dollar on the first 3% they contribute and 50 cents on the dollar for the next 2%. Contributing 5% brings in the full 5% from the agency.
Is locality pay included in TSP contributions?
Yes. TSP contributions and agency matching are based on basic pay, which includes locality pay (or a special rate supplement) for GS employees. Overtime, awards and most bonuses are not basic pay.
Do step increases change my TSP contributions?
Yes. Because contributions are a percentage of basic pay, a within-grade step increase or promotion raises your contribution and your agency's match automatically. GS employees wait 52 weeks between steps 1 to 4, 104 weeks between steps 4 to 7, and 156 weeks between steps 7 to 10.
What are the TSP catch-up contribution limits for 2026?
In 2026 participants age 50 or older can contribute $8,000 more than the $24,500 regular limit. People who turn 60, 61, 62 or 63 during the year can contribute $11,250 more instead.
What is a GS special rate table?
OPM sets special salary rates for some occupations and locations where regular GS pay makes hiring hard. If your SF-50 lists a special rate table number, your basic pay comes from that table instead of the locality table.
Sources: OPM salaries and wages (2026), tsp.gov contribution rules. Estimates only; your LES and tsp.gov are the official figures. Reveille Brief is not affiliated with the TSP, OPM or the U.S. government. Educational information, not investment advice.