Quick Decision
You are participating in the Thrift Savings Plan and want to get matching contributions
CSRS employees do not receive Agency Matching or Automatic (1%)
Contributions.
Thrift Savings Plan for FERS
The Thrift Savings Plan is an important part of the total FERS retirement package. It gives you a way to save extra money
for the future and to get a tax break today.
When you join FERS, your agency sets up a Thrift Savings Plan account in your name. Every pay period, your agency
automatically puts in an amount equal to 1% of your basic pay. This money is called your Agency
Automatic (1%) Contribution. It is not a deduction from your basic pay. It is an amount your agency contributes for
you based on your basic pay per pay period.
In addition, you can contribute up to 10% of your basic pay per pay period to your Thrift Savings Plan account. If you
contribute to your Thrift Savings Plan account, you will also receive Agency Matchings Contributions as follows:
- The first 3% you save each pay period will be matched dollar for dollar, and
- The next 2% you save each pay period will be matched 50 cents on the dollar.
Your own contributions and your Agency Matching Contributions as well as the earnings attributed to these contributions
belong to you right away. There is no waiting (vesting) period. You are vested in the Agency Automatic (1%)
Contributions and attributable earnings after you have completed 3 years of Federal (generally, civilian)
service (2 years for some noncareer participants).
The following chart shows how your agency matches your contributions:
| 0% | 1% | 0% | 1% |
| 1% | 1% | 1% | 3% |
| 2% | 1% | 2% | 5% |
| 3% | 1% | 3% | 7% |
| 4% | 1% | 3.5% | 8.5% |
| 5% | 1% | 4% | 10% |
| 6-10% | 1% | 4% | 5%
Plus the percentage you contribute |
TSP publications, forms, and rates of return are available
from the TSP website at http://www.tsp.gov/.
To read more about this:
U.S. Office of Personnel Management 1900 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20415 | (202) 606-1800 | TTY (202) 606-2532