News and resources
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Unavailable Catch-up contribution
Unavailable Withholding Allowance
$58,000 Annual addition
Latest news and announcements
December 15 deadline for requesting a CARES Act withdrawal — The CARES Act allows coronavirus-affected participants to make a one-time withdrawal of up to $100,000 from a civilian or uniformed services account. If you are eligible and plan to make this type of withdrawal, we must receive your completed application on or before December 15, 2020. We cannot accept any applications received after 11:59 PM that day.
Year-end transaction processing schedule — The TSP processing schedule for the end of 2020 is shown below and includes information about when transactions (including withdrawals and installment payments) will be processed, as well as when the TSP will be closed during the holiday season.
December 17 — TSP installment payments that are normally scheduled to be processed between December 17 and December 31 will be processed on December 17. For income tax purposes, these payments will be reported to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as income for 2020.
December 25 — Because Friday December 25 is a federal holiday, the TSP will be closed. Transactions that would have been processed Friday night (December 25) will be processed Monday night (December 28) at Monday’s closing share prices.
December 29 — Withdrawals processed through December 29 will be reported to the IRS as income for 2020.
December 30 — Withdrawals processed on December 30 will be reported to the IRS as income for 2021. The payments (checks and direct deposits) are expected to be issued on January 4, 2021.
December 31 — Withdrawals processed on December 31 will be reported to the IRS as income for 2021. The payments (checks and direct deposits) are expected to be issued on January 5, 2021.
January 1, 2021 — Because January 1 is a federal holiday, the TSP will be closed. Transactions that would have been processed Friday night (January 1) will be processed Monday night (January 4) at Monday’s closing share prices.
Catch-up contributions are changing — Starting in January 2021, the process for catch-up contributions will be easier for TSP participants. If you’re turning age 50 or older, you’ll no longer need to make separate catch-up elections to your TSP account to contribute toward the catch-up limit.
Here’s how it will work:
- If you reach the IRS elective deferral or annual addition limit before the end of the year and keep saving, your contributions will automatically continue toward the catch-up limit.
- Contributions spilling over toward the catch-up limit will qualify for the match on up to 5% of salary.
- The contribution amount you choose will continue each year unless you change it.
2021 Contribution limits — The Internal Revenue Code places specific limits on the amount that you can contribute to employer-sponsored plans like the TSP each year. The limits for 2021 have been announced. To learn more, visit “Contribution limits.”
Popular videos and resources
Your TSP Investment Options: The Lifecycle Funds
In this video, we’ll talk about the professionally designed Lifecycle Funds, also known as the L Funds.
Popular forms
- TSP-1/TSP-U-1, Election Form
- TSP-60, Request for a transfer into the TSP
- TSP-26, Loan payment coupon
Popular calculators
Top 5 FAQs
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How you change your address with us depends on whether or not you still work for the federal government.
If you’re currently a federal employee, report your correct address to your agency. We can’t accept address changes directly from you.
If you’re an active member of the Air Force, Army, Navy, or Marine Corps, you can update your address through the myPay website. Just make sure that you log in and go to the TSP section to change your TSP address. If you change it in the “Correspondence Address” section of myPay, it will not change your TSP address. Members of the Coast Guard and NOAA Corps can use Direct Access. Select “Home and Mailing Address” under Tasks, then choose “TSP” from the drop-down menu next to “Address Type.”
If you’re no longer a federal employee or uniformed services member, visit My Account: Profile Settings to change the address. Or while you’re logged in, use our Change in Address for Separated Participants, Form TSP-9, and fax or mail it to us.
To change or validate your contact information such as your phone number or email address, visit My Account: Profile Settings.
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In most cases, you’ll use your agency’s or service’s electronic payroll system to start, change, or stop your TSP contributions. For example, civilian payroll systems include Employee Express, EBIS, LiteBlue, myPay, or NFC EPP. Uniformed services can use myPay (Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps) or Direct Access (Coast Guard and NOAA Corps).
If your agency or service accepts the paper form, download and complete the Form TSP-1, Election Form (or Form TSP-U-1 for uniformed services members), or call the ThriftLine at 1-877-968-3778 and choose option 3 to have it mailed to you.
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Starting in the year you turn 50, you may be eligible to make catch-up contributions to your TSP account in addition to your regular employee contributions.
Here’s what you should know:
- You must already be contributing an amount that will reach the IRS annual contribution limit. To see the current limits, visit Contribution Limits.
- You may start, change, or stop making catch-up contributions at any times.
- There are no matching contributions for catch-up contributions.
- You must make a new election each year—they do not restart automatically.
Uniformed service members cannot use incentive pay, special pay, or bonus pay to make catch-up contributions. If you’re in a combat zone, catch-up contributions must be Roth.
To make a catch-up contribution election, use your agency’s or service’s payroll website (e,g., Employee Express, EBIS, LiteBlue, myPay, and NFC EPP) or complete Form TSP-1-C, Catch-Up Contribution Election (TSP-U-1-C for uniformed services members) and submit it to your payroll office. You may also download the form or call the ThriftLine at 1-877-968-3778 and press 3 to request a copy.
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You may be able to reset your password online.
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If you successfully complete the entire loan process online and are approved, you’ll receive your money within 7–10 business days in the form of a check mailed to the address we have on file for you. You will not have the option of receiving your money by electronic funds transfer (EFT).
If you submitted a paper loan agreement, your request make take several weeks to process.
You may track the status of your loan online or by contacting us.