Retiring during 2016? You may want to consider “front-loading” your TSP.
In 2016 you can contribute $18,000 to the TSP, plus another $6,000 if you are 50 or over. When you work an entire year, it is likely that you will spread your TSP contributions out over the entire year. This is especially important if you are a FERS employee, as it ensures you receive the full government matching contributions.
If you are retiring in the middle of the year, you can accelerate your TSP contributions so that you hit the maximum by the date that you leave. Let’s say you are planning on retiring at the end of June in 2016, and let’s assume that you will leave at the end of the 13th pay period of the year. If you contributed $1,385 per pay period, you would reach the full $18,000 at the end of the 13th pay period. For the “catch-up” contributions of $6,000 per year, you would contribute $462 per pay period to max out at the end of the 13th pay period.
This adds up to a total of $1,847 per pay period, an amount that is out of the reach of many federal employees nearing retirement. Nonetheless, you could accelerate your payments (say, by increasing your contributions from 10% to 15% of salary) and end up with a larger amount in your TSP when you leave.
