I was hoping to wait until the IRS published the TSP contribution limits for next year and DFAS published the 2022 pay tables to finalize and post the TSP contribution tables.
The TSP contribution limit
Table 1 shows how much you need to contribute to max out the TSP and have even contributions throughout the year. If you like the dollar cost averaging strategy, use this table.
Table 2 is for those in BRS who want to get some of their money in a little earlier but want to make sure they will still be able to contribute 5% in December to get the full match.
Tables 3 and 4 are the same as Tables 1 and 2, respectively, but they include the catchup limit for those who are over 50 years old or will turn 50 in 2022.
All tables assume a constant contribution all year from base pay only. If you are promoted, get a raise for time in service, or make contributions from special, incentive, or bonus pay it will through off the numbers.
Some people might want to contribute as much as they can early in the year based on the idea that the market goes up more than it goes down. For those in BRS this can be an issue because if you reach the limit early you will miss out on the service match for the rest of the year. Because I am a math and finance nerd and wanted to put off doing real work, I came up with a method to calculate how many months you can contribute a certain percentage and still be able to get the match the rest of the year. It also includes a calculation for what percentage to go to after the initial months of large contributions.
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