Are You on Track? A Simple TSP Checkup by Years to Retirement

November 21, 2025

Every federal employee has a TSP account.

But far fewer can answer a simple question…

“Is my TSP actually on track for the retirement I want?”

Let’s find out.

If You Have 20+ Years Until Retirement

These are your building years and the main goal is growth.

At this stage, the two biggest levers you control are…

1) How much you’re putting in.

2) How much of it is in growth funds (C, S, I, or an aggressive L Fund)

What “enough” usually looks like:

  • You’re contributing at least enough to get the full 5% match (if FERS)

  • Total savings (you + agency) are in the 10–15%+ of pay range

  • Most of your money is in stock funds or a long-dated L Fund

Want a simple upgrade?

Bump your contribution by 1% this year (and again next year). You’ll barely feel it in your paycheck, but your future self will.

If You’re 10–20 Years From Retirement

Now it’s about refining, not just saving.

You’re close enough to start tying your TSP to real numbers, like:

  • Your pension estimate

  • Your Social Security timing

  • The lifestyle you want in retirement

Quick self-test for this stage:

  • You can roughly answer: “How much annual income will I want in retirement?”

  • You’ve checked that your TSP + pension + Social Security can reasonably support that number

  • Your investments are still stock-heavy, but you’re slowly adding some G and F (or using a more moderate L Fund)

If you haven’t run the numbers yet, this is your nudge.

If You’re 0–10 Years From Retirement

Now we shift from “grow it” to “protect it and use it wisely.”

A big risk in this window: a major market drop right before or just after you retire.

But that doesn’t mean you should slam everything into the G Fund.

It just means your TSP should:

  • Still have some stock exposure for long-term growth

  • Have more stability from G and F Funds (or an L Fund near your target date)

And beyond investments, you should be clear on:

  • How you’ll use your TSP (monthly withdrawals, partials, IRA rollover, etc.)

  • How taxes will work (Traditional vs Roth)

  • When you’ll start your pension and Social Security

If retirement is within 5 years and you don’t have a written withdrawal plan yet, that’s your homework.

What To Do This Week

You don’t need a full-blown financial plan to make progress. Just:

  1. Log in to TSP and check your contribution percentage and fund mix.

  2. Make one small improvement, like…

    • Increase contributions by 1%

    • Shift a small portion toward a more appropriate L Fund

    • Put a reminder on your calendar to run a pension + TSP + Social Security estimate this month

Your TSP doesn’t need to be perfect.

It just needs to be aligned with where you are in your career and adjusted as you get closer to the finish line.

Best,
—FWR