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© 2026 Scypion Finance. Founded by Erajah Scypion.Your money, and the forces that move it.
Home›Calculators›Tax & Retirement›TSP Match Calculator (Military / BRS)
◆ CALCULATOR

TSP Match Calculator (Military / BRS)

See what the government actually adds to your TSP under the Blended Retirement System: the 1% automatic contribution plus the match, and why the first 5% you put in is the highest-return move you have.

✓ ReviewedBy the Scypion Finance team · The method, a worked example, and the sources are laid out below.
◆ MILITARY CALCULATOR

TSP Match (Blended Retirement System)

The government adds up to 5% of your basic pay. See the free money the match is worth as you promote through a career.

Try an example
You today
Pay grade
Years of service (now)
yrs
TSP balance now
$
Your contribution
You contribute
%
Years you'll contribute
yrs
When you'll make each rank
Assumptions
Annual return
%
Annual pay raise
%
Projected TSP after 18 years
$254,584
Starting balance
$3,000
Your contributions
$69,467
Government (1% auto + 4% match)
$69,467
Investment growth
$112,651
What the match added
$122,023
With the match, Your money only
With the matchYour money only
$0$66,828$133,657$200,485$267,313E-5E-6E-73 yrs6 yrs9 yrs12 yrs15 yrs18 yrs20 yrs
xWith the matchYour money only
3 yrs$7,111$5,164
4 yrs$11,861$7,655
5 yrs$17,342$10,520
6 yrs$24,018$13,992
7 yrs$31,367$17,810
8 yrs$39,684$22,122
9 yrs$48,814$26,852
10 yrs$59,616$32,430
11 yrs$71,453$38,538
12 yrs$84,657$45,343
13 yrs$99,097$52,781
14 yrs$115,385$61,159
15 yrs$133,170$70,302
16 yrs$152,741$80,356
17 yrs$174,074$91,310
18 yrs$197,440$103,302
19 yrs$224,608$117,218
20 yrs$254,584$132,561
Modeled from E-4 today to about E-7 by year 20, so your pay (and the match) climbs with rank. On 5% the government adds 5% of basic pay (1% automatic, plus a 4% match). Counting only your own deposits, you'd have $132,561. The match is worth $122,023.

Basic pay from the 2026 DFAS tables, climbing with longevity and, when promotions are on, the years you set for each rank (defaulting to a standard enlisted timeline). Match = 1% automatic + dollar-for-dollar on the first 3% then 50¢ on the next 2% (max 4%), beginning at 2 years; government money goes to the Traditional balance. The $24,500 elective-deferral limit isn't enforced here. Educational only.

How to use this calculator

  1. Enter your pay grade and years of serviceSets the basic pay the match is calculated on.
  2. Set your contribution percentFive percent captures the full government match once you are eligible.
  3. Read the match and projected balanceSee the 1 percent automatic plus the up-to-4 percent match folded in.

If you joined in 2018 or later you're on the Blended Retirement System, and the government contributes to your TSP: 1% automatically, plus a match of up to 4% once you reach two years of service. A plain compound-interest calculator counts only your own deposits and misses that free money. This one adds it in, using the 2026 DFAS basic pay tables.

◆ Frequently Asked Questions

How much do I have to contribute to get the full match?

Five percent of your basic pay. Under the Blended Retirement System the government adds an automatic 1 percent and matches up to another 4 percent, so contributing 5 percent eventually brings the total to 10 percent going in.

When does the match actually start?

The automatic 1 percent begins after 60 days of service. The 4 percent match begins once you complete two years of service. Set 5 percent from your first paycheck so the match starts the day you become eligible.

Is the match really free money?

Yes. It is a guaranteed return on your own contribution, before the market does anything. No ordinary investment reliably matches that, which is why capturing the full 5 percent is the highest-return move you have.

◆ Sources

  1. TSP.gov, Contribution Limits
  2. U.S. DoD, Blended Retirement System
  3. DFAS, Military Pay Tables (2026 Basic Pay)
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