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How to Change Your TSP Contributions

Updated June 2026 · ~5 min read

Changing how much you put into the Thrift Savings Plan is quick, but where you do it depends on whether you're in uniform or a federal civilian. Importantly, you do not change your contribution amount on tsp.gov — you change it through your pay system. Here's how.

Military: use myPay

  1. Log in to myPay (the DFAS pay portal) at mypay.dfas.mil.
  2. Find the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) section.
  3. Set your contribution from base pay (and, if you want, from special, incentive, and bonus pay) as a percentage of pay.
  4. Choose how much goes to Traditional vs. Roth.
  5. Save. Changes usually take effect the next pay period.

Federal civilian: use your agency's payroll system

Civilian employees change contributions through their agency's HR/payroll portal — commonly Employee Express, EBIS, GRB Platform, EPP, or myPay, depending on your agency. Look for the TSP or retirement section, then set your contribution as a dollar amount or percentage and choose your Roth/Traditional split. If you're not sure which system your agency uses, ask your HR or benefits office.

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Percentage vs. dollar amount

Service members contribute by percentage of pay, which is handy because your contribution automatically rises with pay raises and promotions. Civilians can often choose a dollar amount per pay period. Either way, the goal is the same: contribute enough to capture the full match.

Don't accidentally lose match. The government match is calculated each pay period, so contribute at least 5% every period. If you set a big dollar amount and hit the annual contribution limit early, your contributions stop — and so does the match for the rest of the year. To max out safely, spread contributions evenly across all pay periods.

Changing your investments is separate

Two different things are easy to confuse:

Thinking about bumping up your rate? See how even a 1–2% increase compounds over a career in the TSP calculator.

Open the TSP calculator →
Related: How the match works · 2026 limits · Roth vs. Traditional · TSP FAQ
Educational only — not financial advice. Portal names and steps can change; your agency's HR office and tsp.gov are the authoritative sources. CalculateTSP is independent and not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Defense, DFAS, OPM, or the FRTIB.