Who Is Eligible to Participate in the TSP?
Most employees of the United States Government are eligible to participate in the Thrift Savings Plan. You are eligible if you are:
- A Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS) employee (generally if you were hired on or after January 1, 1984), or
- A Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) employee (generally if you were hired before January 1, 1984 and did not convert to FERS), or
- A member of the uniformed services (active duty or Ready Reserve), or
- A civilian in certain other categories of Government service
In addition to being covered by an eligible retirement system, you must also be:
- Actively employed by the Federal Government as a civilian employee or as a member of the uniformed services,
- In pay status, in order to contribute, and
- Working full- or part-time.
Rehired Employees
If you are a rehired FERS or CSRS employee who had a break in service, your participation in the TSP is determined by two factors: the length of your break in service and whether or not you were a TSP participant prior to the break.
If you are a rehired FERS or CSRS employee who had a break in service of 31 or more full calendar days, regardless of whether you were enrolled prior to your break, you will be automatically enrolled in the TSP unless you elect to contribute immediately upon rehire. You can change or stop your contributions at any time after you are rehired. To learn how, visit Starting, Changing, and Stopping Your Contributions. If you are a FERS employee, your Agency Automatic (1%) and Agency Matching Contributions (if you are contributing your own money) will also begin immediately.
If you are a rehired FERS or CSRS employee who had a break in service of less than 31 full calendar days and you were previously contributing to the TSP, your employee contributions and, if you are FERS, your agency contributions, will resume upon rehire. If you were not previously contributing, you can begin at any time by following the instructions in Starting, Changing, and Stopping Your Contributions. Be aware that the TSP automatic enrollment rules do not apply to your situation.
Beneficiary Participants
Spouse beneficiaries of deceased civilian or uniformed services TSP participants will have a TSP account set up in their own name if their share of the account is $200 or more.
The TSP has certain rules and forms that apply specifically to you. For more details visit Beneficiary Participants.
