TSP 2026 new catch up Roth requirement

[Anonymous]

My understanding is as of 2026, for those eligible for catch up contributions (over age 50), if you make over 150K, that the catch up must be in Roth. The system seems set up to switch automatically once you hit the threshold. However, I was thinking it might more sense to contribute a portion to Roth and a portion to traditional throughout the year. I am not sure if I am understanding this correctly and would be interested in any thoughts or approaches. If it matters, I am likely 3-5 years from retirement, hoping to maximize my contributions, and these will be my first Roth TSP contributions (everything in TSP currently in traditional). Appreciate advice!

[Anonymous]

i set it up for my roth contributions to happen per-paycheck; they just created the mid-year switch-over to keep people from shooting themselves in the foot.

[Anonymous]

Yes, if you are looking to have a consistent net paycheck deposit from
Pay period then choose to split between regular TSP and Roth for each pay check. Otherwise you will be taking a tax haircut at the end of the year on net paycheck from your TSP contribution.

Of course those additional income taxes may be offset if you exceed the SS threshold, salary over 184,500.

[Anonymous]

Are you planning to max out? The catch up in Roth has been in effect, and I just set my contributions as the max for pretax (which was $900 something) and then put another $300-ish per pay period into Roth. As I am looking at retirement I now have so much in pretax, that I want to put as much into Roth as possible but I can’t find a number telling me how much that is (I make too much to have a Roth outside of the TSP).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you planning to max out? The catch up in Roth has been in effect, and I just set my contributions as the max for pretax (which was $900 something) and then put another $300-ish per pay period into Roth. As I am looking at retirement I now have so much in pretax, that I want to put as much into Roth as possible but I can’t find a number telling me how much that is (I make too much to have a Roth outside of the TSP).

The max contributions are the same for pretax or Roth for the TSP. If you want to switch to maxing out Roth TSP you can put $24500 + $8000 catchup for 2026 (annual) = $1250 per pay period.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you planning to max out? The catch up in Roth has been in effect, and I just set my contributions as the max for pretax (which was $900 something) and then put another $300-ish per pay period into Roth. As I am looking at retirement I now have so much in pretax, that I want to put as much into Roth as possible but I can’t find a number telling me how much that is (I make too much to have a Roth outside of the TSP).

The max contributions are the same for pretax or Roth for the TSP. If you want to switch to maxing out Roth TSP you can put $24500 + $8000 catchup for 2026 (annual) = $1250 per pay period.

I agree with the above (putting entire $32,500 in traditional). If you were to put $24,500 into traditional and $8,000 into Roth, you would be contributing over the max limit of $24,500. The payroll system is not going to view your $8k Roth contribution as a catchup.

[Anonymous]

It does not look like we can identify funds as catchup in employee express. But I assume we could adjust how new contributions are handled in TSP, so that a portion of the $1250 goes to Roth and a potion to traditional funds.

[Anonymous]

I just set mine up in the TSP and I wasn't allowed to put in more than 31K total between the 2. Where are you getting the 32,500?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you planning to max out? The catch up in Roth has been in effect, and I just set my contributions as the max for pretax (which was $900 something) and then put another $300-ish per pay period into Roth. As I am looking at retirement I now have so much in pretax, that I want to put as much into Roth as possible but I can’t find a number telling me how much that is (I make too much to have a Roth outside of the TSP).

The max contributions are the same for pretax or Roth for the TSP. If you want to switch to maxing out Roth TSP you can put $24500 + $8000 catchup for 2026 (annual) = $1250 per pay period.

I agree with the above (putting entire $32,500 in traditional). If you were to put $24,500 into traditional and $8,000 into Roth, you would be contributing over the max limit of $24,500. The payroll system is not going to view your $8k Roth contribution as a catchup.

The payroll system will absolutely view the $8k *Roth TSP* contribution (on top of a $24,500 contribution) as catchup as long as you are 50 or older in 2026. They stopped having a separate "catchup" designation in the payroll system as of last year. As noted above, for the 50+ PP that wants to direct it all to Roth TSP, all they need to do is put $1250 per pay period into Roth TSP. ($1373 for those who are 60 to 63). Note: all agency match funds will go to the traditional TSP fund.

Finally, talk to a financial advisor if you are thinking about doing any in-plan conversions of traditional to Roth TSP, as that incurs immediate tax consequences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My understanding is as of 2026, for those eligible for catch up contributions (over age 50), if you make over 150K, that the catch up must be in Roth. The system seems set up to switch automatically once you hit the threshold. However, I was thinking it might more sense to contribute a portion to Roth and a portion to traditional throughout the year. I am not sure if I am understanding this correctly and would be interested in any thoughts or approaches. If it matters, I am likely 3-5 years from retirement, hoping to maximize my contributions, and these will be my first Roth TSP contributions (everything in TSP currently in traditional). Appreciate advice!

Need more information. What tax bracket do you expect to be in? What is your taxable income?