MyFederalFuture is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the U.S. government, the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), the FRTIB, OPM, or any government agency.
Built for federal employees

Your TSP has 5 options at retirement. Most feds can name 2.

MyFederalFuture is an independent educational resource for current and former federal employees. We help you understand every option for your TSP — in plain English, before your paperwork goes in. No products, no pressure.

Start the 15-second check See how it works →
✓ 100% free
✓ No obligation
✓ Educational only — we don't sell products
✓ Not a government agency

Your pension covers part of retirement. Your TSP has to cover the rest.

If you're under FERS, your retirement is built from three pieces: your pension, Social Security, and your TSP. The first two are largely decided for you. The third is the one you actually choose — and it's the one most feds get the least guidance on.

You have a known date

Unlike most Americans, you have a retirement date you can see coming. That's an advantage — but only if you use the runway to understand your options before the paperwork goes in.

The decision is largely one-way

Some TSP choices are difficult or impossible to reverse once made. Understanding them before you file is very different from learning about them afterwards.

Most feds were never taught this

Your agency taught you how to contribute to the TSP. Far less attention gets paid to what happens to it on the day you stop.

Our framework

The TSP Secure Path

A plain-English way to walk through the TSP decision in order, so nothing gets skipped. It's how we structure the conversation — not a product you buy.

  1. Know where you standYour service years, your retirement system (FERS or CSRS), your timeline, and what your TSP is actually invested in today.
  2. Understand all five optionsNot two. All five of the choices the TSP gives you when you separate — including what each one does and doesn't do.
  3. Map the income gapLook at what your pension and Social Security are expected to cover, and what's left for your TSP to handle.
  4. Ask better questionsWalk into any conversation — with us, your agency, or a professional — knowing which questions actually matter for your situation.
To be clear about what this is. The TSP Secure Path is an educational framework — a way of organising a decision. It is not a product, an investment, a guarantee, or a recommendation. MyFederalFuture does not sell financial products and does not provide financial, tax, legal, or investment advice.

The five options, briefly

When you separate from federal service, the TSP gives you a set of choices. Here they are in plain English. None of these is "the right one" — the right one depends entirely on your situation.

1

Leave it in the TSP

Your money stays where it is and keeps its current investment options and low costs. Doing nothing is a legitimate choice — and for a lot of feds it's a perfectly reasonable one.

2

Take installment payments

Have the TSP pay you on a schedule — a fixed dollar amount or based on life expectancy — monthly, quarterly, or annually.

3

Take a lump sum (full or partial)

Withdraw some or all of the balance. This is the option with the largest and least reversible tax consequences, and the one most worth understanding before acting.

4

Use the TSP's lifetime income option

The TSP offers a lifetime income choice purchased through its outside provider. It converts part or all of your balance into payments for life — a trade of flexibility for predictability.

5

Transfer or roll it over

Move the balance to an IRA or another eligible plan. This opens up choices outside the TSP — and closes some of the TSP's own advantages. Worth understanding carefully, in both directions.

Read the full guide →

How it works

Three steps. About fifteen minutes total. Nothing to buy.

01

Take the 15-second check

A handful of quick questions about your service, your timeline, and where your TSP sits today. No account numbers, no balances required to the dollar.

02

Get matched

We introduce you to a state-licensed professional who works with federal employees. They're independent of us, and they've paid us a referral fee.

03

Have your TSP Readiness Review

A free 15-minute conversation to walk through your options. No obligation, and you're free to end it at any point.

Common questions

Is MyFederalFuture part of the TSP or the government?

No. We're a private, independent educational resource. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the U.S. government, the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), the FRTIB, OPM, or any government agency. Nobody here works for the government, and we don't speak for it.

Is this really free? What's the catch?

It's free to you. Here's how we're paid, plainly: if you ask to speak with someone, we introduce you to a state-licensed insurance professional, and that professional pays us a referral fee. You're never charged, and you're never obligated to do anything.

Will you tell me what to do with my TSP?

No — and be wary of anyone who says they will before knowing your situation. We're an educational resource, not a financial adviser. We help you understand your options. Decisions are yours.

Do I have to move my TSP out?

No. Leaving your money in the TSP is one of the five options, and for many federal employees it's a sound one. We're not here to talk you out of the TSP.

What is the "TSP Secure Path"?

It's the name of our educational framework — the order we walk through the decision in. It isn't a product, an account, an investment, or a guarantee of anything.

See all questions →

See where you stand in 15 seconds

A few quick questions about your federal service and your timeline. Then, if it's useful, a free 15-minute TSP Readiness Review with a licensed professional.

Start the 15-second check

Free · No obligation · Educational only · Not a government agency