Personal Financial Management Program

BRS? Are You Getting Your Full Match?
Learn more, see your Command Financial Specialists for info and Class Dates.

May 16 – Free Thrift Saving Plan (TSP) training
Open to Everyone
Base Theater Bldg. 1330
8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. TSP for Early to Mid-Career Service Member/Employees
10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. TSP Pre-Separation Workshop

May 16 – Free Thrift Saving Plan (TSP) training
Open to Everyone
SOI BLDG 520590/classroom #10
1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m./‘TSP A to Z’ (combining Early to Mid-Career and Pre-Separation)

Also, Free Thrift Saving Plan (TSP) classes, Open to everyone. Meets 4th Fri of every month at Front Wave, Building 110, formerly Pacific Marine Credit Union.
From 9am to noon. For more info call (760) 725-6638/6098/4611 or email: gerald.williams@usmc.mil or beth.middleton@usmc.mil

What is the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)?
The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) is the federal
government’s “defined contribution” plan; it works
like a 401(k). Federal civilians and uniformed services
members can contribute a portion of their salaries to
their TSP accounts and decide how that money should
be invested. When they reach retirement age, these TSP
participants decide how best to use the money that’s
accumulated in their accounts through contributions
and earnings. As a member of the uniformed services,
you are eligible for a TSP account no matter what
choice you make on the Blended Retirement System
(BRS). The vested balance in your account is yours
to keep when you leave your service. (See “Are
contributions from my service also mine to keep if I
separate from service?” on page 2 for more information
about vesting.) After you separate, you can keep your
money in the TSP. You can also choose from one of
several withdrawal options.

What is the Blended Retirement System (BRS)?
BRS is a new retirement system for some members of the
uniformed services. In exchange for a 20% reduction in
their military retirement annuity, which they still get if
they serve 20 years or more, members covered by BRS
receive TSP contributions from their employing service
in addition to other benefits.

How do service contributions work?
If you choose BRS, your service will begin contributing
an amount equal to 1% of your basic pay into your TSP
account each pay period. This does not come out of your
pay. It’s called a Service Automatic (1%) Contribution.
In addition, if you elect to contribute a portion of
your own pay into your TSP account, your service will
match a portion of it. This is called a Service Matching
Contribution. For every dollar you contribute up to
3% of your basic pay, your service will also contribute
a dollar. For every dollar you contribute beyond that
up to 5% of your pay, your service will contribute 50
cents. So if you contribute 5% of your basic pay in a pay
period, your service will contribute an amount equal
to 4% of your basic pay (1 for 1 on the first 3% and
.50 to 1 on the next 2%). Because you get the Service
Automatic (1%) Contribution2 no matter how much you
contribute of your own pay, you can receive a maximum
contribution from your service of an amount equal to
5% of your basic pay.
Remember, you’re eligible for a TSP account whether
or not you join BRS. The ability to receive service
contributions is the added benefit of BRS.

Questions and Answers about opting into the Blended Retirement System (BRS)

Individual Financial Counseling