Should You Invest in a Roth IRA or Thrift Savings Plan?

Saving for retirement is one goal commonly shared by most individuals.

Unless you are independently wealthy or inherit enough money to feel confident you will never have to rely on savings (I did not have either one of these), you most likely want to put money aside during your working years to ensure your comfort and security when you retire.

Investing to build up a safety net for your future can start with as little as investing $1,000 or invest $500,000! You have to start somewhere!

This can be done in any number of ways, as there are dozens of different “types” of retirement savings plans from which to choose. 

Each plan has its own benefits and drawbacks, making it important to find the one that best meets your current and long-term financial needs.

Members of the military and federal employees have additional savings tools at their disposal (such as a Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), making the decision where to save even more complicated.

Here, we look at two popular savings plans available to service members, their families, and United States Federal Government employees: the TSP vs. the Roth IRA.

Roth IRA-After Tax Today For Tax-Free Later

A Roth IRA is available to any individual or married couple that falls under the income thresholds established by the IRS. 

To be eligible as a contributor to a Roth IRA, you must make contributions from taxable compensation such as that received from self-employment, wages, salaries, commissions, and bonuses.

Members of the military, government, and civilians have access to a Roth IRA if they meet the required conditions.

Qualified distributions include the withdrawal of contributions at any time and earnings after the account is open for five tax years and the owner is 59 1/2 years of age. 

These Roth IRA rules are very beneficial to individuals who may find themselves in a higher tax bracket when distributions are taken as income tax has already been paid, and no further taxation will occur.

Roth IRAs can be opened with almost any major brokerage.  You can even get them in robo-advisors like Betterment and M1 Finance, who will do all the investing for you.

Thrift Savings Plans

Available to service members and federal employees, the Federal Thrift Savings Plan is another option to consider for retirement savings. This plan, commonly recognized by its acronym TSP, is similar to the standard 401k with which most savers are familiar.

Different from the Roth IRA in many ways, contributions to the TSP are made with pre-tax dollars, which reduces the amount of taxable income in the year contributions are made. 

Of course, since taxes have not been paid on contributions, distributions from the TSP will be taxed. If you are in a higher income tax bracket when money is withdrawn, this can be a disadvantage.

Differences Between the Two – Roth IRA vs TSP

The differences between the two plans do not end with how they are taxed. Consider the following to help aid in your decision as to which plan is best for your financial needs.

• Contribution Limits: You can contribute up to $23,000 per year in the TSP for 2024 (or $30,500 if you’re 50 or older). 2024 Roth IRA contributions are permitted up to $7,000 per year (or $8,000 if you’re 50 or older).

• Minimum withdrawal age: TSP account owners must be 59 1/2 years of age to avoid early withdrawal penalties for distributions. Roth IRA owners may withdraw contributions at any age without penalty and earnings after age 59 1/2.

• Required Minimum Distributions (RMD): Minimum mandatory distributions must be taken from TSP at age 73 compared to the Roth IRA, which has no such requirement.
  
  Failure to take the minimum required distribution results in a 50% penalty from the IRS.

Differences Between the Two – Roth IRA vs TSP

ASPECT	ROTH IRA	TSP
Contribution Limits (2024)	$7,000 ($8,000 50+)	$23,000 ($30,500 50+)
Minimum Withdrawal Age	Any Age for Contributions, 59 1/2 for Earnings	59 1/2 Years for All Distributions
Required Minimum Distributions	None	Starting at Age 73, Subject to Penalties for Non-compliance

Which One Did I Do – The TSP or the Roth IRA?

Throughout my nine years of military career, I had access to both the Roth IRA and TSP. Since I was only in the National Guard, I mainly started with the Roth IRA because I had more control over my investments. 

The TSP didn’t really become a viable option for me until I was deployed in 2005.

Even though I could have socked away a ton of cash into it, I still opted to max out mine and my wife’s Roth IRA. Between that and really upping our emergency funds, we decided to pass on the TSP.

Personally, I liked the control of the Roth IRA- I could invest in what I wanted– and the potential to have a tax-free nest egg waiting for me at retirement.

For active duty, the TSP might be more attractive since you can have it directly pulled out of your paycheck. 

There are also many civil service jobs where they receive matching funds into the TSP.  If that is the case, it is hard to recommend against free money.  I would put in up to the match and then invest anything else in a Roth IRA account.

The Bottom Line – Choosing a Roth IRA or a TSP

The point of it all is that it’s never a bad thing to save. TSP or Roth- you just need to make sure you’re saving something for retirement. Both offer distinct advantages and, in some cases, disadvantages.

Soldiers who have access to both a Roth IRA and TSP may benefit by first maxing out contributions to a Roth IRA and then putting additional savings in the TSP to gain the most benefits from both plans.

FAQs on Roth IRA vs Thrift Saving Plans (TSP)