ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Thrift Savings Plan

Okay, kiddo, imagine you have a special bank account that you can use to save up money for when you're bigger and need to buy important things like a house or a car. That's what a thrift savings plan (TSP) is for grown-ups who work for the United States government.

When you get a job with the government, they give you the option to sign up for a TSP account. It's like a piggy bank where you can put some of your paycheck into each month. The really cool thing about it is that the government will actually give you some extra money called a "matching contribution" if you put money in.

Now, you might be wondering what you can do with all that money in your TSP piggy bank. Well, when you're 59 1/2 years old, you can start taking the money out to help pay for important things like a new house or maybe a trip around the world. But until then, your money will be invested in something called "funds." That's just a fancy word for a group of different investments like stocks or bonds.

So, why do people like TSP accounts so much? Well, for one thing, it's a great way to save money for a long time without having to think too much about it. You can set it up to automatically take some of your paycheck each month and put it in your TSP piggy bank. Plus, because the money is invested in different funds, you have the potential to earn even more money over time.

In summary, a thrift savings plan is a special bank account that government workers can use to save money for important things later in life. They put some of their paycheck into the account each month and the government gives them extra money for doing so. The money in the account is invested in different things to potentially earn even more money.