F E D E R A L R E T I R E M E N T T H R I F T I N V E S T M E N T B O A R D

2022 Participant 

Satisfaction Survey
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 2

Contents

Introduction........................................................................................................................................................ 4

Participant Satisfaction ...................................................................................................................................... 6

Participant Perceptions.................................................................................................................................... 15

Potential Features and Participant Suggestions .............................................................................................. 26

Participant Profiles........................................................................................................................................... 33

Conclusions..................................................................................................................................................... 36

APPENDIX A: Methodology............................................................................................................................. 37

APPENDIX B: 2021 Active Participants Survey ............................................................................................... 45

APPENDIX C: 2021 Separated Participants Survey ........................................................................................ 53
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 3

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Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 4

Introduction

The Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board (FRTIB), created by the Federal Employees' 

Retirement System Act of 1986 (FERSA), administers the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), a defined 

contribution plan, similar to private sector 401(k) plans. The TSP provides Federal civilian employees 

and members of the Uniformed Services the opportunity to save for additional retirement security. As 

of April 2022, the TSP, with over 6.5 million participants with approximately $740 billion in assets, is 

the largest defined contribution plan in the world.

The FRTIB's mission is to administer the TSP in the best interest of participants and beneficiaries. To 

meet its mission, it is important that the FRTIB has a clear understanding of participant satisfaction, 

expectations, perceptions of service, behaviors, and preferences. The FRTIB selected Gallup to 

administer the 2022, 2021, 2020 and 2017 Participant Satisfaction surveys to build upon the 

participant surveys from 2006-2013, and the 2020 Participant Behavior and Demographics Report.

Participants within the TSP fall under one of the four distinct Federal retirement systems. The TSP

has nearly 4.44 million Active1 participants. Of those, approximately 2.73 million are covered under 

the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), 37,000 are covered under the Civil Service 

Retirement System (CSRS), and 710,700 are Uniformed Services Legacy (US-Legacy) participants.

CSRS and US-Legacy participants do not receive matching contributions. In 2018, DOD implemented 

a new retirement system for Uniformed Service members known as the "Blended Retirement System" 

(BRS), where new service members are auto-enrolled into the plan and existing members with 12 or 

fewer years of service had the option of joining the plan. Both auto-enrolled and those opting into the 

BRS system receive matching contributions. Approximately 967,000 TSP participants are covered 

under the BRS.

Throughout the report, results are shown by retirement system subgroups — FERS, Uniformed 

Services (US-Legacy) and Blended Retirement System (BRS).2

The topics on the 2022 survey focused on satisfaction with the features of the plan. FRTIB will use 

the 2022 results as a tool to assist in understanding the behaviors and perceptions of TSP 

participants to aid strategic planning and focus educational and communication materials, as well as 

in the consideration of new plan features. The 2022 survey was administered prior to a substantial 

change in the recordkeeping environment. Results from the survey will be used to measure and 

compare participant satisfaction going forward under the new recordkeeper.

1 Active participants are defined here as those who have a TSP account and are able to make contributions. Active participants do not include separated 

or beneficiary accounts.

2 Starting in 2020 and continuing in 2021, CSRS system participants were not included in the survey since they are a small and rapidly declining 

population within the TSP. CSRS participants represent less than 5% of all TSP participants. 
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 5

Methodology Summary

In March 2022, Gallup sent a hardcopy of the eight-page survey as well as, for those participants with 

email addresses, a URL to the online survey. Respondents were allowed to fill out their surveys prior 

to mid-May 2022, and reminders were sent to non-responders.

When responses with unusable results were excluded, the final sample size was 5,208, for a 

response rate of 13.9%. Please refer to the Data Collection Section in Appendix A for additional 

information about how usable cases were defined.

The total sample was allocated optimally across different strata to ensure an adequate sample size 

for different groups and subgroups of interest to FRTIB. 

Retirement system Total sample size

Number of 

completed surveys Response rate

Total 37,402 5,208 14%

FERS 25,663 4,541 18%

US-Legacy 7,409 552 7%

BRS 4,330 115 3%

Throughout this report, references of a subgroup (e.g., system) being higher or lower than another 

group are noted only if the difference is statistically significant. See the full methodology report 

included in Appendix A for more detail.
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 6

Participant Satisfaction

Eighty-seven percent of TSP participants are satisfied (55%) or extremely 

satisfied (32%) with the TSP overall

Overall, 87% of participants are satisfied with the TSP. The current TSP satisfaction level compares 

favorably to the most recent Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) retirement confidence 

survey, which reported 82% of US workers are satisfied with their current retirement plan.

3 While 

overall satisfaction declined by 2 percentage points since 2021, this decline is mirrored in the broader 

EBRI survey and might reflect the general market declines in the early part of 2022.

Over the past three years, TSP satisfaction levels have compared favorably to other US workers’ 

retirement plan satisfaction, as measured by the EBRI Survey. 

F I G U R E 1 .

Satisfaction among FERS and US-Legacy participants remained steady, BRS

satisfaction declined

Satisfaction among FERS participants (90%) and US-Legacy (84%) remained relatively steady since 

2021, while satisfaction among BRS participants (77%) saw a significant decline from 2021. Like 

previous years, both BRS and US-Legacy remained below FERS satisfaction. The overall TSP 

satisfaction level of 85% among Active participants is a decrease over the 90% measured in 2021, 

while the 92% satisfaction among Separated participants in 2022 is an increase from the 86% 

measured in 2021. The significant increase in satisfaction among Separated participants is likely 

attributable to the withdrawal flexibility while the decrease among active participants may be 

attributable to market conditions.

3 https://www.ebri.org/retirement/retirement-confidence-survey

87%

89%

87%

88%

83%

84%

82%

83%

78

80

82

84

86

88

90

2020 2021 2022 Avg. 3-Yr. Net Satisfaction

Overall Satisfaction: TSP vs. EBRI Survey Benchmark

TSP EBRI
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 7

F I G U R E 2 . 

TSP satisfaction continues to move in correlation with key national economic and investment 

confidence benchmarks. 

F I G U R E 3 .

Correlation of Overall Satisfaction to Third-Party Metrics

Pearson R Correlation Investor & Retirement 

Optimism Index

Consumer Economic 

Confidence Index

Dow Jones 

Industrial Average

Overall satisfaction with TSP 0.61 0.81 0.65

85% 81% 86% 87% 89% 87% 89% 87%

-150

-100

-50

0

50

100

150

76%

78%

80%

82%

84%

86%

88%

90%

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

Index Value

% Net Satisfied

Satisfaction With TSP Tracks National 

Economic and Investment Confidence

Satisfied or extremely

satisfied with the TSP overall

Wells Fargo/Gallup Investor

and Retirement Optimism Index

(May of each year)

Gallup Consumer

Economic Confidence

(April of each year)

Dow Jones

(March of each year)

35% Extremely Satisfied

35% Extremely Satisfied

31% Extremely Satisfied

34% Extremely Satisfied

39% Extremely Satisfied

87% 90%

77% 81%

89% 91% 88% 86% 88% 84%

90% 87% 86% 90%

77%

84% 85%

92%

Satisfied + Extremely satisfied

Total FERS BRS US-Legacy Active Separated

How satisfied are you with the TSP overall?

2020 2021 2022
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 8

Satisfaction with ThriftLine representatives was the top driver of overall 

satisfaction

Drivers of overall satisfaction were determined by evaluating how many times more likely a participant 

is to be satisfied if they are extremely satisfied with a particular aspect of the TSP. For example, if a 

participant called the ThriftLine — and they were extremely satisfied with the representative’s ability 

to answer their questions or address their needs — then they were 7.9 times more likely to be 

extremely satisfied with the TSP overall than those who weren’t extremely satisfied with the 

representative’s ability to answer their question. The ratios shown here are barometers which indicate 

which aspects are having the biggest impact on overall satisfaction. For the total sample, the top five

drivers of overall satisfaction were:

1. Representative's ability to answer your questions or address your needs*

2. Annual account statement

3. Plan information on TSP website (tsp.gov)

4. Ability to transfer money TO other retirement plans 

5. Ability to take loan

Table 1: Drivers of Overall Satisfaction

Aspect of TSP 

How many times more likely to 

be extremely satisfied overall if 

extremely satisfied with 

aspect:

% Extremely 

satisfied when

aspect is 

rated highest:

% Extremely 

satisfied when 

aspect NOT

rated highest:

Representative's ability to 

answer your questions or 

address your needs*

7.9 63% 8%

Annual account statement 5.5 67% 12%

Plan information on TSP 

website (tsp.gov) 5.5 83% 15%

Ability to transfer money TO 

other retirement plans 5.4 84% 15%

Ability to take loan 5.4 67% 12%

Ability to transfer money 

FROM other retirement plans 5.2 81% 16%

Usefulness of My Account 5.1 49% 9%

Ability to track investment 

performance 5.1 56% 11%

Flexibility of withdrawal 

options 5.0 85% 17%

Security of account on tsp.gov 4.9 62% 13%

*Only those that called the Thriftline within the past 3 months.

Note: Grey shading represent top 5 driver of satisfaction, Blue represents the top 10 drivers.
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 9

This year’s analysis of survey results included an examination of satisfaction among specific 

demographic groups. Satisfaction by career stage shows that satisfaction with the TSP gradually 

increases as participants move towards retirement. 

F I G U R E 4 .

Auto-enrolled participants are less satisfied overall with the TSP than are those 

who are not part of the auto-enroll program

Overall, satisfaction levels of opt-in FERS participants remain higher than those who are autoenrolled.4 Specifically, FERS participants who are not auto-enrolled report higher satisfaction with the 

TSP (93%) compared to 85% of auto-enrolled FERS. BRS auto-enrolled and opt-in participants show

wide gaps in satisfaction, with opt-ins being significantly more satisfied. This result is not surprising 

as those who made the decision to elect or opt-in to the TSP did so with the understanding of the 

benefits of the Plan.

4 All FERS and BRS employees are currently automatically enrolled in the TSP with a 5% contribution rate.

79%

85%

89%

95%

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Early Career

(under 35)

Mid Career

(35 to 49)

Late Career

(50+)

Retired

Total Satisfied
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 10

F I G U R E 5 .

FERS BRS US-Legacy

n= (1,083) (3,430) (27*) (58) (28*) (551)

*Small sample size for BRS; interpret results with caution.

Half (50%) of participants would be extremely likely to recommend TSP

When asked how likely they were to recommend the TSP to an eligible associate or friend, 50% of 

participants say they are extremely likely to recommend TSP to a friend or eligible colleague — a 

significant decrease from the 56% in 2021. This decrease was driven mostly by FERS participants, 

55% of whom say they are extremely likely to recommend the TSP. Despite likelihood to recommend 

being higher among FERS, the 55% of FERS participants who are extremely likely to recommend the 

TSP is a 2-percentage-point decrease from 2021. A slight majority of US-Legacy participants are also

extremely likely to recommend TSP (51%). BRS participants are the least likely to recommend the 

TSP – with only 29% extremely likely to recommend the TSP to an eligible friend/associate. This is a 

21-point decrease from 2021 among BRS participants.

Similar to 2021, auto-enrolled participants are less likely to say they would recommend TSP than 

those who are not auto-enrolled.

A Net Promoter Score (NPS) was developed from this question. NPS ranges between -100 to +100 

and is calculated as the percentage of promoters (i.e., those extremely likely to recommend) minus 

the percentage of all detractors (i.e., those neutral or unlikely to recommend). When it comes to 

classifying NPS, the following guidelines are used: 0-30 indicates good performance, 30-70 indicates 

great performance and above 70 is considered world-class performance.

The overall TSP NPS score for 2022 is 31, which is an 11-point decrease from 2021. This compares 

favorably to the Gallup NPS database average score collected for investment service providers

(average score 33). Among the systems, FERS participants continue to have the highest NPS score 

at 42, followed by US-Legacy at 31 and BRS at -12.

85%

93%

66%

84%

97%

86%

Satisfied + Extremely 

satisfied

How satisfied are you with the TSP overall?

Auto-enrolled Not auto-enrolled

BRS Opt-in with prior TSP account BRS opt-in without prior TSP account
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 11

F I G U R E 6 .

How likely are you to recommend saving in the TSP to an eligible friend or associate?

2021

Extremely 

Likely

Net 

Promoter 

Score*

56% 31

57% 42

57% 31

50% -12

Note: ↑↓ indicate significant increase/decrease from 2021; Percentages shown when greater than 4%; numbers may not total 100% due to rounding.

*Net Promoter Score calculated as % extremely likely minus % extremely unlikely, not likely and neutral; NPS scores range from -100 to +100.

Participant satisfaction with aspects of TSP

Overall, participants continue to report the highest satisfaction with the security of their account on 

tsp.gov (89%) and the annual account statement (88%). While 89% of participants are satisfied with 

the security of their account, only 79% are satisfied with the ability to access their account. 

Participants are very satisfied with the security of their account. However, participants are less 

satisfied with the ability to access their account. Although there are tight requirements for participants 

to access their account on tsp.gov, account access troubles appear to be offset by high satisfaction 

with security.

Participant satisfaction with various aspects of the TSP, such as the variety of investments, account 

access and plan information on the TSP website, has remained stable or slightly decreased since the 

previous survey administration. Satisfaction with the ability to take a loan, which is one of the top five 

drivers of overall satisfaction, has meaningfully dropped from 74% in 2021 to 62% in 2022. 

Furthermore, satisfaction with the flexibility of withdrawal options declined meaningfully and remains a 

relatively low satisfaction score compared to other aspects of the TSP. 

17%

11%

18%

38%

31%

32%

28%

29%

50%↓

55%

51%↓

29%↓

Total

(n=5,172)

FERS

(n=4,509)

US-Legacy

(n=549)

BRS (n=114)

Extremely unlikely Unlikely Neither likely nor unlikely Likely Extremely likely
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 12

F I G U R E 7 .

How satisfied are you with each of the following? Net Satisfied

(Sat + Ext sat)

Net 2020 2021 2022

Thrift Savings Plan Overall 87% 87% 89% 87%

Investments/Withdrawals

Security of your account on tsp.gov 89% 89% 89% 89%

Variety of investment options 76% 76% 77% 76%

Ability to take a loan from TSP account 

(Active only)** 62% 72% 74% 62%↓

Flexibility of withdrawal options 61% 67% 67% 61%↓

Ability to transfer money FROM other 

retirement plans 56% 63% 61% 56%↓

Ability to transfer money TO other 

retirement plans** 52% 58% 56% 52%

Communication

Annual account statement** 88% 89% 88% 88%

Plan information on TSP website (tsp.gov)** 80% 80% 82% 80%

Access to My Account 79% 84% 78% 79%

Note: ↑↓ indicate significant increase/decrease from prior year; Percentage extremely satisfied plus percentage satisfied may not sum to net totals due to 

rounding.

**Indicate top drivers of satisfaction.

FERS participants continue to be generally more satisfied with the TSP offerings

While FERS participants continue to display higher satisfaction compared to their peers in other 

systems, there are several aspects where satisfaction dropped from 2021. Specifically, FERS 

participants report meaningfully lower satisfaction with ability to take a loan from a TSP account 

(69%, down from 76%).

When comparing the satisfaction of TSP aspects by retirement system, Uniformed Services 

participants continue to be less satisfied with many offerings than participants in other groups. 

Specifically, these participants report lower satisfaction than their counterparts regarding ability to 

take a loan, ability to transfer money into the TSP, and ability to transfer money out of the TSP.

BRS participants express lower satisfaction than other participants in flexibility of withdrawal options

(44% vs. 61% overall) and account access (65% vs. 78% overall).

55%

50%

51%

39%

40%

39%

37%

51%

55%

50%

32%

39%

25%

23%

21%

17%

15%

37%

25%

29%

Satisfied Extremely satisfied
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 13

F I G U R E 8 .

Considering all aspects of your experience, how satisfied are you with each of the following?

(Among participants who have used each)

Satisfied + Extremely satisfied FRTIB 

OVERALL FERS BRS US-Legacy

The Thrift Savings Plan Overall 87%

(n=5,177)

90%

(n=4,513)

77%

(n=113)

84%

(n=551)

Security of your account on tsp.gov 89% 89% 88% 89%

Variety of offered investments 76% 78% 76% 69%

Ability to take a loan from TSP account 

(Among active participants) 62% 69% 61% 47%

Flexibility of withdrawal options 61% 67% 44% 54%

Ability to transfer money from IRA/other eligible retirement 

plan into the TSP 56% 57% 67% 46%

Ability to transfer money out of the TSP into IRA/other 

eligible retirement plan 53% 53% 60% 45%

Annual account statement 88% 90% 85% 83%

Access to My Account 78% 83% 65% 73%

TSP website (tsp.gov) 81% 83% 75% 77%

Note: Shading denotes lower ratings relative to other groups.
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 14

Active and Separated participant satisfaction diverged in 2022

The differences between Active and Separated participants’ satisfaction with different aspects of the 

TSP widened from 2021 to 2022. Satisfaction among Active participants decreased from 90% overall 

to 85%. Meanwhile, satisfaction among Separated participants went from 86% satisfaction in 2021 to 

92% satisfaction in 2022. In 2021, Active participants’ overall satisfaction was 4 percentage points 

higher than Separated participants. In 2022, Separated participants satisfaction is 7 points higher 

than Active participants — an 11-point swing from 2021.

Separated participants are more satisfied than Active participants with the variety of offered 

investments (81% vs. 74%), with the ability to transfer money out of the TSP (62% vs. 49%) and plan 

information on tsp.gov (85% vs. 79%). The ability to transfer money out of the TSP and plan 

information on tsp.gov are top drivers of satisfaction. 

F I G U R E 9 .

Considering all aspects of your experience, how satisfied are you with each of the following?

Extremely satisfied + Satisfied

(n) 2022 Active

(n=2,898)

Separated

(n=2,209)

Overall The Thrift Savings Plan Overall 5,177 87% 85% 92% Investments/ Plan Features

Security of your account on tsp.gov 5,005 89% 88% 92%

Variety of offered investments 4,939 76% 74% 81%

Ability to take a loan from TSP account (among active 

participants)** 1,191 62% 62% N/A

Flexibility of withdrawal options 4,005 61% 56% 72%

Ability to transfer money from IRA/other eligible 

retirement plan into TSP 2,458 56% 56% 58%

Ability to transfer money out of the TSP into IRA/other 

eligible retirement plans** 2,268 53% 49% 62%

Communication

Annual account statement** 5,133 88% 87% 90%

Plan information on TSP website (tsp.gov)** 4,983 81% 79% 85%

Access to My Account 5,107 78% 78% 78%

Note: ↑↓ indicate significant increase/decrease from 2021; shading denotes higher-rated items relative to other groups.

**Indicate top drivers of satisfaction.
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 15

Participant Perceptions

Contributions

Over eight in 10 participants contribute 5% of basic pay to the TSP

Eighty-four percent of Active participants report they are contributing at least 5% of their basic pay to 

the TSP. Of those who do contribute 5%, 88% are satisfied with the TSP overall and 28% are 

extremely satisfied. Nearly one in 10 (9%) report not contributing 5% of their pay. Of those who are 

not contributing 5% of their basic pay, 65% are satisfied (which is 23 points lower than those who 

contribute 5%), and only 21% are extremely satisfied. Seven percent of Active participants don’t know 

if they are contributing 5% of their basic pay. Of those who don’t know if they are contributing 5%, 

82% are satisfied, but only 15% are very satisfied.

FERS participants are the most likely to contribute 5% of their basic pay (87%), followed by BRS 

(83%) and US-Legacy (79%). More than one in eight (14%) of US-Legacy participants report not 

contributing 5%. By comparison, this figure is double the percentage of FERS participants who report 

they are not contributing 5% (7%).

Overall, the TSP participation rates continue to compare favorably to the industry. Specifically, the 

2020 PSCA5 survey reported an average 401(k) participation rate of 86.5%. The TSP has an overall 

participation rate approaching 96%, which is nearly ten percentage points higher than the industry 

average.

F I G U R E 1 0 .

Are you contributing 5% of your basic pay?*

(Among Active participants)

FERS

(n=1,422)

US-Legacy

(n=232)

BRS

(n=92)

Yes 87% 79% 83%

No 7% 14% 10%

Don’t know 6% 7% 6%

*Contribution amounts were self-reported and asked only of Active participants.

5 Plan Sponsor Council of America, 2020 63rd Annual Survey of Profit Sharing and 401(k) Plans.

7%

9%

84%

Yes

No

Don't know
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 16

F I G U R E 1 1 . 

Are you contributing 5% of your basic pay?*

(Among Active participants)

How satisfied are you with the TSP overall?

By self-reported contribution amount

(Among Active participants)

Note: ↑↓ indicate significant increase/decrease from 2021. Percentages in the chart may not sum to totals in the paragraphs above due to rounding.

*Contribution amounts are self-reported and asked only of Active participants.

Affordability and ineligibility are the top reasons for contributing less 

than 5% of basic pay 

Similar to previous years, participants cite affordability (29%) as a primary reason for contributing less 

than 5% of basic pay. Affordability has been trending downwards since 2017, when 53% reported 

they couldn’t afford to save 5%. This decrease can be attributed to FERS participants; 48% cited 

affordability as a reason in 2021 and 45% did so in 2022. Less than one in five (17%) of participants 

cite the use of other investments outside of the TSP as a primary reason for contributing less than 5% 

of basic pay. Only 8% of participants cite inertia (not changing their deferral rates since original 

enrollment) as a reason for not contributing 5%. This is a 23-point decline from 2021. Finally, of 

the Active participants who do not contribute 5%, 38% cite ineligibility as the top reason for not saving 

5%. 

When looking at reasons for contributing less than 5% across total household income of participants, 

there are some specific patterns between participants living in households with lower-income and the 

reasons they cite for contributing less than 5%. Unsurprisingly, those living in low-income households

are the most likely to cite affordability as a reason for not contributing at a higher rate. Notably, 

contributors with lower incomes are more likely than their high-income peers to report that they just 

never changed the contribution amount from the default deferral rate. Lower income participants are 

also more likely to cite affordability as a reason for not contributing 5%. 

7%

84%

9%

Don't know

Yes

No

21% 28%

15%

43%

60%

66%

No, do not

contribute 5%

Yes, contribute 5% Don't know

Satisfied Extremely Satisfied
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 17

F I G U R E 1 2 .

Please explain why you are currently contributing less than 5% of your basic pay.

(Among Active participants who do not contribute at least 5%)

Total Household Income

TOTAL 

Contribute 

<5%

<$60,000

(n=22*)

$60,000-

<$100,000

(n=50*)

>$100,000

(n=75*)

I am not eligible for 

matching contributions 38% 20% 44% 41%

Currently cannot afford to 

save that much 29% 52% 21% 32%

Never changed from when 

originally enrolled 8% 20% 8% 4%

Use other investments 

outside the TSP 17% 7% 18% 19%

Didn’t know agency 

contributed a matching 5% 4% 0% 5% 2%

Other 24% 34% 17% 27%

Process to change 

contributions is too difficult 0% 0% 0% 1%

Don’t need that much to 

meet retirement goals 5% 0% 1% 12%

Note: Because there were different response options in 2021 and 2022, there is not always a result for both years for each response option.

*Small sample size; interpret with caution.

Usefulness of Communications Channels

Annual statements, My Account access and tsp.gov continue to be the most 

used and useful among participants

Participants continue to find annual statements (98%), general plan information on tsp.gov (95%) and 

account access on tsp.gov (94%) as the most useful communication channels provided by the TSP. 

Secure emails/e-messaging (93%) and live ThriftLine interactions (87%) are also useful for 

approximately nine in 10 participants. Overall, most channels were seen as more useful in 2022 than 

in 2021. Information from the TSP on social media had the largest increase from 2021 to 2022 (a 7-

point increase), while calling the ThriftLine to access the automated telephone system saw the largest 

decrease (a 7-point decline). 

At a retirement system level, US-Legacy and BRS participants are less likely to find ThriftLine 

automated system and account access on TSP.gov useful compared to FERS participants. However, 

FERS participants are the least likely to find information on social media as useful compared to BRS 

and US-Legacy participants. Separated participants are more likely to find the ThriftLine automated 

system and live representatives more useful compared to Active participants. Early and mid-career

participants are more likely to find information on social media helpful, while late-career and retired 

participants are more likely to find the ThriftLine automated system useful.

5%

9%

8%

12%

11%

31%

43%

5%

24%

4%

17%

8%

29%

38%

2022 2021
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 18

F I G U R E 1 3 .

Considering each of the following ways you have heard from or interacted with the TSP 

in the past 12 months, rate the overall usefulness of each: Net Useful

Used 2022 2021

Annual statement** 89% 98% 96%

My Account 

access on tsp.gov 86% 94% 95%

General plan information 

on tsp.gov** 80% 95% 94%

Secure emails/

e-messaging 38% 93%↑ 90%

ThriftLine to speak live to 

a representative 33% 87% 88%

Informational emails 

from the TSP 69% 88% 86%

TSP booklets/brochures 59% 85% 84%

ThriftLine to access

automated telephone system 30% 76%↓ 83%↓

Information from the TSP on 

social media 23% 72%↑ 65%

Note: ↑↓ indicate significant increase/decrease from prior year; percentages shown when greater than 4%.

**Indicate top drivers of satisfaction.

Nearly all participants find Account Access and Information on tsp.gov useful

Self-reported participant usage of account access on tsp.gov has increased since 2021 (from 83% 

to 86%) — matching the all-time high of 86% noted in 2017. Additionally, participant usage of tsp.gov 

to access information increased by 5 points in 2022 – from 75% to 80%.

Participants do not view information on tsp.gov as extremely useful as account access, but 

nearly all participants find both account access and information on tsp.gov at least somewhat useful 

(95% and 94%, respectively).

F I G U R E 1 4 .

Considering each of the following ways you have heard from or interacted with the TSP 

in the past 12 months, rate the overall usefulness of each:

(Among past-year users of each service)

Used Extremely 

Useful 2021 2022 2021

Account 

access on

tsp.gov

86%↑ 83% 68%

Information on 

tsp.gov** 80%↑ 75% 50%

Note: ↑↓ indicate significant increase/decrease from 2021; percentages shown when greater than 4%.

**Indicate top drivers of satisfaction.

5%

5%

34%

53%

60%

42%

Not at all useful Not very useful Somewhat useful Extremely useful

17%

8%

4%

11%

17%

13%

9%

9%

5%

5%

5%

45%

38%

54%

58%

33%

43%

53%

34%

38%

27%

38%

31%

31%

54%

51%

42%

60%

60%

Not at all useful Not very useful Somewhat useful Extremely useful
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 19

A vast majority of respondents have used and are satisfied with their 

tsp.gov account

Of the 86% of respondents who have accessed their tsp.gov account, 81% are satisfied with tsp.gov 

overall; this is a slight (1 point) decline from 2021. This decline can be attributed to decreases in 

satisfaction among FERS (83%, from 84%) and BRS (75%, from 82%) participants. It is important to 

note that the 86% of participants who accessed their account is a self-reported figure. Survey 

respondents may be more engaged participants, and thus, the percentage who have accessed their 

TSP account could be inflated compared to the broader TSP participant population.

Participant satisfaction with My Account access (78%) has remained stable since 2021. FERS 

participants (83%) are more satisfied overall with access to My Account than Uniformed Services 

participants, particularly among BRS participants (65%), as well as US-Legacy (73%). 

Overall satisfaction with the security of tsp.gov accounts has remained the same since 2021. While 

FERS and BRS satisfaction with security has decreased or remained the same, US-Legacy 

participants saw a slight increase in satisfaction (from 87% in 2021 to 89% in 2022).

F I G U R E 1 5 .

Considering all aspects of your experience, how satisfied are you with each of the following?

Satisfied + Extremely satisfied

Total FERS US-Legacy BRS

2022 2021 2022 2021 2022 2021 2022 2021

(n=5,177) (n=4,971) (n=4,513) (n=3,739) (n=551) (n=1,054) (n=113) (n=178)

TSP website (tsp.gov)** 81% 82% 83% 84% 77% 77% 75% 82%

Access to My Account 78% 78% 83% 82% 73% 74% 65% 71%

Security of your account on tsp.gov 89% 89% 89% 90% 89% 87% 88% 88%

Note: Shading denotes higher-rated items than other groups.

**Indicate top drivers of satisfaction.
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 20

Majority of participants had no difficulties logging into accounts, but one in four

cite difficulties

Similar to 2021, approximately three-quarters of participants across all systems say they had no 

difficulties logging into their account. Also similar to 2021, the remaining 1 in 4 who reported login 

difficulties cite the primary issues as forgot/issues resetting password (16%) and difficulty 

remembering user ID (13%). BRS participants are the most likely to have issues receiving a code 

(31%), while US-Legacy (30%) and BRS (22%) participants are more likely than FERS participants 

(10%) to have issues with retrieving forgotten passwords. Furthermore, BRS and US-Legacy appear 

to face more issues on average — a pattern that is not tied to career stage.

F I G U R E 1 6 .

What, if any, difficulties have you had logging into your My Account in the past 3 months?

(Among those with difficulties, n=1,199)

FERS USLegacy

BRS

Did not have any 

difficulties logging in 78% 62% 49%

Forgot/issues resetting password 10% 30% 22%

Hard to remember my user ID 10% 19% 17%

Tried but was not able to log in 5% 7% 24%

Did not receive a code 2% 2% 31%

Could not access from home 2% 8% 20%

Did not have access to phone or 

email for authentication when 

accessing

4% 3% 6%

Could not access from work 2% 6% 14%

Other 3% 2% 8%

Access code timed out 3% 3% 8%

Note: Shading denotes higher-rated items than other groups.

4%

4%

4%

5%

5%

8%

13%

16%

71%
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 21

ThriftLine

Nearly one-third of participants now use the ThriftLine to either access an 

automated system or speak to a live representative

Participants continued to increasingly use the ThriftLine automated (30%) and live representative (33%) 

resources within the last 12-month period. Usage of the live representative is up in 2022, continuing a trend of 

increased usage since 2017. Usage of the automated system remained stable compared to 2021 (30% both 

years). Similar to previous years, ThriftLine users continue to find access to live representatives (54% 

extremely useful) more useful than the automated system (38% extremely useful). Speaking live to a 

representative is a top driver for overall satisfaction in 2022. However, extremely useful ratings of the 

automated system dropped from 2021 (38%, from 45%), while the usefulness of live representatives is 

statistically similar (54% extremely useful vs. 57% in 2021). 

About nine in ten US–Legacy and FERS participants (89%) find speaking to a live representative at least 

somewhat useful. FERS participants find the automated ThriftLine system more useful than Uniformed 

Services participants. Separated participants are significantly more likely to rate the automated ThriftLine as 

useful (82% vs. 73%). Separated participants also rate speaking to a live representative higher than Active 

participants (90% vs. 86%).

F I G U R E 1 7 .

If you have used [service] in the past 12 months, rate the overall usefulness of each:

Used

2022 2021 2020 Extremely 

Useful 2021

ThriftLine to access 

automated system 

(Among 27% who 

used, n=1,330)

30% 30% 27% 45%

ThriftLine to speak 

live to a

representative 

(Among 28% who 

used, n=1,412)

33% 31% 28% 57%

Note: ↑↓ indicate significant increase/decrease from previous year.

Live ThriftLine three-month use and satisfaction

Similar to previous years, participants were asked about recent (in the past three months) use of the 

ThriftLine to speak to a live representative. Eleven percent of participants report having called and 

spoken to a live representative on the ThriftLine in the past three months — a 6-point increase from 

2021. The call rate for Active participants is 9%, while the call rate for Separated participants is 17%.

Nine in ten (90%) recent ThriftLine users report being at least somewhat satisfied with the 

representative’s ability to answer their questions or address their needs.

8% 17%

9%

38%

33%

38%

54%

Not at all useful Not very useful Somewhat useful Extremely useful
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 22

17%

12%

24%

25%

22%

15%

30%

20%

36%

48%

20%

25%

Sill working on resolving Somewhat satisfied Extremely satisfied

Only 4% of participants say they have alerted TSP about a problem or issue in the past three months. 

This reporting rate is slightly higher for Separated participants (6%) than Active participants (3%).

The reporting rate is also slightly higher for US-Legacy (7%) than BRS and FERS (both 3%). Almost 

six in ten (58%) participants who contacted TSP about an issue were at least somewhat satisfied 

with the amount of time it took to resolve their issue. This is an 8-point increase from 2021, when only 

50% of participants were satisfied with the amount of time they had to wait for their issue to be 

resolved. However, these scores vary greatly between groups, with Active (63%) participants more 

satisfied than Separated (50%) and FERS (45%) participants.

FIGURE 18.

If you called the ThriftLine in the past three (3) months and spoke to a Participant 

Service Representative, please indicate your satisfaction with the following:

(n=584)

Net Satisfaction

(Satisfied + Extremely 

sat.)

90%

86%

85%

74%

F I G U R E 1 9 .

How satisfied were you with the amount of time it took for your issue to be resolved?

(Among the 5% who brought issue to TSP in past 3 months)

Somewhat +

Extremely

Total contacted 58%

Active 63%

Separated (n=78*) 50%

FERS 45%

Note: Shading denotes higher ratings relative to other groups.

*Small sample size; interpret with caution.

Annual Statement

A majority of participants read their annual statement, and ninety-two percent 

are satisfied (40%) or extremely satisfied (52%) with the information provided

15% 8%

10%

10%

30%

27%

28%

20%

44%

58%

58%

70%

Amount of time you had to wait to

speak to a representative

Days of the week that a

representative is available

Hours that a representative

is available

Representative's ability to

answer your questions

or address your needs

Extremely dissatisfied Dissatisfied Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied Satisfied Extremely satisfied
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 23

Overall, 83% of TSP participants report that they have read their annual statement — a 5-point 

increase from 2021. Early-career6 participants are the least likely group to have read their TSP 

statement (67%), which increases through career stages. Retired participants are the most likely to 

have read their TSP annual statement (89%).

Approximately half of the participants who have read their annual statement report being extremely 

satisfied with all aspects of the information provided. These include the usefulness of information in 

the statement (52%), the ability to track how TSP investments perform over time (52%), the 

usefulness of estimated monthly retirement income (48%) and the ability to see how other investment 

options within the plan are performing (44%). Overall net satisfaction with the information in the 

annual statement is stable relative to 2021 (both 92%).

F I G U R E 2 0 .

How satisfied are you with each of the following on your annual statement?

(Among 78% of respondents who have read their annual statement)

Somewhat + Extremely 

satisfied

2022 2021

Usefulness of information in 

annual statement (87% used, 

n=4,482)

92% 92%

Ability to track how TSP 

investments have performance 

over time 

(85% used, n=4,390)

88% 90%

Usefulness of your estimated 

monthly retirement income on 

statement 

(73% used, n=3,792)

85% 88%

Ability to see how other 

investment options within the 

plan are performing (77% 

used, n=3,971)

82% 86%

Note: ↑↓ indicate significant increase/decrease from prior year; percentages shown when greater than 4%.

6 Early-career participants: Under 35 years old.

7%

5%

11%

11%

6%

6%

37%

36%

36%

40%

44%

48%

52%

52%

Extremely dissatisfied Somewhat dissatisfied

Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied Somewhat satisfied

Extremely satisfied
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 24

TSP Transaction Timeliness/Fees

A majority of TSP participants are extremely satisfied with transaction timeliness 

A majority of TSP participants are extremely satisfied with the timeliness of taking out loans (61%) 

and changing investment allocations (61%) in the past 12 months. However, the percentage of 

participants who are extremely satisfied with the timeliness of taking loans dropped 12 points from 

73% in 2021 to 61% in 2022. The percentage of Active participants who are extremely satisfied with 

changing the investment allocation of current investments decreased by 6 points. A majority of Active 

participants are extremely satisfied with changing future contributions (58%). Additionally, a majority 

of Separated participants are extremely satisfied with changing their current investments (56%). 

However, less than half of participants are extremely satisfied with rollovers or transfers both from the 

TSP to another eligible retirement plan and transfers into the TSP (32% for both). Both ratings also 

decreased meaningfully from 2021. The percentage of TSP participants who report to be extremely

satisfied with transferring money out of the TSP dropped by 8 points from 2021. Finally, the 

percentage of TSP participants who are extremely satisfied with the transaction timeliness of rolling 

money into the TSP decreased by 7-points since 2021.

F I G U R E 2 1 .

If done within the last 12 months, please rate your overall satisfaction 

with the time it took to complete the following transactions:

Completed

2021

Extremely

Satisfied

Took out loan (active participants) 19% 73%

Changed the investment 

allocation of my future contributions 

(active participants)

NA NA

Changed current investments 

(reallocated fund balances or 

contributions; active participants)

49% 67%

Changed current 

investments (reallocated fund 

balances; separated participants)

NA NA

Took withdrawal using 

online form wizard 9% 53%↓

Made account updates 

(e.g., name change, 

beneficiaries, password, etc.)

42% 57%↓

Rolled over/transferred other 

eligible retirement plan account 

balances into the TSP

6% 39%

Rolled over/transferred money out 

of the TSP into other eligible 

retirement plan accounts

5% 40%

Note: ↑↓ indicate significant increase/decrease from prior year; percentages shown when greater than 4%.

13%

8% 11%

22%

21%

10%

16%

11%

6%

7%

16%

29%

28%

35%

32%

28%

29%

32%

18%

32%

32%

50%

45%

56%

61%

58%

61%

Extremely dissatisfied Somewhat dissatisfied

Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied Somewhat satisfied

Extremely satisfied
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 25

A majority of participants find TSP fees among the lowest compared 

to other plans

Three-quarters (75%) of responding participants believe that the TSP’s fees are lower compared to 

other 401(k)/DC plans, while 21% believe TSP fees are about the same as other plans. Only 4% of 

participants think that TSP fees are among the highest compared to other 401(k)/DC plans, indicating 

that fees or perceptions of fees are not negatively impacting participant satisfaction. Specifically, 

FERS participants are most likely to view TSP fees as among the lowest compared to other plans 

(78% vs. 59% and 75% of BRS and US-Legacy respectively) — while BRS participants are more 

likely to view TSP fees as the same as other plans (38% for BRS vs. 18% for FERS and 19% for USLegacy). Separated participants are more likely than Active participants to think that TSP fees are 

lower than other 401(k)/DC plans.

F I G U R E 2 2 .

From what you know, are the TSP fees higher, lower, or about the same 

as other defined contribution retirement plans (e.g., 401(k) or 403(b))?

(Among those with an opinion)

Overall

75%

21%

4%

Appendix D summarizes the changes to the survey questions from 2021 to 2022 as it relates to participant 

perceptions. 

6%

19%

75%

38%

59%

4%

18%

78%

TSP fees are higher than

other 401(k)/defined

contribution plans

TSP fees are about the

same as other

401(k)/defined

contribution plans

TSP fees are lower than

other 401(k)/defined

contribution plans

By Retirement System

FERS BRS US Legacy

3%

38%

58%

5%

14%

80%

5%

20%

75%

15%

82%

TSP fees are higher

than other

401(k)/defined

contribution plans

TSP fees are about the

same as other

401(k)/defined

contribution plans

TSP fees are lower than

other 401(k)/defined

contribution plans

By Career Stage

Retired Late Career Mid Career Early Career
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 26

Potential Features and Participant Suggestions

Participants are most likely to use a tool to estimate withdrawals to last through 

retirement if available 

When asked how likely they would be to use various services and tools if they were to be provided in 

the future by the TSP, participants cite a tool to estimate withdrawals to last through retirement (86%)

and tailored modeling or calculator tools (78%) as being the offerings they would most likely use. In 

2022, the third-most selected reason is a new response option — the ability to automatically adjust 

account balance allocation (auto rebalance). Nearly half of all participants cite they would be likely to 

use at least one of the offerings.

Active participants are much more likely to say they would use all offerings than their Separated 

peers, who may have found outside sources to support their needs. Uniformed Services participants, 

particularly BRS, are more likely to use the majority of offerings if offered. Further, late-career7 and 

retired participants are least likely to say they would use most offerings.

F I G U R E 2 3 .

How likely would you be to use the following if offered by the TSP?

Likely + Extremely likely Total

(n=4,441)

Active

(n=2,615)

Separated

(n=1,826)

FERS

(n=3,860)

BRS

(n=93)

USLegacy

(n=488)

Tool to estimate withdrawals to last through retirement 86% 88% 80% 86% 84% 86%

Tailored modeling or calculator tools 78% 84% 58% 76% 88% 77%

Automatically adjust account allocation* 69% 73% 57% 70% 71% 64%

Option which protects you from outliving your 

retirement savings 69% 72% 63% 72% 66% 65%

TSP mobile app 64% 70% 47% 60% 85% 64%

Broader range of investment options 64% 67% 56% 60% 72% 71%

Service to assist in rolling qualified retirement 58% 61% 50% 53% 69% 67%

Online financial advisory tool 56% 60% 47% 53% 62% 62%

Download account info to use in other tools 55% 59% 42% 50% 67% 62%

Online financial advice 48% 52% 35% 47% 47% 50%

Convert TSP tax-deferred balance to Roth 45% 49% 35% 42% 63% 47%

*The ability to Automatically adjust account balance allocation was a new response option in the 2022 FRTIB Survey

Note: Shading denotes higher-rated items than other groups.

Separated participants want more information on the tax implications 

of withdrawals

A majority of Separated participants (57%) desire more information on the tax implications of 

withdrawals. Forty-five percent of participants say they would also like more information on timing 

TSP withdrawals with Social Security/FERS/BRS pension; half (51%) of US-Legacy participants want 

more information on timing TSP withdrawals with Social Security/FERS/BRS pension. Less than a 

third of participants want more information on which accounts to withdraw from first. 

7 Late career participants: Age 50 and older.
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 27

F I G U R E 2 4 .

What, if anything, can the TSP provide that will help make decisions on when and how to draw

down TSP balances easier?

(Asked of Separated participants)

Note: Response options for this question changed in 2022, so trending from 2021 is not possible.

Slightly more than half (55%) of Separated participants have already

started to withdraw their TSP balance

Overall, 55% of Separated participants report that they have begun to withdraw their TSP balance 

for their retirement. More than six in 10 Separated FERS participants (62%) have begun to withdraw, 

whereas slightly more than four in 10 US-Legacy participants have begun to withdraw (42%) —

a 20-point difference. 

F I G U R E 2 5 .

Have you started to withdraw your TSP balance for your retirement?

(Among Separated participants)

Active and Separated participants who have not begun the withdrawal process

plan to use recurring withdrawals

As part of the survey, participants who had not begun the withdrawal process were asked how likely 

they would be to use the different withdrawal options when they did begin to withdraw. Both Active 

(75%) and Separated (65%) participants indicate that they are most likely to use recurring 

withdrawals. The 75% of Active participants who are likely to use recurring withdrawals is a 4-point 

55% 62%

42%

Total (n=2,145) FERS (n=1,502) US-Legacy (n=616)

% Yes

29%

32%

45%

57%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

More information on which accounts to withdraw from first

Expanded guaranteed income options, beyond current annuity

offerings, which protect you from outliving your retirement

More information on timing TSP withdrawals with Social

Security/FERS/BRS pension

More information on tax implications of withdrawals

2022 (n=1,877)
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 28

decrease from 2021. The 65% of Separated participants who are likely to use recurring withdrawals is 

a 10-point decline from 2021.

Nearly one in five (19%) Active participants say they would take a full withdrawal, while almost one in 

three (28%) Separated participants say they are likely to take a full withdrawal. Moreover, 32% of 

Active participants are likely to purchase a TSP annuity with balance — twice the percentage of 

Separated participants who are likely to purchase a TSP annuity with balance (16%).

F I G U R E 2 6 .

Likelihood to Use Withdrawal Option

(Among Active and Separated participants who have not begun withdrawal process)

Likely +

Extremely

likely

Recurring withdrawals Separated (n=206)

Active (n=1,256)

65%

75%

Installment payments 

based on life 

expectancy

Separated

Active

43%

57%

Partial withdrawals as 

needed for expenses

Separated

Active

54%

46%

Transfer or rollover 

into eligible plan

Separated

Active

44%

46%

Purchase a TSP 

annuity with balance

Separated

Active

16%

32%

Full withdrawal Separated

Active

28%

19%

Note: Due to rounding, values shown may not match totals.

Top three reasons participants plan to transfer money from the TSP

Similar to 2021, consolidation of retirement accounts (75%, down from 79% in 2021), better/more 

investment choices (72%, down from 80% in 2021), and higher investment returns elsewhere 

(70%, down from 74% in 2021) remain the most popular reasons for Active participants to 

transfer money out of the TSP. 

While 44% of respondents cite lower fees as a reason they plan to transfer money from the TSP to 

another account, it should be noted that this question is asked of a small subset of active participants 

(N = 506) who said they are likely to transfer money. Overall, three-quarters of respondents (75%) 

think the TSP offers lower fees compared to other defined contribution plans.

10%

8%

12%

18%

23%

9%

18%

20%

10%

34%

28%

9%

20%

20%

13%

28%

21%

36%

36%

37%

33%

41%

37%

Likely Extremely likely
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 29

F I G U R E 2 7 .

What reason do you plan to transfer money from your

TSP account into other eligible account?

(Among Active participants likely to transfer)

Consolidate 

retirement accounts

Better/More investment 

choices

Higher investment 

returns elsewhere

Retirement planning 

tools elsewhere 

More flexible withdrawal 

options

Financial advisory

services elsewhere

Lower fees

Better customer service 38%

44%

62%

64%

66%

70%

72%

75%

2022 (n=506)
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 30

Participants desire funding source choice for transactions

Participants continue to report that they desire the ability to specify from which investment 

funds money is moved or taken from for two major TSP transactions: 1) taking a withdrawal and 

2) taking out a loan. 

Nearly nine in 10 TSP participants (89%) report that they desire the ability to specify from which 

investment funds money is moved or taken from two major TSP transactions: taking a withdrawal

(73% strongly agree) and taking out a loan (72% strongly agree). 

Furthermore, approximately three-quarters of participants strongly agree they want the ability to 

specify which types of balances, whether Traditional or Roth, are used for loans (74% strongly agree) 

and interfund transfers (74% strongly agree).

F I G U R E 2 8 .

How much do you agree or disagree that when 

completing the following types of transactions, you 

want the ability to specify from which investment 

fund(s) dollars are moved or taken when:

How much do you agree or disagree that 

when completing the following types of transactions, 

you want the ability to specify whether dollars are 

moved or taken from your Traditional (tax-deferred) 

TSP balances or from your Roth (after-tax) TSP 

balances when:

Net 

Agree

Net 

Agree

89% 91%

89% 90%

16%

17%

73%

72%

Taking a withdrawal

Taking out a loan

(Active only)

4-Agree 5-Strongly agree

17%

15%

74%

74%

Changing account

distribution

(interfund transfer)

Taking out a loan

(Active only)

4-Agree 5-Strongly agree
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 31

Nearly half of all participants don’t have other qualified retirement plans

Just under half of TSP participants (49%) report not having another qualified retirement plan or 

Traditional IRA outside of the TSP. This is most prevalent among BRS (58%), followed by FERS 

(48%) and US-Legacy participants (43%). Furthermore, a majority of Active participants (51%) report 

not having another qualified plan. This is higher than the rate for Separated participants (43%). 

Participants who have an outside plan were asked the primary reason that they have not considered 

rolling their qualified plan funds into the TSP. In total, over half did not move fund for the top three 

reasons: they either just never considered rolling in (20%), they didn’t want all their funds in one place 

(19%), or they didn’t know they could (16%). Other participants report that other plans offer more 

flexibility (10%), that they plan to roll in funds in the future (9%) or other plans offer higher returns 

(7%). 

F I G U R E 2 9 .

Which, if any, of the following qualified 

retirement accounts do you have for 

retirement? (Select all that apply)

You indicated you have at least one qualified retirement 

account. What is the primary reason you have not 

considered rolling these qualified plan funds into the 

TSP? Select one option.

34% 32%

49%

My own

401(k)/403(b)

My own

traditional IRA

I do not have

any of these

types of accounts

% Yes

6%

7%

9%

9%

10%

16%

19%

20%

Process for rolling money

into the TSP is too complicated

Other plans provide higher return than

the TSP/better matching

Not yet, plan to roll into

the TSP in the future

Other

Other plans offer flexibility

of types of funds to invest in

I didn’t know I could do this

Diversification/don't want

everything in one place

Just never considered it
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 32

Participants desire more instructions/information to better meet their 

retirement planning needs

Participants were also asked what the TSP could do to better meet their retirement planning needs. 

This was done by means of a free text comment field. After categorizing and grouping responses, of 

the 35% of participants with an opinion, 9% requested better instructions/information/tutorials from the 

TSP, while 7% requested more investment options. 

FERS participants most want better instructions/information/tutorials (11%) from the TSP to better 

meet their retirement needs. While BRS participants most desire the ability to participate after 

retirement (15%), US-Legacy participants most desire more investment options (12%).

F I G U R E 3 0 .

What ONE thing could the TSP do to better meet your retirement planning needs?

(Among 45% with comment, n=2,342)

FERS

(n=1,595)

BRS

(n=41*)

USLegacy

(n=253)

Better instructions/information/tutorials

11% 4% 5%

More investment options 6% 2% 12%

Provide investment advice /retirement 

plan 6% 4% 5%

More transaction 

availability/transfers/deposits/withdrawals 7% 3% 3%

Easier access/log-in/CAC 

capability/easier password re-set 4% 6% 9%

Have more tools/calculators/prediction 

capabilities 4% 5% 8%

Improve website/interface/make it more 

user-friendly 3% 4% 8%

Positive comment 6% 1% 3%

Offer a mobile app 3% 10% 4%

Other 3% 0% 4%

Be able to participate after retirement 1% 15% 3%

Issues with company/federal 

processes/procedures/regulations 2% 0% 6%

Issues with fees/costs/need more 

information on fees/cost 2% 1% 4%

Better/easier roll-over capabilities or 

convert in ROTH 2% 2% 2%

Note: Only responses of 3% or greater are shown; shading denotes higher-rated items than other groups.

Appendix E summarizes the changes to the survey questions from 2021 to 2022 as it relates to 

potential features and participant suggestions.

9%

7%

6%

6%

5%

5%

5%

5%

4%

3%

3%

3%

3%

2%
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 33

Participant Profiles

For the 2022 survey, analyses were conducted to create specific profiles of participants. Participant profiles 

were created based on overall satisfaction, level of contribution, use of other plans, rollover habits, use of TSP 

communication channels and familiarity with TSP fees. Included below are the findings for profiles by 

retirement system, career stage, and participant status. 

Table 2: Participant Profile by Retirement System

FERS BRS US-LEGACY

Extremely satisfied/Satisfied 37%/53% (90% total) 9%/68% (77% total) 30%/53% (84% total)

No. 1 key driver of 

overall satisfaction

Representative's ability to 

answer your questions or 

address your needs

Satisfaction w/ rolling 

over/transferring balances 

OUT of TSP

Representative's ability to 

answer your questions or 

address your needs

Percentage saving 

5% or more* 87% 83% 79%

No. 1 reason for 

not saving 5% 

Currently cannot afford to 

save that much Other Other

% With other qualified plan 52% 42% 57%

No. 1 reason for not rollingin Just never considered it I haven’t done it yet, but 

plan to in the future

Don't want all retirement 

accounts in one place/I didn’t 

know I could do this

Most useful 

communication channel Annual statement General plan information on tsp.gov Annual statement

% Not familiar with fees 31% 36% 29%

*Percent does not include those who respond “Don’t know” to this question

FERS participants are the most satisfied group and the most likely to be saving at least 5%. The 

number one reason for FERS participants who don’t save 5% is the fact that they currently cannot 

afford to save that much. Both FERS and US-Legacy find the annual statement to be the most useful 

communication, while BRS finds general plan information on tsp.gov as most useful. 

BRS and US-Legacy lag behind in terms of satisfaction. The key driver of satisfaction for BRS 

participants is the satisfaction with rolling over/transferring balances out of the TSP into another 

eligible retirement account. BRS participants are the most likely to not be familiar with fees, while USLegacy is more likely to think fees are higher compared to other defined contribution (DC) plans. BRS 

participants are the least satisfied retirement system overall, but they are the least likely to have 

another DC plan. Over half of FERS (52%) and US-Legacy (57%) participants have another qualified 

retirement plan. 
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 34

Table 3: Participant Profile by Career Stage

Early

(Under 35 years of age)

Mid

(35 -49 years old)

Late

(50 and older) Retired

Extremely 

satisfied/Satisfied 15%/65% (79% total) 28%/57% (85% total) 36%/53% (89% total) 48%/47% (95% total)

No. 1 key driver of 

overall satisfaction

Days of the week 

that a representative 

is available

Representative's 

ability to answer your 

questions or address 

your needs

Satisfaction with 

rolling over/ 

transferring balances 

INTO the TSP

Representative's 

ability to answer your 

questions or address 

your needs

Percentage saving 

5% or more* 85% 85% 83% NA

No. 1 reason for 

not saving 5% Other

Currently cannot 

afford to save 

that much

Currently cannot 

afford to save 

that much

NA

% With other 

qualified plan 44% 55% 54% 52%

No. 1 reason for 

not rolling-in

I haven’t done it 

yet, but plan to in 

the future

I didn’t know I could 

do this

Just never 

considered it

Don't want all 

retirement accounts 

in one place

Most useful 

communication channel

General plan 

information on tsp.gov 

and annual statement

Annual statement Annual statement Annual statement

% Not familiar with fees 34% 34% 31% 24%

*Percent does not include those who respond “Don’t know” to this question

When looking across career stages, satisfaction with the TSP increases as participants progress in their 

careers. Satisfaction eventually culminates with retired participants. 

The number one driver for most participants is their satisfaction with the ThriftLine. Mid-career and 

retired participants are most likely to be satisfied overall when they are extremely satisfied with the 

representative’s ability to answer their questions or address their needs. Early-career participants are 

extremely satisfied overall when they are extremely satisfied with the days of the week that a 

representative is available. Finally, late-career participants are most likely to be satisfied overall when 

they are satisfied with the ability to roll over or transfer balances into the TSP.

A prevailing reason for not rolling funds into the TSP for mid-career participants is their lack of 

awareness of the ability to do so, while late-career participants cite that they “just never considered 

it.” Both mid- and late-career participants cite affordability as the number one reason they aren’t 

saving 5% or more.

Early-career participants are the only group in which less than half of participants have another 

qualified retirement plan. Early-career participants also find tsp.gov and annual statement as the most 

useful communication channels, while the rest of the career-stage groups view the annual statement 

as the most useful.

Familiarity with fees increases with age. Over a third of early- and mid-career participants are 

not familiar with TSP fees, while slightly less than a quarter of retired participants are not familiar 

with fees.
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 35

Table 4: Participant Profile by Active and Separated

Active Separated

Extremely satisfied/Satisfied 29%/57% (85% total) 40%/52% (92% total)

No. 1 key driver of overall satisfaction Satisfaction with rolling over/ 

transferring balances INTO the TSP

Representative's ability to answer 

your questions or address your 

needs

Percentage saving 5% or more* 84% NA

No. 1 reason for not saving 5% Currently cannot afford to save that much NA

% With other qualified plan 50% 57%

No. 1 reason for not rolling-in Just never considered it Just never considered it

Most useful communication channel Annual statement Annual statement

% Not familiar with fees 33% 26%

*Percent does not include those who respond “Don’t know” to this question

Separated participants are more satisfied than Active participants by 7 percentage points. A key difference 

between the two groups is that Active participants are most likely to be extremely satisfied with the TSP when 

they are extremely satisfied with the ability to transfer balances into the TSP. The key driver for Separated 

participants is the ability for a ThriftLine representative to answer their question or address their needs.

Half (50%) of Active participants have another qualified retirement plan, while 57% of Separated participants 

have another plan. Both groups find the annual statement to be the most useful communication channel. 

One-third (33%) of Active participants are not familiar with fees, while 26% of Separated participants are 

not familiar with fees.
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 36

Conclusions

• TSP’s overall 87% satisfaction rate remains above and compares favorably with the 82% 

of American workers satisfied with their plans. 

• The top three drivers of overall satisfaction are: 

1. ThriftLine representative’s ability to address needs

2. annual statements

3. tsp.gov

• BRS participant satisfaction lags behind other groups. BRS participants are least satisfied with 

the flexibility of withdrawal options and are more likely to think TSP fees are not among the 

lowest. 

• The new recordkeeper is currently offering features that address participant desires: specifically, 

a mutual fund window, concierge roll-in service, additional general-purpose loan, mobile app as 

well as a retirement income modeling tool. 

• Analyses of demographic groups have identified differences that can help focus FRTIB’s

communications and messaging themes.
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 37

APPENDIX A: Methodology

Sample design

Gallup employed a stratified sample design to meet the objectives of the FRTIB Participant 

Satisfaction Survey to reach a representative sample of participants from the Federal Employees 

Retirement System (FERS), Uniformed Services Legacy (US-Legacy) and Blended Retirement 

System (BRS) populations as of early 2022. The primary goal of the sample design was to increase 

the agency's understanding of participants' retirement planning behavior and satisfaction with TSP 

(Thrift Savings Plan) services. The TSP participant pool8 was used as the sampling frame. The total 

of 5,208 returned surveys (paper and online) resulted in an overall response rate of around 15.3%. 

The total sample was allocated optimally across different strata to ensure adequate sample size for 

different groups and subgroups of interest to FRTIB. The main steps of the sampling process follow.

Sample stratification

FRTIB set the overall sample size of 37,402 based on the expected response rate as achieved in the 

2021 survey and the goal to achieve at least 5,000 completed surveys. The sample design included 

disproportional stratified sampling across the three systems based on expected response rates of 

respondents by the level of available contact information (if an email was available), work status, and 

enrollment system.

The three major TSP populations of FERS, US-Legacy, and BRS are of special interest to FRTIB and 

were chosen as the primary stratification variables. Within each of these populations (primary strata), 

additional stratification was used to ensure sufficient sample sizes for different subgroups of interest, 

primarily employment status (Active/Separated) and enrollment status (auto-enroll, opt-in, pre-autoenroll). Results from the 2021 survey effort indicated that response rates were approximately three 

times higher among participants with email addresses (as these participants were more likely to have 

registered on the TSP website, and they received multiple communications points for the survey).

Thus, the sub-strata were further stratified by the availability of email contact information in the FRTIB 

database. The sample plan included a total of 24 strata:

8 While FRTIB still has participants in the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS), that participant base represents a small (about 3%) and diminishing 

proportion of participants, and as such was not included in this or the 2021 survey.
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 38

Table 5: Strata Definitions

Strata Retirement system Employment status Enrollment type Email

1 BRS Active Auto-enroll Email

2 BRS Active Auto-enroll No Email

3 BRS Separated Auto-enroll Email

4 BRS Separated Auto-enroll No Email

5 BRS Active Opt-in without prior Email

6 BRS Active Opt-in without prior No Email

7 BRS Separated Opt-in without prior Email

8 BRS Separated Opt-in without prior No Email

9 BRS Active Opt-in with prior Email

10 BRS Active Opt-in with prior No Email

11 BRS Separated Opt-in with prior Email

12 BRS Separated Opt-in with prior No Email

13 FERS Active Auto-enroll Email

14 FERS Active Auto-enroll No Email

15 FERS Separated Auto-enroll Email

16 FERS Separated Auto-enroll No Email

17 FERS Active Pre-auto-enroll Email

18 FERS Active Pre-auto-enroll No Email

19 FERS Separated Pre-auto-enroll Email

20 FERS Separated Pre-auto-enroll No Email

21 US-Legacy Active Email

22 US-Legacy Active No Email

23 US-Legacy Separated Email

24 US-Legacy Separated No Email

Sample allocation

Gallup carried out sample allocation across different strata and sub-strata while keeping in mind the 

sample size requirements at different levels. Instead of allocating the sample proportionally across 

strata (i.e., assigning sample size based on the size of strata), Gallup determined it was necessary to 

use disproportional sample allocation across strata and sub-strata to ensure a minimum sample size 

for each stratum and sub-stratum and to achieve the highest response rate possible given known 

participant information. The expected response rates derived from past TSP surveys were considered

to determine the sample size to be assigned at different levels, with a higher sample selection of 

participants with email addresses. FRTIB sent Gallup the requested sample records for each of the 

24 strata following internal cleaning protocols (including exclusion of records with known bad 

addresses — defined as two return USPS mailers to FRTIB over the prior year.

Table 6 provides the sample size and the corresponding number of completed surveys for the three 

primary sampling strata (or populations). Respondents who returned a survey with all missing data 

have been excluded from the table.
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 39

Table 6: Sample Size and Number of Completed Surveys by Retirement System

Retirement system Total sample size Number of 

completed surveys Response rate

Total 37,402 5,208 14%

FERS 25,663 4,541 18%

BRS 4,330 115 3%

US-Legacy 7,409 552 7%

Sample selection

Sampling was carried out independently within each sampling stratum and sub-stratum. Once Gallup 

finalized the sample size to be allocated to a particular sub-stratum, FRTIB staff selected a simple 

random sample of the specified size that was drawn from each sub-stratum and sent to Gallup for 

processing. The sample was pulled on January 25, 2022. The probability of selection was the same 

for all cases within a sub-stratum. 

Data collection

The survey field period lasted from March 28 to May 26, 2022.

Data collection involved a multimode invitation (email and mail) and survey mode (web and paper)

protocol. Gallup mailed pre-notification postcards to all sampled participants on March 28, 2028, via

USPS. The postcard explained the purpose of the upcoming survey and contained the URL and 

access code to complete the survey online. On April 1, 2022, Gallup mailed a survey packet in a flat 

envelope that contained a cover letter and an eight-page color survey booklet asking participants to 

complete and return the survey back to Gallup. In addition to the mail survey packet, all participants 

with an email address (81% of sample) were also sent an email invitation with a personalized link to 

take the survey online. Gallup sent a reminder/thank-you postcard to all sampled participants on April 

7. All mail communications included the URL and access code for completing the survey online if 

desired.

Gallup also sent six email reminders to all participants with email addresses who had not yet 

completed the survey. Those email reminders were sent on the following dates:

• Reminder Email #1: 3/31

• Reminder Email #2: 4/6

• Reminder Email #3: 4/13

• Reminder Email #4: 4/20

• Reminder Email #5: 4/27

• Reminder Email #6: 5/4
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 40

Gallup scanned received paper surveys throughout the field period, combined the information with 

completes from the web and provided weekly response rate reports to FRTIB. At the end of the 

survey field period, Gallup scanned all final paper surveys and processed the combined data. In 

cases where a respondent completed both a mail and web survey, the data from the web survey was 

retained, and the mail survey data was not included in the data set. A total of 5,678 participants 

returned a survey (web or mail) and were included in the initial data set. Four hundred seventy

participants either progressed to the end of the survey and submitted it but did not provide a response 

to any of the required questions (Q45_2, Q50A-K, Q34, Q35 q36 or q37 or Q38 or Q39 or Q41) or 

returned a blank paper survey. If these respondents are excluded, 5,208 participants provided nonmissing data. 

Sixty-five percent of respondents completed the survey via web and 35% via mail. The following table 

provides the number of returns by mode and by retirement system.

Table 7: Number of Completed Web Surveys by Retirement System

Total 

members

Mail ONLY invite 

and reminders

Mail and web invite 

and reminders

Total 

SM9

Total 

CM10

Resp. 

rate11

% of 

SM w/ 

emails

% of CM via web Total

SM

Total 

CM

Resp. 

rate

% of returns via 

web

Total

SM

Total 

CM

Resp. 

rate

% of returns via 

web

Total 37,402 5,208 14% 81% 65% 7,054 312 4% 25% 30,348 4,896 16% 67%

BRS 4,330 115 3% 53% 74% 2,038 16 1% 69% 2,292 99 4% 66%

FERS 25,663 4,541 18% 86% 64% 3,490 277 8% 22% 22,173 4,264 19% 67%

USLegacy 7,409 552 7% 79% 73% 1,526 19 1% 37% 5,883 533 9% 74%

While sending only mail invites is sufficient for FERS participants (who are generally older and more 

established), mail and web invites are necessary to reach BRS and US-Legacy participants. Among 

participants who received only mail communications, 25% completed the survey via web (but 69% of 

BRS and 37% of US-Legacy completed via web) compared with 67% web returns from respondents 

who received mail and email communications (approximately two-thirds or more of each system).

Overall, response rates were higher among respondents who received both mail and email 

communications. This is, in part, undoubtedly because respondents with email were contacted using 

more than one method and received more reminders than those who received only mail 

communications. However, TSP members who provided the TSP with an email address may also be 

more engaged members and, therefore, more likely to complete the survey, which may have also 

contributed to the higher response rates from this group. 

9 SM = sampled N

10 CM = completed surveys N

11 Response rate = %CM/SM
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 41

Recontact Survey

During the field period, prior to the data collection closing, Gallup noticed an issue in sampling where 

some respondents received the incorrect version of the FRTIB survey (active versus separated). 

Gallup analyzed response data to determine the number of participants who were sent the wrong 

survey, which items respondents incorrectly answered, and which items they should have received. 

After reviewing the data, Gallup offered suggestions for how to proceed.

Gallup sent an abbreviated recontact survey to participants who completed the incorrect survey. Of 

those who were recontacted, approximately 36% responded to the abbreviated recontact survey. The 

recontact survey only included the questions from each version of the survey that they should have 

received.

Since the survey questions were very similar between active and separated members, much of the 

data collected was able to be utilized for analysis even when receiving the incorrect survey version.

Below, is a summary of the analysis Gallup conducted:

• Gallup discovered and corrected an issue with web skip patterns driven by the FORM variable 

(active vs separated) during the field period. 

• Gallup identified 1,830 respondents who experienced the issue, and recontacted them to 

correct their survey items. 

o 36% of this group completed the 2nd survey which enabled a complete data record to 

be written for them.

• Those who did not complete the 2nd survey could be missing the form items controlled by the 

FORM skip.

• Responses were blanked out for any items that should not have been asked of the respondent.

A comprehensive list of items that could be impacted follows:
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 42

Q1H Q12A Q16A Q53_1 Q19_NA_1 Q19_1_REV_

1

Q21_1BA Q23A

Q2 Q12G Q16B Q53_2 Q19A Q19_1_REV_

2

Q21_1BB Q23B

Q3A Q12I Q20_1BA Q53_3 Q19B Q19_1_REV_

3

Q21_1BC Q23C

Q4_1 Q12H Q20_1BB Q53_4 Q19C Q19_1_REV_

4

Q21_1BD Q23D

Q4_2 Q12_1A Q20_1BC Q53_5 Q19D Q19_1_REV_

5

Q21_1BE Q23F

Q4_3 Q12_1B Q20_1BD Q53_6 Q19F Q19_1_REV_

T_C01

Q21_1BF Q23E

Q4_4 Q12_2A Q20_1BE Q53_7 Q19E Q54 Q21_1BG Q23G

Q4_6 Q12_2C Q20_1BF Q53_8 Q19G Q55 Q23_NA_1 Q23H

Q4_7 Q12_1_RE

V

Q20_1BG Q19H Q56

Q4_5 Q12_2_RE

V

Q20_1 Q38

Q4_NA_1 Q43

Q43_T_C0

1

Gallup analyzed the data from the second surveys and found no systemic bias in responses when 

compared to those who did not experience the skip pattern issue. The residual impact of the issue is 

that sample sizes for skipped items are somewhat smaller, as anyone who did not complete a 

corrected survey will have missing data for those items. These smaller sample sizes do create 

somewhat larger margins of error for the items impacted.

Weighting of sample data

Sample data were weighted to minimize bias in sample-based estimates. The final weight assigned to 

each respondent in any sub-stratum was equal to the ratio of (i) the total number of participants in 

that sub-stratum and (ii) the number of completed surveys obtained from that sub-stratum. The 

weighting process corrected for (i) unequal probability of selection across sub-strata, and (ii) unit-level 

non-response or the failure to obtain participation from the sampled respondents. Using the final 

weights, the results obtained from participants within a sub-stratum can be projected to all 

participants of that sub-stratum. Data were weighted by the following strata:

• Retirement system

• Employment status

• Enrollment type

• Email availability

Precision of estimates

Ignoring design effect, the margin of error associated with the estimate of a population proportion (P) 

for the three retirement systems combined (n=5,208) is roughly ±1.4% at 95% level of confidence. 
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 43

The margin of error after considering design effects due to disproportional sample allocation will be 

around ±3.5%.

The precision of estimates for any subgroup will depend on the number of completed surveys 

obtained for that subgroup. As shown in Table 1, the numbers of completed surveys for the three 

populations (FERS, US-Legacy and BRS) are 4,541, 552 and 115, respectively. Ignoring design 

effect, the margin of error associated with estimates of a population proportion (P) for the three 

retirement systems, for example, will be roughly ±1.5%, ±4.2% and ±9.1%, respectively, at the 95% 

level of confidence. The corresponding values of margins of error after considering design effects due 

to disproportional sample allocation will be around ±2.6%, ±9.7% and ±15.3%, respectively, for the 

three retirement systems (FERS, US-Legacy and BRS).

Profile of plan participants

Similar to the participant satisfaction survey in 2021, FRTIB employed a disproportional, stratified 

sample design to ensure a sufficient sample size of key target groups. As noted, the data were 

weighted post-stratification by demographics and plan characteristics to reflect the known population 

profiles of the TSP's participant groups. Thus, the weighted profile of respondents is an accurate 

depiction of TSP plan participants.

In terms of satisfaction by retirement system, FERS is the biggest, most responsive, and most 

satisfied group. Of the 5,208 total respondents, 4,541 respondents were FERS participants (87% of 

total sample). In 2022, 90% of FERS participants were satisfied with the TSP overall. In 2021 FERS 

participants had a 91% satisfaction rate. 

Gallup and FRTIB oversampled from the Uniformed Services population to account for the low 

response from these groups. There were 552 (11% of the sample in 2022) completed surveys from 

US-Legacy participants. Only 115 BRS participants (2% of the sample) completed surveys. 

Predictably, FERS participants had the highest response rate (19%), while US-Legacy (8%), and 

BRS (3%) lagged in terms of response. Satisfaction among US-Legacy participants remained 

stable since 2021 at 84%, while satisfaction among BRS participants declined from 88% in 2021 

to 77% in 2022. Because of the relatively small sample size of BRS participants, please interpret 

BRS results with caution.

Table 8: TSP Participants by Retirement System

Retirement system Number of completed surveys Percentage of all TSP participants

Total 5,208 100%

FERS 4,541 62%

US-Legacy 552 16%

BRS 115 22%
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 44

Table 9: TSP Participants by Employment

Federal 

employment 

status

Number of 

completed 

surveys

Percentage 

of all TSP 

participants

FERS USLegacy BRS

Separated 2,269 32% 1,946 452 18

Active 2,939 68% 2,595 617 97

Total 5,208 100% 4,541 552 115
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 45

APPENDIX B: 2022 Active Participants Survey
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APPENDIX C: 2022 Separated Participants Survey
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Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 61

APPENDIX D: Participant Perception – New 

Wording for Questions

For the 2022 survey, several questions relating to participant perceptions on selected topics of the TSP were 

revised. This appendix is a is a summary of the changes from 2021 to 2022.

It is important to note that given the extent of revision to question items from 2021 to 2022, 2022 will mark the 

beginning of the trending going forward for these questions if used in future surveys. 

Question 

Number

2021

Question 

Number

2022

Question Wording 2021 Question Wording 2022

Q3 Q3A Which of the following best describes 

how much you contribute to the TSP? 

(If you contribute a dollar amount, 

calculate the percentage based off of 

your pay amount.)

1. Contribute less than 5% of 

your basic pay

2. Contribute 5% of your basic pay

3. Contribute more than 5% of 

your basic pay

8. Don’t know how much you contribute or 

don’t know the percentage of basic pay

Are you contributing 5% of your 

basic pay?

1. Yes

2. No

8. Don’t know

Q16 Q16_1_REV Do you have any other qualified 

retirement plans (i.e., 401k/403b) or 

Traditional IRAs outside of the TSP?

1. Yes

2. No

Which, if any, of the following accounts 

do you have available for retirement? 

(Select all that apply) 

1. My own ROTH IRA

2. My spouse’s/domestic partner's 

401(k)/403(b)s or IRAs

3. Taxable brokerage investment accounts 

earmarked for retirement

4. Not applicable - I do not have any of these 

types of accounts 
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 62

Question 

Number

2021

Question 

Number

2022

Question Wording 2021 Question Wording 2022

Q16 Q16_1_REVA Do you have any other qualified 

retirement plans (i.e., 401k/403b) or 

Traditional IRAs outside of the TSP?

1. Yes

2. No

Which, if any, of the following qualified 

retirement accounts do you have for 

retirement? (Select all that apply)

1. My own 401(k)/403(b)

2. My own traditional IRA

3. Not applicable - I do not have any of these 

types of accounts 

Q49 Q49_1 If you called the ThriftLine in the past 

three (3) months and spoke to a 

Participant Service Representative, 

please indicate your satisfaction with 

the amount of time it took for your call 

to be answered.

5. Extremely satisfied

4. Somewhat satisfied

3. Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied

2. Somewhat dissatisfied

1. Extremely dissatisfied

8. Don’t know/Does not apply

If you called the ThriftLine in the past 

three (3) months and spoke to a 

Participant Service Representative, 

please indicate your satisfaction with 

the following:

5. Extremely satisfied

4. Somewhat satisfied

3. Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied

2. Somewhat dissatisfied

1. Extremely dissatisfied

8. Don’t know/Does not apply

Q49_1A Representative's ability to answer your 

questions or address your needs

Q49_1B Amount of time you had to wait to 

speak to a representative

Q49_1C Hours that a representative is available

Q49_1D Days of the week that a representative 

is available

Q52 

(New question 

in 2022)

How familiar are you with the fees that 

defined contribution retirement plans, like 

401(k) plans, 403(b) plans, and the TSP, 

charge for administering the plan?

1. Very familiar

2. Somewhat familiar

3. Not familiar

Q46A Q46A_REV How do you think TSP administration 

fees compare to those of other 

401k/Defined Contribution (DC) 

retirement plans?

1. TSP fees are among the lowest 

compared to other 401k/DC plans

2. TSP fees are in line with other 

401k/DC plans

3. TSP fees are among the highest 

compared to other 401k/DC plans

From what you know, are the TSP fees 

higher, lower, or about the same as 

other defined contribution retirement 

plans (e.g., 401(k) or 403(b))?

1. TSP fees are higher than other 

401(k)/defined contribution plans

2. TSP fees are lower than other 

401(k)/defined contribution plans

3. TSP fees are about the same as other 

401(k)/defined contribution plans
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 63

Question 

Number

2021

Question 

Number

2022

Question Wording 2021 Question Wording 2022

4. Don’t know 4. Don’t know
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 64

APPENDIX E: Potential Features and Participant 

Suggestions – New Questions

Question 

Number

2021

Question 

Number

2022

Question wording 2021 Question wording 2022

Q12_1 Q12_1_REV How much do you agree or disagree that 

when completing the following types of 

transactions, you want the ability to 

specify from which investment fund(s) 

dollars are moved or taken when:

5. Strongly agree

4.

3.

2.

1. Strongly disagree

8. Don’t know

8. Never would make that 

transaction/Not Applicable

Q12_1A (If code 1 in FORM, display:)

Taking a loan

Q12_1B Taking a withdrawal

Q12_1C Changing the distribution of your 

account balance (interfund transfer)

How much do you agree or disagree 

that when completing the following types 

of transactions, you want the ability to 

specify from which investment fund(s) 

dollars are moved or taken when:

5. Strongly agree

4.

3.

2.

1. Strongly disagree

8. Don’t know/Not Applicable

Q12_1A Taking a loan

Q12_1B Taking a withdrawal

Q12_2 Q12_2_REV How much do you agree or disagree that 

when completing the following types of 

transactions, you want the ability to 

specify whether dollars are moved or 

taken from your Traditional (taxdeferred) TSP balances or from your 

ROTH (after-tax) TSP balances when:

5. Strongly agree

4.

3.

2.

1. Strongly disagree

8. Don’t know

Never would make that 

transaction/Not Applicable

Q12_2A (If code 1 in FORM, display:)

Taking a loan

Q12_2C Changing the distribution of your 

account balance (interfund transfer)

How much do you agree or disagree 

that when completing the following types 

of transactions, you want the ability to 

specify whether dollars are moved or 

taken from your Traditional (taxdeferred) TSP balances or from your 

ROTH (after-tax) TSP balances:

5. Strongly agree

4.

3.

2.

1. Strongly disagree

8. Don’t know/Not Applicable

Q12_2A Taking a loan

Q12_2C Changing the distribution of your 

account balance (interfund transfer)
Copyright © 2022 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved. 65

Question 

Number

2021

Question 

Number

2022

Question wording 2021 Question wording 2022

Q19_1 Q19_1_REV What, if anything, can the TSP provide 

that will help make decisions on when 

and how to draw down TSP balances 

easier? Select all that apply.

1. More information on withdrawal 

considerations

2. Financial advisory services (for a fee)

3. An investment option which protects you 

from outliving your retirement savings

4. Different withdrawal options (Please 

specify) (Allow 200 characters)

5. Other (Please specify)

What, if anything, can the TSP provide 

that will help make decisions on when 

and how to draw down TSP balances 

easier? (Select all that apply)

1. More information on tax implications 

of withdrawals

2. More information on timing TSP 

withdrawals with Social 

Security/FERS/BRS pension

3. More information on which accounts to 

withdraw from first

4. Expanded guaranteed income options, 

beyond current annuity offerings, 

which protect you from outliving your 

retirement savings

5. Other (Please specify)

Q20_1B New 

Question:

Q20_1BG

(Added response 

option G 

in 2022)

When you decide to withdraw your TSP 

balance after retirement, how likely are 

you to use each of the following options?

5. Extremely likely

4. Likely

3. Neither likely nor unlikely

2. Unlikely

1. Extremely unlikely

8. Don’t know/Haven’t thought about it

When you decide to withdraw your TSP 

balance after full-time employment, how 

likely are you to use each of the 

following options?

5. Extremely likely

4. Likely

3. Neither likely nor unlikely

2. Unlikely

1. Extremely unlikely

8. Don’t know/Haven’t thought about it

Q20_1BG I plan to do nothing and will allow it 

to accrue until I need to take required minimum 

distributions or otherwise need it

Q19 Q19

(New response 

option in 2022 –

see highlighted 

text two cells to 

the right)

If you think you will transfer money 

from your TSP account to another 

retirement account after retirement, 

which of the following would be your 

reason for doing so?

1. Yes

2. No

If you transferred or think you will 

transfer money from your TSP account 

to another eligible retirement account 

after retirement, would each of the 

following be your reason for doing so?

I do not plan to transfer money from my TSP 

account into another eligible account. 

(PROGRAMMER NOTE: Make this a check box 

and Skip to Q19_1_REV)

1. Yes

2. No