Getty Images For federal employees, participation in the TSP (Thrift Savings Plan) can greatly increase your chances of financial security in retirement, yet some of the folks you work with aren’t making the most of their TSP. By participating in your TSP, you can save part of your income for retirement through automated payroll deductions. You can also receive matching contributions from your agency, perform some forward-looking tax planning for retirement by considering using the Roth option, and potentially grow your money for the future tax-free. But to help maximize your TSP, you should avoid these eight TSP pitfalls: