Introduction
This FERS Retirement Calculator helps federal employees estimate their pension under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). Enter your date of birth, service dates, High-3 salary, and sick leave hours to get a quick estimate of your monthly and annual pension. The calculator also checks which retirement types you qualify for, applies the correct multiplier (1.0% or 1.1%), and accounts for survivor benefit deductions and early retirement penalties.
Your FERS pension is one of three parts of federal retirement income, along with Social Security and the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP).1 Knowing your estimated pension amount helps you plan ahead and decide when to retire. Use this tool to see how changes in your retirement date, sick leave balance, or survivor benefit election affect your final pension.
How to Use Our FERS Retirement Calculator
Enter your federal employment details below to estimate your FERS pension. The calculator will show your gross and net annual pension, monthly payments, eligibility status, and a full step-by-step breakdown of how your benefit is computed.
Date of Birth: Enter the date you were born. This sets your Minimum Retirement Age (MRA), which determines when you can first retire under FERS rules.
Retirement Service Computation Date (RSCD): Enter your RSCD, not your hire date. Your RSCD adjusts for breaks in service, part-time work, and military buybacks. You can find this date on your SF-50 or by asking your HR office.
Projected Retirement Date: Pick the future date you plan to retire. This must be after both today's date and your RSCD.
Retirement Type: Choose the type of retirement you expect to use. Options include Regular Retirement, MRA+10 (with or without an early penalty), VERA, and Discontinued Service Retirement.
Unused Sick Leave (Hours): Enter the number of sick leave hours you expect to have when you retire. The calculator converts these hours into extra service credit at a rate of 2,087 hours per year.
Prior Military Service: Select "Yes" if you served in the military. If you did, enter the years and months you served, whether you receive military retired pay, whether that retired pay is based on a combat-related disability or is reserve retired pay, and whether you have paid the military deposit (buyback). Military service after 1956 counts toward your FERS pension only if you pay the deposit, and if you receive military retired pay it counts only when that pay is based on a combat-related disability or is reserve retired pay.7
High-3 Average Salary: Enter the average of your three highest-paid consecutive years of base pay. Include basic pay and locality pay,8 but not overtime or bonuses.2 For most federal employees the High-3 is the final three years of service, though an earlier period counts if basic pay was higher then.2
Marital Status: Select "Married" or "Not Married." Married employees are automatically set to the 50% survivor benefit by default, as required by OPM unless your spouse consents to a waiver.2
Survivor Benefit Election: Choose the survivor benefit level for your spouse. The 50% election reduces your pension by 10%.2 The 25% election reduces it by 5%.2 Choosing "No Survivor Benefit" means no reduction, but your spouse will not receive a continuing pension after your death.
What Is the FERS Retirement Calculator?
This calculator estimates your federal pension under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). FERS took effect on January 1, 1987, and new federal civilian employees with retirement coverage have been covered by it since then.1 If you work for the federal government, your FERS pension is one of three parts of your retirement income. The other two parts are Social Security and the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP).1
How Your FERS Pension Is Calculated
Your FERS pension is based on a simple formula: High-3 Average Salary × Years of Creditable Service × Multiplier. Your High-3 is the average of your highest-paid three consecutive years of base pay.2 Creditable service is how long you worked for the federal government, plus any military service you bought back and unused sick leave. The multiplier is either 1% or 1.1%. You get the higher 1.1% rate if you retire at age 62 or older with at least 20 years of service.2
When Can You Retire Under FERS?
FERS has several retirement types, each with its own age and service rules:
- Regular Retirement: Age 62 with 5 years of service, age 60 with 20 years, or your Minimum Retirement Age (MRA) with 30 years.3
- MRA+10: Your MRA with at least 10 years of service. If you retire before age 62 under this option, your pension is reduced by 5% for each year you are under 62, unless you have 30 years of service, or 20 years with your annuity starting at age 60 or later.2
- VERA (Early Out): Age 50 with 20 years, or any age with 25 years.4 Your agency must offer this option.4
- DSR (Discontinued Service): Same age and service rules as VERA, but applies when your job is eliminated or you face involuntary separation.4
Your Minimum Retirement Age (MRA) depends on your birth year. It ranges from 55 to 57.3 People born in 1970 or later have an MRA of 57.3
Key Terms You Should Know
Your Retirement Service Computation Date (RSCD) is not the same as your hire date. It is adjusted for breaks in service, part-time work, and military buybacks. This date sets how many years of creditable service you have. Unused sick leave is added to your service time when your pension is calculated. Every 2,087 hours of sick leave equals one extra year of service credit. Sick leave counts toward computing your annuity only, not toward eligibility,5 so it does not help you meet the 20-year requirement for the 1.1% multiplier.
Survivor Benefits and Your Pension
If you are married, your pension automatically includes a 50% survivor benefit for your spouse. This means your spouse would receive 50% of your unreduced pension after you pass away.6 In return, your pension is reduced by 10% while you are alive.2 You can choose a 25% survivor benefit instead, which reduces your pension by 5%,2 but your spouse must give notarized consent to that election.4 You may also waive the survivor benefit entirely, but your spouse must agree to that in writing.6
Military Service and Your FERS Pension
If you served in the military, that time can count toward your federal pension. Military service performed before 1957 counts without a deposit, but service after 1956 counts only if you pay the military deposit (buyback).7 If you are awarded military retired pay, the military service counts only when that retired pay is based on a service-connected disability incurred in combat or caused by an instrumentality of war, or is reserve retired pay.7