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Federal Employee Retirement

FERS Pension Calculator

Project your FERS basic annuity using the High-3 average salary, your years of creditable service, and the correct multiplier (1.0%, 1.1%, or 1.2% for special-category employees). Includes options for FERS-RAE and FERS-FRAE employees who contribute higher withholding rates.

Your FERS retirement inputs

Enter the average of your highest 3 consecutive years of basic pay.

Affects employee contribution rate, not the multiplier.

Sick leave adds to creditable service for annuity computation (post-2014 FERS). 1,744 hours = 12 months.

Estimated annual annuity
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≈ $0 / month

Estimate only. Official annuity computations are issued by your agency's Human Resources Office and OPM. This tool does not include COLAs, FERS Annuity Supplement, or TSP distributions.

How the FERS basic annuity is computed

The Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) basic annuity follows one of the most transparent formulas in American retirement planning: High-3 average salary × years of creditable service × multiplier. The multiplier is where most of the variation lives.

The three multipliers

  • 1.0% — applies to most employees who retire before age 62, or at any age with fewer than 20 years of service.
  • 1.1% — applies to employees who retire at age 62 or older with at least 20 years of service. This is the single biggest reason to consider working to 62 if you can.
  • 1.2% — applies to special-category employees (law enforcement officers, firefighters, air traffic controllers, Capitol Police, Supreme Court Police) who retire under the special formula.

What counts toward the High-3?

The High-3 is the average of your highest 36 consecutive months of basic pay — not necessarily your last three years. Basic pay includes locality pay but excludes overtime, bonuses, allowances, and premium pay. If you received a step increase or promotion in your final years, your High-3 may be lower than your final salary.

FERS-RAE and FERS-FRAE

Congress created two newer categories of FERS employees to address pension funding shortfalls:

  • FERS-RAE (Retirement-eligible at age 62) — employees hired between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2013, contribute 3.1% of pay instead of 0.8%.
  • FERS-FRAE (Further Retirement-eligible at age 62) — employees hired on or after January 1, 2014, contribute 4.4% of pay.

The annuity formula is identical for all three categories — only the employee contribution rate changes. That means a FERS-FRAE employee receives the same pension as a regular FERS employee with the same High-3 and service, but pays substantially more for it over a career.

The survivor benefit election

At retirement you may elect a survivor annuity for your spouse. The full election provides a 50% survivor annuity and reduces your own annuity by 10%. The partial election provides a 25% survivor annuity and reduces your annuity by 5%. Married retirees who do not elect a survivor benefit must obtain spousal notarized consent.

For the full picture — including the FERS Annuity Supplement, TSP coordination, and FEHB decisions — see our complete FERS retirement guide.

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Common Questions

Frequently asked questions

Q: What is the FERS High-3 average?

The High-3 is the average of a federal employee's basic pay over their 36 highest-consecutive earning months — usually, but not always, the final three years of service. It includes locality pay, within-grade increases, and any premium pay that is part of "basic pay" under 5 U.S.C. § 8401, but excludes bonuses, overtime, lump-sum annual leave payouts, and most allowances. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) computes it from any 36 consecutive months, so a temporary promotion or higher-paying detail earlier in your career can boost the High-3 even if your final salary is lower. The High-3 is the single biggest driver of your FERS annuity, so maximizing your pay in your last three years matters.

Q: When does the 1.1% multiplier apply instead of 1.0%?

The 1.1% multiplier (instead of the standard 1.0%) applies when you retire at age 62 or older with at least 20 years of creditable service under 5 U.S.C. § 8412. Special category employees — law enforcement officers, firefighters, and air traffic controllers under 5 U.S.C. § 8412(d) — use a 1.7% multiplier for their first 20 years and 1.0% thereafter, while members of Congress use 1.8%. FERS-RAE and FERS-FRAE employees (hired after 2012) pay higher contributions but the 1.1% enhancement at 62/20 still applies to them. If you retire before 62 with 20+ years, the multiplier stays at 1.0%, so waiting until 62 can materially boost your annuity — about 10% more for the same service.

Q: What's the difference between FERS, FERS-RAE, and FERS-FRAE?

FERS is the original system for employees hired before January 1, 2013, who contribute 0.8% of pay toward the defined benefit. FERS-RAE (FERS Revised Annuity Employees) covers employees first hired between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2013, who contribute 3.1% of pay. FERS-FRAE (FERS Further Revised Annuity Employees) covers employees first hired on or after January 1, 2014, who contribute 4.4% of pay. All three use the same annuity formula (1.0% or 1.1% multiplier × High-3 × years of service), but FERS-RAE and FERS-FRAE employees pay 4-5× more for the same benefit. The contribution increases were mandated by Congress in the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 and later legislation.

Q: How does sick leave affect my FERS annuity?

Unused sick leave is converted to additional service time and added to your creditable years for annuity computation under 5 U.S.C. § 8415 — but it does not count toward High-3 calculation or retirement eligibility. The conversion is approximate: roughly 2,087 hours of sick leave equals one year of service. For employees who retired before October 28, 2009, only half of unused sick leave was creditable; for those retiring after that date, all unused sick leave is creditable under the Technical Corrections Act of 2009. Sick leave is most valuable for employees who retire before 62 with 20+ years, since each additional year adds 1.0% of High-3 (or 1.1% if at 62/20) to the annuity for life. The average retiring federal employee carries 1,000-2,000 hours of unused sick leave.

Q: What is the FERS Annuity Supplement and who qualifies?

The FERS Annuity Supplement is a monthly bridge payment that approximates the Social Security benefit you earned during federal service, paid until age 62 when Social Security becomes available. It is payable only to employees who retire before age 62 under an immediate annuity — most commonly MRA + 30 years, age 60 + 20 years, or age 62 + 5 years under 5 U.S.C. § 8412. The supplement is computed using the Social Security formula in 5 U.S.C. § 8421 and can be reduced or eliminated if your post-retirement earnings exceed the Social Security annual exempt amount ($23,400 in 2025). It is not payable under the MRA + 10 provision unless you postpone the annuity to your MRA or later. The supplement ends automatically at age 62, whether or not you claim Social Security.

Q: Can I work after retiring under FERS?

Yes, but with restrictions. Under 5 U.S.C. § 8344 and § 8468, retired federal employees who return to federal service typically must choose between their salary and their annuity (with limited exceptions for part-time or intermittent work). If you work in the private sector or for a non-federal employer, your FERS annuity itself is not offset, but your FERS Annuity Supplement may be reduced if you're under age 62 and your earnings exceed the 2025 Social Security exempt amount of $23,400. Post-employment restrictions under 18 U.S.C. § 207 may apply to certain senior or procurement officials, particularly regarding representation of private clients before their former agency. Always check with your agency ethics office before accepting post-retirement employment.