FERS Retirement Calculator

Category: Retirement
- May 13, 2025
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Calculate your Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) annuity benefit based on your years of service, high-3 average salary, and retirement age. This calculator helps federal employees plan for retirement and understand their potential benefits.

Personal Information

Service Details

The date used to calculate your length of service
years
Years of military service you wish to include

Salary Information

$
Average of your highest 3 consecutive years of basic pay
$
%
Used to project future high-3 if retirement is more than 3 years away

Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)

$
%
%
%
Maximum 5% if you contribute at least 5%

Advanced Options

%
Cost of Living Adjustment for annuity after retirement
Reduces your annuity by 10% for 50% benefit
$
At Full Retirement Age (FRA) - get from ssa.gov

Understanding FERS Retirement

The Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) is a three-tiered retirement plan that includes a Basic Benefit Plan, Social Security, and the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP).

FERS Basic Benefit Calculation

The FERS basic benefit formula is:

Years of Service × High-3 Average Salary × Multiplier

Where:

  • High-3 Average Salary: The average of your highest 3 consecutive years of basic pay
  • Multiplier: 1.0% for most retirees, or 1.1% if retiring at age 62 or older with at least 20 years of service
  • Special Provision Employees: Law Enforcement Officers (LEO), Firefighters (FF), and Air Traffic Controllers (ATC) use a 1.7% multiplier for the first 20 years and 1.0% for additional years
Retirement Eligibility
  • Regular/Optional: Age 62 with 5 years of service, age 60 with 20 years, or Minimum Retirement Age (MRA) with 30 years
  • Early Retirement: MRA with 10 years (with reduced benefits)
  • Deferred Retirement: Leave federal service before qualifying for immediate retirement but with enough service for a future benefit
  • Special Provision: Age 50 with 20 years of service or any age with 25 years (for LEO, FF, ATC)
Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)

The TSP is similar to a 401(k) plan with the following benefits:

  • Automatic Government Contribution: 1% of your basic pay
  • Government Matching: Up to 4% additional if you contribute at least 5%
  • Tax-Deferred Growth: Reduce current taxes while saving for retirement
  • Roth Option: Pay taxes now, withdraw tax-free in retirement

Disclaimer: This calculator provides estimates based on the information you provide and general FERS rules. Actual benefits may vary. For official estimates, request a retirement estimate from your agency's HR department or contact OPM. Tax estimates and inflation projections are approximate and should not be considered tax or financial advice.

What Is the FERS Retirement-calculator/">Retirement Calculator?

The FERS Retirement Calculator is a powerful Financial retirement planning tool created to help federal employees estimate their retirement benefits under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). It acts as a retirement income projection guide, giving users the ability to assess expected income from FERS annuity, Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), and Social Security. Whether you're a few years away from retirement or decades out, this tool helps you plan your retirement with confidence.

FERS Basic Annuity Formula:
Years of Service × High-3 Average Salary × Multiplier

Key Features

  • Estimates your monthly FERS annuity based on years of service, salary history, and retirement age
  • Projects Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) balance and withdrawal estimates
  • Incorporates Social Security benefit projections for a full retirement picture
  • Adjusts for survivor benefits, insurance costs, and tax withholdings
  • Includes COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment) and income replacement percentages

How to Use the Calculator

Using the calculator is straightforward. Follow these steps to receive a detailed retirement benefits estimate:

  1. Enter your Date of Birth and Planned Retirement Date.
  2. Provide your Service Computation Date and any Military Service details, including deposit status.
  3. Select your Retirement Type (e.g., regular, early, disability).
  4. Input your High-3 Salary and Current Salary.
  5. Estimate future salary growth if your retirement is more than three years away.
  6. Add details about your TSP balance, contributions, growth rate, and agency match.
  7. Customize advanced options like survivor benefits, COLA assumptions, FEGLI coverage, and whether to include a Social Security estimate.
  8. Click Calculate FERS Benefits to view your results.

Why Use This Calculator?

Planning for retirement can be challenging without a clear picture of your future income. This calculator provides an easy way to:

  • Estimate retirement income and compare it to your current earnings
  • Understand how decisions like early retirement or survivor benefits affect your pension
  • Visualize your financial future with detailed income tables and charts
  • Explore how different variables affect your long-term retirement goals

It’s also a great complement to tools like the RMD Calculator for managing required minimum distributions, or a 401K Calculator and Roth IRA Calculator for projecting savings outside the federal system.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the “High-3” salary?

It’s the average of your highest-paid three consecutive years of basic pay, usually your final three working years.

What multiplier is used in the FERS calculation?

Most employees use 1.0%. If you retire at age 62 or later with at least 20 years of service, the enhanced 1.1% multiplier applies. Certain occupations (LEO, FF, ATC) may use 1.7% for the first 20 years.

Can I include military service?

Yes, if you've paid your military deposit, your military years can count toward your creditable service.

Does this calculator include Social Security?

Yes. You can enter your estimated monthly Social Security benefit, and choose the age you plan to start collecting it.

What about taxes and insurance deductions?

The tool includes estimated reductions for survivor benefits, FEHB (Health insurance), FEGLI (life insurance), and federal tax withholding to help you see a net annuity estimate.

How is this different from an RMD calculator?

An RMD calculator focuses on required minimum distributions from retirement accounts like IRAs or 401(k)s. The FERS Retirement Calculator, by contrast, focuses on pension annuity income and federal retirement benefits, but the results can be used alongside RMD rules for better planning.

Who Should Use This Tool?

This retirement savings tool is ideal for:

  • Federal employees under the FERS system
  • Workers planning early or deferred retirement
  • Those seeking a clear retirement income estimate
  • Individuals using a financial retirement planner to track income sources
  • Anyone wanting to project their retirement fund and build a post-retirement budget

Final Thoughts

The FERS Retirement Calculator is an effective retirement planning tool that helps you forecast annuity payouts, evaluate retirement age options, and manage retirement withdrawals. It works well alongside Other tools such as annuity payout calculators, IRA contribution guides, and retirement withdrawal planners.

Take control of your financial future today by using this comprehensive retirement calculator to make informed decisions about your benefits and income streams.