FERS Pension Calculator

Estimate your FERS basic annuity — including sick leave credit, the 1.1% enhanced multiplier, survivor benefit reduction, special category formula for LEO/FF/ATC, and the MRA+10 age penalty. The pension is the floor of your federal retirement income; your TSP covers everything above it.

High-3 average salary ($) Your average basic pay over the highest 3 consecutive years. Usually 1–2 years before your retirement date.

Years of creditable service Include military service buyback if completed. Do not include unused sick leave — enter that separately below.

Unused sick leave balance (hours) Each 2,087 hours = 1 additional year of service credit. Enter 0 if unknown.

Age at retirement

Service type Law enforcement officers, firefighters, and air traffic controllers use a higher multiplier formula.

Retirement type MRA+10 means you have 10–29 years of service at MRA and are taking an immediate annuity. A 5%/year penalty applies for each year under 62.

Survivor benefit election

How to read your results

The 1.0% vs 1.1% multiplier

Most FERS employees use a 1.0% multiplier (5 U.S.C. §8415(a)). If you retire at age 62 or later with 20 or more years of service, the multiplier rises to 1.1% — adding 10% to your pension with no other change. On a $120,000 High-3 with 30 years of service, that difference is $3,600/year for life.

Sick leave credit

OPM converts unused sick leave to service credit at 2,087 hours per year (5 CFR §630.210). A 2,000-hour sick leave balance adds roughly 0.96 years of service — on a $120K High-3, that's about $1,150/year added to your pension. The conversion rounds to the nearest month for the official OPM calculation; this calculator uses fractional years, so results may differ by a small rounding amount from your official estimate.

Special category formula

Law enforcement officers, firefighters, and air traffic controllers earn at 1.7% per year for the first 20 years of service and 1.0% per year after that (5 U.S.C. §8415(b)). On a 25-year career with a $120K High-3: (1.7% × 20 + 1.0% × 5) × $120,000 = $47,400 vs $30,000 under the standard formula — a 58% larger pension.

MRA+10 immediate pension penalty

If you leave federal service with 10–29 years at your Minimum Retirement Age (MRA) and take an immediate annuity, OPM reduces it by 5% for each year you are under age 62 (5 U.S.C. §8412(g)). Retiring at MRA 57 = 25% reduction. The alternative — postponing the annuity to 62 — avoids the penalty but suspends your FEHB health coverage and FERS Supplement until the postponed annuity begins. If you're considering MRA+10, run both scenarios and compare break-even ages.

Survivor benefit deducted from your check

The full election (50% survivor benefit) costs 10% of your basic annuity; the partial election (25%) costs 5%. Both percentages are applied to your unreduced basic annuity — not the net you receive. The survivor benefit is inflation-indexed by the same FERS COLA formula as your own pension.

FERS COLA: only after 62 for most retirees

Standard FERS retirees receive no cost-of-living adjustment until age 62, and then only for the years since retirement. Special category employees (LEO/FF/ATC) receive FERS COLA from the first retirement anniversary. The 2026 FERS COLA was 2.0% (CPI-W was between 2% and 3%, so FERS gets CPI minus 1%).

Next steps after your pension estimate

TSP Withdrawal Strategy Calculator — plug in your pension estimate to size your TSP withdrawal and model income by phase
TSP Stay vs. Rollover Calculator — compare leaving funds in TSP vs rolling to an IRA at retirement
FERS Pension Calculation Guide — full explanation of High-3, service credit, and the formula
FERS Survivor Annuity Election Guide — break-even math, FEHB trap, and when partial or none makes sense
FERS Special Retirement Supplement — the bridge payment from retirement to age 62
FERS + TSP + Social Security Coordination — sequencing all three income streams

Get your official numbers reviewed by a specialist

This calculator gives you a solid estimate — but your official OPM pension computation uses your actual SF-50 pay history, exact sick leave balance, and specific retirement date. A fee-only advisor who works with federal employees can verify your OPM estimate, model your survivor benefit break-even with your specific situation, and coordinate your pension with TSP, Social Security, and FEHB. Free match, no obligation.

Sources

5 U.S.C. §8415 — FERS basic annuity formula: 1.0% standard, 1.1% for age 62+ with 20+ years, 1.7%/1.0% special category
5 U.S.C. §8412(g) — MRA+10 retirement eligibility and 5%/year age-reduction penalty
5 CFR §630.210 — Sick leave service credit: 2,087 hours = 1 year
OPM — Survivor Benefits — Full election: 50% benefit, 10% cost; Partial: 25% benefit, 5% cost; verified against OPM Pamphlet RI 83-12
OPM CSRS/FERS Handbook, Chapter 50 — FERS COLA: full CPI if CPI ≤2%; CPI−1% if 2%<CPI≤3%; CPI−2% if CPI>3%; no COLA before age 62 for standard FERS retirees

Pension values verified against OPM statutory formulas as of 2026. This calculator is for estimation purposes only — not financial or legal advice. Your official annuity is computed by OPM using your complete personnel and pay records. Consult a qualified professional for decisions based on your specific situation.

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