FERS Retirement Calculator
Estimate your FERS basic annuity using the official OPM formula — including sick leave credit, retirement supplement, MRA+10 penalty, and survivor benefit. Live results, no signup.
Your retirement details
Personal information
Your MRA: 56 yrs 6 mo
Service record
Include military service if you made the military deposit (Form SF-3108).
Average of your highest 36 consecutive months of basic pay (includes locality pay, excludes overtime and bonuses).
2,087 hours = 1 year of additional service credit. Enter 0 to skip.
Retirement options
OPM requires spouse's written consent to elect less than the maximum (50%) benefit.
Your estimated FERS annuity
Net monthly annuity
$0
$0 / year
FERS annuity formula — how it works
The FERS basic annuity is calculated using three numbers: your High-3 average salary, your years of creditable service, and a multiplier set by OPM (OPM FERS retirement guidelines). The multiplier is 1.0% for most retirees, or 1.1% if you retire at age 62 or older with 20+ years of service.
Standard FERS multiplier
Multiply your High-3 by total creditable service (including sick leave conversion), then apply the percentage that matches your age and years of service at retirement.
Default — most retirees
High-3 × Years of Service × 1.0%
Age 62+ with 20+ years of service
High-3 × Years of Service × 1.1% 10% higher pension on the same service
$90,000 × 30 × 1.0%
$27,000 / year
$2,250 / month
$90,000 × 30 × 1.1%
$29,700 / year
$2,475 / month
Special provisions (LEO / Firefighter / ATC)
Law enforcement officers, firefighters, and air traffic controllers use a higher weight on the first 20 years of covered service, then the standard rate on the remainder.
First 20 years of special service
High-3 × Special service years (up to 20) × 1.7%
Years beyond 20
High-3 × Remaining years × 1.0%
(20 × 1.7%) + (5 × 1.0%) = 34% + 5% = 39% of High-3
$85,000 × 39%
$33,150 / year
Find your High-3 average salary
Average your three highest consecutive years of basic pay (includes locality pay; excludes overtime, bonuses, awards). For most people this is the final 3 years.
Calculate total years of creditable service
Add up all creditable civilian federal service. Include military service if you made a military deposit. Add sick leave credit: hours ÷ 2,087 = additional years of service credit.
Apply the correct multiplier
Use 1.0% if retiring under age 62, or age 62+ with fewer than 20 years. Use 1.1% if retiring at age 62 or older with 20 or more years of service.
Apply reductions (if any)
For MRA+10 retirement: deduct 5% per year under age 62. For survivor benefit: deduct 10% (50% survivor) or 5% (25% survivor) from your gross annuity.
Add the FERS supplement (if eligible)
If retiring with full immediate benefits before age 62: FERS Supplement = Estimated SS benefit at 62 × (FERS years ÷ 40). The supplement stops when you reach age 62.
FERS retirement eligibility requirements
There are four main ways to qualify for FERS retirement under OPM voluntary retirement requirements. The type you qualify for determines whether your annuity is reduced and whether you receive the FERS supplement.
Voluntary retirement paths
Quick reference for common age-and-service combinations. “Immediate full” means you can start an unreduced annuity right away (subject to OPM rules and agency approval for VERA).
| Retirement type | Age | Service | Annuity | FERS supplement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Immediate full | 62+ | 5+ yrs | Full | Noat 62+ |
| Immediate full | 60+ | 20+ yrs | Full | Yesif under 62 |
| Immediate full (MRA) | MRA (55–57) | 30+ yrs | Full | Yes |
| MRA+10 (reduced) | MRA | 10–29 yrs | −5% / yr under 62 | No |
| VERA early out | 50+ | 20+ yrs | Full | No |
| VERA early out | Any age | 25+ yrs | Full | No |
| Special provisions | 50+ | 20+ yrs (special) | Full (SP formula) | Yesif under 62 |
Minimum Retirement Age (MRA) by birth year
Your MRA is the earliest age you can retire under voluntary FERS rules with 10 or more years of service. Most employees born after 1969 have an MRA of 57.
Earlier cohorts
| Born | MRA |
|---|---|
| Before 1948 | 55 years |
| 1948 | 55 yrs 2 mo |
| 1949 | 55 yrs 4 mo |
| 1950 | 55 yrs 6 mo |
| 1951 | 55 yrs 8 mo |
| 1952 | 55 yrs 10 mo |
| 1953–1964 | 56 years |
1965 and later
| Born | MRA |
|---|---|
| 1965 | 56 yrs 2 mo |
| 1966 | 56 yrs 4 mo |
| 1967 | 56 yrs 6 mo |
| 1968 | 56 yrs 8 mo |
| 1969 | 56 yrs 10 mo |
| 1970 and after | 57 years |
FERS retirement FAQ
What is the FERS retirement annuity formula?
The FERS formula is: High-3 Average Salary × Years of Service × Multiplier. The multiplier is 1.0% for most retirees. If you retire at age 62 or older with 20 or more years, it rises to 1.1% — a permanent 10% increase in your entire pension.
What is my FERS Minimum Retirement Age (MRA)?
Your MRA ranges from age 55 (born before 1948) to age 57 (born 1970 or later). Most current federal employees born after 1969 have an MRA of 57. Use the MRA table above or enter your birth year in the calculator to see your MRA instantly.
When can I retire from FERS with full (unreduced) benefits?
You qualify for full FERS retirement with: age 62 with 5+ years; age 60 with 20+ years; or MRA with 30+ years. Any of these combinations gives you an immediate, unreduced annuity plus eligibility for the FERS supplement if under 62.
What is the FERS retirement supplement and who gets it?
The FERS supplement is an income bridge that replaces Social Security from FERS retirement until age 62. Formula: Estimated SS benefit at 62 × (FERS years ÷ 40). It is only available for immediate, unreduced retirements (age 60/20, MRA/30, special provisions) — not for MRA+10 or early-out retirees. It stops at age 62 regardless.
How does unused sick leave count toward FERS retirement?
Every 2,087 hours of unused sick leave equals one additional year of service credit for the annuity calculation. For example, 1,044 sick leave hours adds 6 months. Sick leave increases your annuity payment but does not count toward meeting retirement eligibility requirements (5/10/20/30 year thresholds).
What is MRA+10 retirement and what is the penalty?
If you retire at your MRA with 10 to 29 years of service, your annuity is permanently reduced by 5% for each year you are under age 62 (5/12 of 1% per month). At age 57 with 10 years: 5 years under 62 = 25% reduction. You can avoid this penalty by postponing your annuity start date to age 62 — you keep FEHB health coverage during the postponement period.
How does the FERS survivor benefit affect my annuity?
OPM survivor benefit elections: 50% survivor benefit (maximum) reduces your annuity by 10%; 25% survivor benefit reduces it by 5%; no survivor benefit means zero reduction but your spouse receives nothing after your death. If married, your spouse must provide written consent to any election less than maximum.
How is the FERS High-3 average salary calculated?
Your High-3 is the average of your highest 36 consecutive months of basic pay. Basic pay includes base salary and locality pay. It excludes overtime, bonuses, awards, cash incentives, and allowances. For most employees nearing retirement, the final 3 years of service contain the highest pay.
How much will my FERS annuity actually be?
Example: $85,000 High-3 × 28 years × 1.0% = $23,800/year ($1,983/month). With the 1.1% multiplier (age 62+, 20+ yrs): $85,000 × 28 × 1.1% = $26,180/year ($2,182/month). Add sick leave credit, subtract survivor benefit reduction, then add your FERS supplement and TSP withdrawals for total retirement income.
What is the FERS special provisions formula for law enforcement and firefighters?
Law enforcement officers, firefighters, and air traffic controllers use: 1.7% × High-3 × first 20 years of special service, plus 1.0% × remaining years. They can retire at age 50 with 20 years of special service. They also face mandatory separation at age 57 (LEO and FF). This formula significantly boosts the annuity versus regular FERS.
Planning your federal retirement in Texas? Use our Texas Paycheck Calculator to estimate your current take-home pay alongside your FERS projections.