FERS Retirement Calculator: How to Use It
The FERS pension formula looks simple on paper: high-3 times years of service times the multiplier. The inputs are where it gets complicated.
What this calculator does
The FERS Retirement Calculator computes your Federal Employees Retirement System defined benefit pension using OPM's actual formula. It handles three distinct retirement scenarios: standard retirement with full benefits, MRA+10 early retirement with its reduction of 5/12 of 1% per month under 62 (5% a year), and VERA (Voluntary Early Retirement Authority) for employees whose agency has received OPM approval. It also estimates the FERS supplement for the retirements that get one: MRA with 30 years, age 60 with 20 years, and VERA (paid from your MRA). MRA+10 and deferred retirements don't get a supplement. If you leave before your MRA, it shows a deferred annuity instead of an immediate one.
The result tells you your annual and monthly pension, any early retirement reduction that applies, and an estimated supplement amount. If you're comparing VERA to waiting for standard retirement, it shows you what staying costs in additional years and what you gain in pension income.
What each input means
High-3 average salary
This is the average of your three consecutive highest years of basic pay, not your current salary. For most people approaching retirement, it's the average of the last three years. Basic pay includes locality pay (5 U.S.C. 5304(c)(2)) but excludes overtime, bonuses, awards, and allowances.
Find it on your SF-50 Notification of Personnel Action forms. Pull the last four or five to see your salary history. Average the three highest consecutive years. If you took a lower-grade position at some point, your high-3 might come from a few years back.
Federal service so far
Enter the creditable service you have today. The calculator adds the years between your current age and your planned retirement age, and checks eligibility (including VERA) against that total at separation. Creditable service isn't the same as years employed. Creditable service counts your civilian federal service under FERS or CSRS (if you transferred), military service for which you made a deposit, and certain leave without pay. Part-time service is prorated. Unused sick leave adds to service when you retire on an immediate annuity, but it doesn't count toward eligibility and doesn't count at all for a deferred annuity (5 U.S.C. 8415; OPM).
Check your Leave and Earnings Statement or request your Official Personnel Folder for the exact count. If you have military service you haven't deposited, it's worth calculating whether the deposit cost is worth the added service credit.
Current age and retirement age
The calculator needs your current age to determine your Minimum Retirement Age and to assess whether any penalty applies. Born in 1970 or later: your MRA is 57. The retirement age you enter determines which scenario applies and whether the 1.1% multiplier is available.
Estimated Social Security benefit at 62
Used only to calculate the FERS supplement. Get this from your Social Security Statement at ssa.gov/myaccount. The statement shows your estimated benefit at 62, full retirement age, and 70. Use the age-62 figure. OPM's supplement formula is: (years of FERS civilian service, rounded to whole years, up to 40 / 40) times that estimated benefit.
Understanding the outputs
The pension figure is your annual gross benefit before taxes and before any survivor benefit election. A full survivor annuity (50% of your benefit to your spouse) costs 10% of your pension; a 25% survivor annuity costs 5% (OPM). The calculator shows the pre-election number.
The MRA+10 reduction, if applicable, is permanent. It doesn't go away when you turn 62. To shrink or avoid it after separating at MRA+10, postpone your annuity start: no reduction at 62, or at 60 if you have 20 or more years (OPM). You receive nothing in the interim.
The supplement estimate is approximate. OPM computes it from your federal civilian earnings only (5 U.S.C. 8421(b)(2)), so if your SSA estimate includes private-sector wages, the calculator will overstate it.
The 1.1% multiplier: when it matters
Standard FERS uses a 1.0% multiplier. Retire at 62 or older with at least 20 years of service and the multiplier becomes 1.1%. On a $90,000 high-3 with 28 years of service, that's the difference between $25,200 and $27,720 per year. Every year, for life. If you're 60 with 19 years, staying two more years doesn't just add service credit, it also triggers the higher multiplier.
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Frequently asked questions
Where do I find my high-3 average salary?
Pull your SF-50 Notification of Personnel Action forms for the last four or five years. Average the three highest consecutive years. OPM calculates the exact number when you apply, but SF-50s give you a solid estimate for planning.
What is the MRA for someone born in 1970 or later?
57. The MRA ranges from 55 to 57 depending on birth year. Anyone born in 1970 or later has an MRA of 57. The schedule is set by 5 U.S.C. 8412(h).
Does the FERS supplement count as income for the earnings test?
No. Only wages and net self-employment earnings count. Investment income, your pension, and the supplement itself don't trigger the reduction (OPM). In 2026, you can earn up to $24,480 before the supplement is reduced $1 for every $2 over the limit, and a year's excess earnings reduce the following year's supplement.
Can I get a FERS pension if I leave before retirement age?
Yes, with 5+ years of service you're vested. You can receive a deferred annuity at 62, or from your MRA with 10+ years, reduced 5% a year under 62 unless you have 30 years (unreduced at MRA) or 20 years (unreduced at 60). Deferred annuities get no FERS supplement and no sick leave credit (5 U.S.C. 8413, 8415(h); OPM). Taking a contribution refund forfeits your annuity rights permanently.
What happens to my pension if I worked part-time?
Part-time years count in full for eligibility, but the benefit is prorated. OPM computes the high-3 using the full-time rate of pay for the position, then multiplies the annuity by the ratio of your actual hours to full-time hours (5 U.S.C. 8415(g)). Four years at half-time adds about two years' worth of benefit.