New Hampshire PERS Retirement Calculator: How to Use It
New Hampshire PERS splits into Group I (state employees and teachers) and Group II (police and fire), with meaningfully different accrual rates and retirement ages. For Group I members, hire date before or after 2011 changes both your FAS window and your normal retirement age.
What this calculator does
The New Hampshire PERS Retirement Calculator computes your defined benefit pension under the New Hampshire Retirement System. It handles both Group I (1.667% accrual for state employees and teachers) and Group II (2.5% accrual for police and fire), and applies the correct FAS window and retirement eligibility rules based on your employee group and hire date. For Group I members hired before 2011, it uses the three-year FAS and the age-60 eligibility rule. For Group I members hired in 2011 or later, it uses the five-year FAS and the age-65/10-year rule. For Group II members, it uses the five-year FAS and the age-45/20-year eligibility threshold.
New Hampshire PERS provides no COLA. The benefit shown is your fixed nominal pension at retirement. Members also have Social Security, so the pension is one component of total retirement income.
What each input means
Employee group (Group I or Group II)
Group I covers state employees and public school teachers. Group II covers police officers and firefighters in NHRS-covered positions. Your group is determined by your job classification. Check your NHRS member statement if you're uncertain. The group determines your accrual rate (1.667% vs. 2.5%) and your retirement eligibility rules.
Hire date
For Group I members, hire date determines which set of rules applies. Hired before January 1, 2011: you use the three-year FAS window and can retire at age 60 with any amount of service. Hired on or after January 1, 2011: you use the five-year FAS window and normal retirement requires age 65 with at least 10 years of service. This is the single most consequential variable for Group I members: the 2011 reform raised the normal retirement age by five years for new members.
For Group II members, hire date does not change the core retirement rules. Group II uses the five-year FAS and the 45/20+ eligibility threshold regardless of hire date.
Current age
Your age today. Used to determine whether you satisfy your group's normal retirement threshold at your planned retirement date, and to project how many additional years of service you'll accumulate before then.
Years of service
Total creditable service with the New Hampshire Retirement System. Includes active service in covered positions, purchased service credit for prior New Hampshire public employment, military service deposits, and approved leaves. Your annual NHRS statement shows your confirmed credited service balance.
Final Average Salary
Enter your FAS based on the correct window for your group and hire date. Group I pre-2011 and all pre-2011 hires: the average of your three highest consecutive years of earnable compensation. Group I post-2011 and Group II: the average of your five highest consecutive years. For most members near retirement, this is the average of the final three or five years of base salary. Enter the figure you expect at retirement.
Planned retirement age
The age at which you plan to begin drawing your pension. The calculator checks this against your group's normal retirement threshold. If you're short of the threshold, it shows the earliest date you'd qualify.
Understanding the outputs
The pension formula is: accrual rate times years of service times FAS. A Group I member hired before 2011 with 28 years of service and a $65,000 FAS gets 0.01667 x 28 x $65,000 = $30,380 per year. A Group II member with 22 years and a $75,000 FAS gets 0.025 x 22 x $75,000 = $41,250 per year.
There is no COLA. The benefit in nominal dollars is fixed. A $30,380 pension in 2026 will still be $30,380 in 2041. At 3% average inflation, its purchasing power would be worth roughly $19,000 in today's dollars after 15 years. Social Security, which does have a COLA, becomes proportionally more important in New Hampshire retirement planning.
Most NHRS members participate in Social Security. Add your estimated benefit from ssa.gov/myaccount to the PERS pension for a complete retirement income picture.
Related calculators
New Jersey PERS Calculator
Compare New Hampshire PERS with New Jersey's five-tier structure and suspended COLA
Massachusetts MTRS Calculator
See how the neighboring Massachusetts teacher pension compares with a 2.5% rate and COLA
Social Security Break-Even
New Hampshire PERS members also have Social Security. Find the right age to claim.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Group I and Group II in New Hampshire PERS?
Group I (state employees and teachers): 1.667% accrual, normal retirement at 60 (pre-2011 hire) or 65/10+ (post-2011 hire). Group II (police and fire): 2.5% accrual, normal retirement at 45/20+.
How does hire date affect New Hampshire PERS benefits?
For Group I members, hire date determines the FAS window (3 years before 2011, 5 years after) and the normal retirement age (60 before 2011, 65/10+ after). Group II rules do not change based on hire date.
How is the Final Average Salary calculated for New Hampshire PERS?
Group I hired before 2011: highest 3 consecutive years. Group I hired 2011+: highest 5 consecutive years. Group II: highest 5 consecutive years regardless of hire date.
Does New Hampshire PERS provide a COLA?
No. The pension is fixed in nominal dollars at retirement with no automatic inflation adjustment. Social Security, which does have a COLA, is proportionally more important for New Hampshire retirees.
Does New Hampshire PERS coordinate with Social Security?
Yes. Most NHRS members participate in Social Security alongside their pension. Add your Social Security estimate to the PERS pension for a complete retirement income picture.