North Dakota NDPERS Retirement Calculator
Estimate your NDPERS Main plan pension. Pick when you first enrolled, enter your service and final average salary, and see your monthly single life benefit and any early retirement reduction.
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The Main plan closed to new members in 2025
House Bill 1040 closed the NDPERS Main defined benefit plan to employees newly enrolled on or after January 1, 2025. They go into the Defined Contribution 2025 plan instead. If you were enrolled before then, your pension keeps working under the rules below, and that's what this calculator covers.
How the benefit is figured
Monthly Single Life Benefit = Final Average Salary x Multiplier x Years of Service
The multiplier is 2.00% if you first enrolled before January 1, 2020 and 1.75% if you enrolled from 2020 on. Final average salary is the higher of your highest 36 salaries in the last 180 months as calculated on December 31, 2019, or your highest three consecutive 12-month periods in the last 180 months. With 25 years and a $60,000 FAS, a pre-2020 member gets $30,000 a year and a 2020 enrollee gets $26,250.
When the benefit is unreduced
At 65, or when you meet the Rule. For members first enrolled before 2016 that's the Rule of 85: age plus service of 85 or more, with no minimum age. Meet it at 53 and you can retire then. For members enrolled from 2016 on it's the Rule of 90, and you must also be at least 60.
You vest after 3 years of service, or by reaching 65 while employed.
Early retirement starts at 55 for everyone
Any vested Main member can start a reduced benefit at 55, including members enrolled after 2016. The cut depends on when you enrolled.
- Before 2016: 0.5% per month (6% a year) before 65 or the date you'd meet the Rule of 85, whichever is first.
- From 2016: 2/3 of 1% per month (8% a year) before 65 or the date you'd meet the Rule of 90 at 60 or older, whichever is first.
A 2020 enrollee leaving at 57 with 20 years is eight years short of 65 and takes a 64% cut. A 2016 enrollee at 58 with 30 years would meet the Rule of 90 at 60, so the cut is 24 months x 2/3%, or 16%.
COLA
There's no automatic COLA. At retirement you can choose the graduated benefit option, which starts lower and rises 1% or 2% a year. The calculator shows the flat single life amount.
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Frequently asked questions
Is the NDPERS Main plan closed?
Yes, to new members. Employees newly enrolled on or after January 1, 2025 go into the Defined Contribution 2025 plan under House Bill 1040. Members enrolled before then stay in the Main plan.
How is an NDPERS pension calculated?
Final average salary x multiplier x years of service. The multiplier is 2.00% for members first enrolled before January 1, 2020 and 1.75% for those enrolled from 2020 through 2024.
What are the Rule of 85 and Rule of 90?
Members first enrolled before 2016 can retire unreduced when age plus service reaches 85, at any age. Members enrolled from 2016 on need age plus service of 90 and must be at least 60. Everyone is unreduced at 65.
How early can I retire from NDPERS?
At 55 with 3 years of service, in every Main tier. Members enrolled before 2016 lose 6% a year before 65 or their Rule of 85 date. Members enrolled from 2016 lose 8% a year before 65 or their Rule of 90 date at 60+.
Does NDPERS have a COLA?
Not an automatic one. The graduated benefit option lets you take a lower starting benefit that increases 1% or 2% a year.
When do I vest in NDPERS?
After 36 months of service, or when you reach 65 while working for a participating employer.