Estimate the basic annuity under a simplified regular FERS formula. FERS retirement income can involve several components, but this page estimates only the basic annuity. Social Security and Thrift Savings Plan assets must be considered separately.
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Before you enter your numbers
Enter the high-3 average basic salary used for pension purposes, credited service and age at retirement. High-3 is not simply the highest salary you ever earned. Service credit, deposits and applicable deductions should be checked against official personnel records.
- High-3 average salary
- Creditable years of service
- Retirement age
Input reference
- Retirement age: The age used as the retirement date in this calculation. Treat it as a planning input and separately verify when you can actually claim each pension or access each account.
Formula and calculation method
The model uses 1% of high-3 salary for each service year, or 1.1% when retirement age is at least 62 with at least 20 years of service. It divides annual basic annuity by 12. These are simplified regular immediate-retirement assumptions, not an eligibility determination.
Worked example
At age 62 with 20 years and an 80,000 high-3 salary, the calculation is 80,000 × 20 × 1.1% = 17,600 annually, about 1,467 monthly. At the 1% factor the same salary and service give 16,000 annually.
How to interpret the result
The result panel reports estimated annual and monthly FERS basic annuity and the planning multiplier used.
This estimate excludes survivor elections, MRA-related reductions, special-category service, disability rules, the annuity supplement, taxes and insurance deductions. A result generated for an age and service combination does not mean an immediate unreduced annuity is available.
What the FERS basic-annuity estimate includes
For a standard FERS employee, the basic annuity commonly uses 1% of high-3 average salary for each year of creditable service. If retirement is at age 62 or later with at least 20 years of service, the common multiplier rises to 1.1%. The calculator applies that core rule.
It deliberately does not add Social Security, TSP withdrawals, survivor elections, special-category employee formulas, MRA reductions or taxes. Those should be modeled separately because they depend on facts the basic annuity inputs do not capture.
Reconcile the estimate with your service record
A decimal service entry is an approximation to the credited-service calculation. Employment breaks, part-time work, deposits and special service may need administrator treatment. An accurate high-3 salary does not compensate for an incorrect service figure. Use the result as a reasonableness check against an official estimate.
Compare the basic annuity before deductions with your expected net payment. Survivor coverage and insurance elections can affect spendable income. Avoid adding the annuity supplement or other FERS-related components unless you have separately established entitlement and the period for which they apply.
Use the estimate as a basic-annuity scenario, not a complete federal retirement statement
FERS retirement can involve the basic annuity, Social Security and the Thrift Savings Plan. The calculator focuses on a simplified basic-annuity estimate and cannot reproduce every service-credit rule, survivor election, special-category provision or reduction that may apply to an individual employee.
Compare the result with an official retirement estimate from your agency. If the figures differ, reconcile years of creditable service, high-3 pay and the applicable multiplier before using the calculator result in a broader retirement-income plan.
Use The Result In The Next Calculation
Combine the simplified FERS annuity estimate with Social Security and TSP savings only after confirming service history and high-3 pay with official records. The main retirement calculator can then model the remaining spending gap rather than recalculating the federal pension.
Retirement planning guides · Calculation methodology
Rules and limits can change. Use these primary sources to verify time-sensitive details.
FERS Retirement Calculator FAQs
Does the result include TSP income or Social Security?+
No. Add those separately in a retirement-income plan. Counting them as part of this basic-annuity estimate would overstate what this calculator actually computes.
Where can I check the assumptions behind this result?+
Check the formula and limitations sections on the FERS Retirement Calculator page for the assumptions specific to this tool. The methodology page explains conventions shared across calculators, and OPM: FERS computation is the reference for any time-sensitive statutory or product rule mentioned here.
What does the FERS Retirement Calculator result include?+
The result focuses on estimated annual and monthly FERS basic annuity and the planning multiplier used. It is calculated from the inputs shown on this page rather than from live account, market or government data. Read the formula and limitations section before transferring the result into another planning tool.
What should I change when testing another FERS Retirement Calculator scenario?+
Change one major assumption at a time so you can see what drives the result. Useful inputs to test include High-3 average salary, Creditable years of service, Retirement age. Use a conservative case alongside your central estimate rather than relying on only the most favorable combination.
Can the FERS Retirement Calculator replace an official statement or professional advice?+
No. It is a planning calculator. FERS contains special-category, survivor, disability, supplement and service-credit rules that a simple estimate cannot fully reproduce. Verify with OPM. Use official statements and current rules when an exact legal, tax, pension or account figure is required.
