Estimate Your FERS Basic Annuity
Use this FERS retirement pension calculator to estimate your gross annual and monthly pension under the Federal Employees Retirement System.
How the FERS pension formula works
The FERS basic annuity is mostly driven by three inputs: your high-3 average salary, your years of creditable service, and a multiplier. In many cases, the multiplier is 1.0%, but it increases to 1.1% if you retire at age 62 or later with at least 20 years of service.
Annual Pension = High-3 Salary × Creditable Service × Multiplier
Multiplier rules (1.0% vs 1.1%)
- 1.0% multiplier for most immediate retirements.
- 1.1% multiplier if you retire at age 62+ with at least 20 years of service.
What counts as high-3 salary
Your high-3 is the highest average basic pay earned over any consecutive 36-month period. It generally includes base pay and locality pay, but not overtime, bonuses, or most allowances. A higher high-3 has a direct and lasting impact on your pension.
Creditable service and sick leave
Years of service include your civilian service and any military time you’ve bought back. Unused sick leave can increase service credit for annuity computation, which is why this calculator lets you enter sick leave in months and converts it into additional service years.
How to use this FERS retirement pension calculator
- Enter your estimated high-3 average salary.
- Enter total creditable service years.
- Enter retirement age so the calculator can select the proper multiplier.
- Add unused sick leave months for a closer estimate.
- Choose your survivor benefit election if applicable.
- Optionally add monthly deductions and a temporary FERS supplement estimate.
Example pension estimate
If your high-3 is $100,000, you retire at age 62, and have 25 years of service, your annual pension estimate is:
- Multiplier = 1.1%
- Annual Pension = $100,000 × 25 × 0.011 = $27,500/year
- Monthly Pension = about $2,291.67/month before deductions and taxes
What this calculator includes and does not include
Included
- FERS basic annuity estimate using core formula inputs.
- Age-based multiplier logic (1.0% vs 1.1%).
- Optional survivor election reduction estimate.
- Optional deductions and temporary supplement field.
Not included
- Detailed eligibility determination (MRA+10, early retirement authority, deferred cases).
- Tax withholding calculations.
- COLA assumptions, inflation forecasting, or Thrift Savings Plan withdrawals.
- Official OPM final adjudication rules and rounding specifics.
Planning tips for federal employees
- Check your service record yearly so your retirement estimate is based on accurate dates.
- Model different retirement ages to see whether waiting for the 1.1% multiplier makes sense.
- Review survivor choices carefully because they reduce pension now but protect household income later.
- Coordinate FERS with TSP and Social Security for a complete retirement income plan.
Important: This tool is for educational planning only and should not replace official guidance from your HR office or OPM retirement estimates.