QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE

FERS Facts & 2025 Key Numbers

A concise cheat sheet for federal employees. Everything you need to know about FERS retirement in one place — MRA table, key numbers, glossary, and eligibility rules.

2025 Key Numbers MRA Table Eligibility Rules Supplement Facts Glossary

THE FOUNDATION

FERS: The Three-Legged Stool

FERS Basic Benefit (Pension)

A guaranteed lifetime monthly annuity. Formula: High-3 × Years of Service × 1% (or 1.1%). Funded by employee + agency contributions.

Calculate your pension →

Social Security

FERS employees pay into and collect Social Security like private-sector workers. Earliest collection at age 62 (at reduced rate). Full retirement age: 66–67.

Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)

The federal 401(k). Government automatically contributes 1% and matches up to 4% more (5% total match). 2025 limit: $23,500 + $7,500 catch-up if 50+.

2025 REFERENCE NUMBERS

2025 FERS Key Numbers at a Glance

1.0%FERS Multiplier (Standard)of High-3 per year of service

1.1%FERS Multiplier (Age 62+ / 20+ yrs)a 10% pension bonus

0.8%FERS Employee Contributionof base pay (hired before 2013)

3.1%FERS-RAE Contributionof base pay (hired 2013)

4.4%FERS-FRAE Contributionof base pay (hired 2014+)

$23,500TSP Contribution Limit 2025regular + $7,500 catch-up if 50+

5%TSP Agency Matchof base pay (max automatic + matching)

$22,320FERS Supplement Earnings Limitannually before reduction (2025)

174 hrsSick Leave Credit= 1 month of service credit

2,087 hrsSick Leave Full Year≈ 1 full year of service credit

5 yearsFERS Vesting (Pension)minimum service for any pension benefit

62Social Security Earliest Ageearliest age to collect SS benefits

MINIMUM RETIREMENT AGE

MRA Table — By Year of Birth

Your MRA is the earliest age you can retire and receive an immediate FERS pension (with sufficient service). Find your birth year below.

Year of Birth	Minimum Retirement Age (MRA)
Before 1948	55 years
1948	55 years, 2 months
1949	55 years, 4 months
1950	55 years, 6 months
1951	55 years, 8 months
1952	55 years, 10 months
1953–1964	56 years
1965	56 years, 2 months
1966	56 years, 4 months
1967	56 years, 6 months
1968	56 years, 8 months
1969	56 years, 10 months
1970 or later	57 years

Source: OPM.gov — FERS Retirement Eligibility. MRA applies to regular FERS employees. Law enforcement, firefighters, and air traffic controllers have different eligibility rules.

RETIREMENT ELIGIBILITY

When Can You Retire Under FERS?

Regular FERS Employees

Type	Age Requirement	Service Requirement	Supplement?
Immediate (Unreduced)	MRA	30+ years	✅ Yes
Immediate (Unreduced)	60	20+ years	✅ Yes
Immediate (Unreduced)	62	5+ years	❌ No (62+)
MRA+10 (Reduced 5%/yr under 62)	MRA	10–29 years	❌ No
Deferred	MRA–62	5+ years (separated)	❌ No

Special Provisions (LEO / Firefighter / ATC)

Age	Special Service Required	Supplement?
50	20+ years special service	✅ Yes
Any age	25+ years special service	✅ Yes

FERS SUPPLEMENT (SRS)

FERS Supplement Quick Facts

What is it?A temporary monthly payment for FERS retirees who retire before age 62. Approximates the Social Security benefit earned during federal service.

Who qualifies?Regular FERS: MRA+30 or age 60+20. Special (LEO/FF/ATC): age 50+20 special service or 25 yrs any age. MRA+10 retirees do NOT qualify.

Formula(Years of FERS service ÷ 40) × Projected Social Security benefit at age 62 = Monthly supplement

When does it end?Automatically stops the month you turn 62. Social Security benefits begin at 62.

Earnings test?Yes. If post-retirement earned income exceeds ~$22,320/year (2025), supplement reduces $1 for every $2 over the limit.

COLA?No COLA. The supplement amount is set at retirement and does not increase for inflation.

Taxable?Yes — federally taxable as ordinary income. State taxation varies.

Calculate it?Estimate your pension with our FERS Pension Calculator and review your projected age-62 Social Security benefit.

Calculate My FERS Pension

ACRONYM GLOSSARY

Federal Retirement Acronyms Explained

Federal retirement is full of acronyms. Here's what they all mean.

FERSFederal Employees Retirement System — retirement plan for civilian federal employees hired after Dec 31, 1983.

CSRSCivil Service Retirement System — the older retirement system for employees hired before 1984. No Social Security coverage.

TSPThrift Savings Plan — the federal government's 401(k)-equivalent. Government matches contributions up to 5% of salary.

OPMOffice of Personnel Management — the federal agency that administers civilian federal employee retirement benefits.

SRS / SupplementSpecial Retirement Supplement (FERS Annuity Supplement) — temporary payment bridging income from retirement to age 62.

MRAMinimum Retirement Age — the earliest age you can retire and receive an immediate pension. Ranges from 55 to 57 depending on birth year.

High-3The average of your three consecutive highest-earning years of basic federal pay. This is the salary base for your pension calculation.

FEHBFederal Employees Health Benefits — federal health insurance program. You can carry it into retirement if you've been enrolled for 5 continuous years.

FEGLIFederal Employees' Group Life Insurance — federal life insurance program. Can be continued in retirement with some reductions.

COLACost-of-Living Adjustment — annual increase applied to FERS pensions. FERS retirees under 62 receive no COLA. At 62+, FERS gets CPI − 1% (if CPI > 2%). CSRS gets full CPI.

GSGeneral Schedule — the federal white-collar pay scale, GS-1 through GS-15, with 10 steps each.

SESSenior Executive Service — pay system for senior federal managers above GS-15.

LEOLaw Enforcement Officer — special FERS category with enhanced retirement benefits (earlier retirement age, higher multiplier).

MRA+10Retirement at your MRA with 10–29 years of service. Pension is reduced 5% per year under age 62 (unless deferred).

ACRPAgency Continuation of Retirement Pay — interim payments (60–80% of estimated annuity) while OPM processes your full retirement case.

FERS-RAEFERS Revised Annuity Employees — applies to those hired January 1, 2013. Employee contribution rate is 3.1% of base pay.

FERS-FRAEFERS Further Revised Annuity Employees — applies to those hired after December 31, 2013. Employee contribution rate is 4.4% of base pay.

Ready to Calculate Your Retirement?

Use our free calculator to estimate your exact FERS pension, supplement eligibility, and total retirement income.

FERS Pension Calculator Read Retirement Guides Acronym Glossary