High-3 isn't affiliated with OPM, SSA, IRS, or CMS. Every formula below is built directly from their published rules, with a link to the source. These are educational estimates — always confirm final numbers with your HR/benefits office before making a retirement decision.
Your pension is your high-3 average salary (highest average basic pay over any 3 consecutive years) times your years of creditable service times a multiplier:
Example: 30 years of service × 1.0% × $90,000 high-3 = $27,000/year
If you retire under MRA+10 (you've reached your Minimum Retirement Age with 10–29 years of service, but haven't hit an unreduced-retirement path), your pension is reduced by 5% for every year you're under age 62.
If you retire before age 62 under an immediate, unreduced annuity, you may qualify for the Special Retirement Supplement — an approximation of the Social Security benefit you earned during your FERS service, paid until age 62. We estimate it as:
Your Social Security PIA at Full Retirement Age × (years of FERS service ÷ 40)
We project your TSP balance forward using your current balance, contribution rate, agency match, and an assumed annual growth rate you can adjust. Contribution limits follow current IRS figures, including the age 50+ catch-up and the age 60–63 “super” catch-up. Traditional vs. Roth TSP is modeled based on your current and expected retirement tax brackets.
Your benefit is adjusted from your Full Retirement Age (FRA) amount based on when you claim: reduced if you claim between 62 and FRA (up to ~30% lower at 62), increased by delayed retirement credits if you wait past FRA up to age 70 (up to ~76% higher than claiming at 62). We show your projected benefit at 62, FRA, and 70 side-by-side so you can compare the trade-off directly.
Federal income tax is estimated using current-year brackets and standard deductions, including the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) deductions for overtime pay, tipped wages, and auto loan interest where applicable. We also account for the SALT deduction cap and FSA/HSA and IRA pre-tax reductions. State tax is estimated using your state's current brackets.
FEHB continuation in retirement requires 5 continuous years of enrollment immediately before retiring (the “5-year rule”). We use current CMS figures for Medicare Part A (premium-free for most) and Part B premiums and deductibles, and model how FEHB and Medicare work together once you're Medicare-eligible at 65.
SBP costs 6.5% of your elected base, deducted from your monthly pension, and pays your surviving spouse 55% of that base after your death (or 27.5% for a partial election). We calculate the breakeven point — the number of years your spouse would need to survive you for total benefits to exceed total premiums paid — which typically falls around 8–10 years.
We monitor IRS, SSA, OPM, and CMS announcements and update these the moment official numbers change.
Questions about a specific number? Contact us or read our Terms of Use.