See your estimated monthly pension based on how long you've worked under a defined benefit plan — from the 10-year vesting milestone to a 40-year career at maximum benefit.
Adjust your years of service and salary — see your benefit instantly, then jump to the full guide for your career milestone.
Based on 1.5% multiplier and $70,000 final average salary — the median public-sector combination. Click any row to see the full guide and benefit tables for that career length.
| Years of Service | Monthly Benefit (1.5%, $70K) | Annual Benefit | Income Replacement | Lifetime Value (to 85) | Full Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 years | $875 | $10,500 | 15% | $262,500 | 10-Year Guide → |
| 15 years | $1,313 | $15,750 | 22.5% | $393,750 | 15-Year Guide → |
| 20 years | $1,750 | $21,000 | 30% | $525,000 | 20-Year Guide → |
| 25 years | $2,188 | $26,250 | 37.5% | $656,250 | 25-Year Guide → |
| 30 years | $2,625 | $31,500 | 45% | $787,500 | 30-Year Guide → |
| 35 years | $3,063 | $36,750 | 52.5% | $918,750 | 35-Year Guide → |
| 40 years | $3,500 | $42,000 | 60% | $1,050,000 | 40-Year Guide → |
Lifetime value assumes retirement at age 62, life expectancy 85, no COLA. 30-year row is the standard full-career threshold for most public plans and is highlighted as a reference point. Figures are pre-tax estimates.
The defined benefit formula is inherently compounding — not just because each year adds a fixed increment, but because salary typically grows over a career, lifting the final average salary that all years are calculated against. A year added at year 30 at $80,000 salary is worth more than a year at year 5 at $55,000, even at the same multiplier, because your higher ending salary retroactively benefits your entire service history.
At 1.5% multiplier and $70,000 salary: the difference between 20 and 30 years is $875/month ($10,500/year). The difference between 30 and 40 years is another $875/month. But those later years typically reflect higher salary levels — a 40-year employee at $90,000 earns $4,500/month vs $1,750/month for a 20-year employee at $60,000. The compounding of tenure and salary growth is the central financial argument for staying in a defined benefit system.
Vesting (typically 5–10 years) entitles you to a deferred pension at the plan's normal retirement age. It does not mean you can retire with a full benefit immediately. Full retirement eligibility — the point where you can draw an unreduced annuity now — requires additional years and often a minimum age. For FERS, that's 30 years at MRA (56–57), or 20 years at age 60. For most state plans, it's 25–30 years of service, often with an age requirement of 55–60. Leaving after vesting but before full retirement eligibility means a significantly reduced benefit and often a long wait to start collecting.
Some plans use tiered multipliers that increase after a service threshold — rewarding long tenure with an accelerating rate. CSRS (the older federal system) uses a tiered formula: 1.5% for the first 5 years, 1.75% for years 6–10, and 2.0% for all subsequent years. At 30 years, a CSRS employee's effective multiplier is approximately 1.92% — significantly higher than the 1.5% flat rate. Other plans, like the California CALPERS miscellaneous tier, use 2.0% before age 63 but increase to 2.5% at age 63, incentivizing both longevity and delayed retirement.
Most defined benefit plans cap the total benefit at 80–100% of final average salary, regardless of how many years are accrued. For a 2.0% multiplier plan, that cap is reached at 40–50 years of service (before most people would ever hit it). For a 2.5% multiplier plan, the cap is reached at 32–40 years. If you're within a few years of your plan's cap, additional service years produce no additional benefit — your time and salary is adding cost of employment without a corresponding retirement benefit increase. Your plan administrator or HR department can confirm the cap for your specific plan tier.
At 1.5% multiplier and $70,000 salary, each year adds $1,050/year ($87.50/month). At 2.0% multiplier, each year adds $1,400/year. At a higher salary of $90,000 and 2.0% multiplier, each year adds $1,800/year. The per-year value increases with both salary and multiplier — making the final years of a high-salary career the most valuable benefit-building period.
It depends on your plan. Federal FERS requires 30 years at MRA (minimum retirement age, currently 56–57) for a full unreduced annuity — or 20 years at age 60, or 5 years at age 62. Most state plans consider 25–30 years of service the full-retirement threshold. Military requires 20 years for retirement eligibility. Some plans use a "Rule of 80" or "Rule of 90" where your age plus years of service must equal 80 or 90.
Monthly Benefit = (Years of Service × Multiplier% × Final Average Salary) ÷ 12. For 30 years, 1.5% multiplier, $70,000 salary: 30 × 0.015 × $70,000 ÷ 12 = $2,625/month. The multiplier ranges from 1.0% (FERS standard) to 2.5% or higher (some state and teacher plans).
Some plans allow "purchasing" additional service credit — typically for prior government service, military time, or leave periods. The cost is usually the actuarial present value of the additional benefit, which can be substantial. Federal employees can buy back military service by paying the retirement contribution plus interest. Check with your plan administrator — the cost-benefit depends heavily on how many years remain before retirement and your plan's multiplier.
Usually at a prorated rate. A year of 50% part-time service typically counts as 0.5 years toward the service total and the pension formula. Some plans credit full years for any covered employment regardless of hours. Federal employees working part-time accrue credit based on actual hours worked compared to full-time hours. Check your plan's specific rules — the treatment of part-time service varies significantly across state systems.
They're the same thing for most plans — years of credited service are years you were actively employed in a pension-covered position. However, some plans distinguish between "membership service" (time actively contributing) and "prior service" credit for periods before joining the plan. Purchasing service credit for prior work can bridge the gap. For FERS employees who previously worked under CSRS, service under both systems is counted — but calculated at different rates.