FED Legacy

Under FERS, retiring one day before your 62nd birthday means you get the 1% multiplier instead of 1.1%.

On a 30-year career with a $80,000 high-3 salary, that single day costs $2,400 a year, for life.

The best retirement dates for federal employees in 2026 and 2027 are specific. They account for the leave year, your pension start date, and the 1.1% multiplier window.

Picking a date without knowing the rules means leaving money on the table that you already earned.

Most federal employees plan their retirement budget around the number on their pension estimate.

That number is gross. Before survivor benefit deductions. Before FEHB premiums. Before FEGLI. Before taxes.

A $40,000 annual pension can become closer to $31,000 once every deduction comes out.

That is roughly $733 less every month than what the estimate showed.

If you have never calculated your net pension, that is the number to know before anything else.

- William Smith | FedLegacy
Federal retirement planning built specifically for federal employees.