USPS FERS Retirement Calculator
Planning retirement as a federal employee requires accurate numbers and a clear understanding of your benefits. If you work for the United States Postal Service or another federal agency under Federal Employees Retirement System, knowing your projected annuity and total retirement income is essential.
Our USPS FERS Retirement Calculator is a powerful and easy-to-use tool that helps estimate:
- Total creditable service
- Monthly FERS annuity
- Annual FERS annuity
- TSP monthly withdrawal (4% rule)
- Total monthly retirement income
- Sick leave service credit
Whether you’re close to retirement or planning years ahead, this calculator provides fast and reliable estimates to support smarter financial decisions.
What Is FERS?
The Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) is the retirement plan for U.S. federal civilian employees. It consists of three main components:
- Basic FERS Annuity (Pension)
- Social Security
- Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)
Most USPS employees and federal workers hired after 1987 are covered under FERS.
What Is the USPS FERS Retirement Calculator?
This online calculator estimates your retirement income based on:
- Years of service
- Additional months of service
- High-3 average salary
- Retirement age
- TSP account balance
- Sick leave hours
It automatically calculates your projected annuity using official FERS formulas and adds estimated TSP income using the 4% withdrawal rule.
How to Use the USPS FERS Retirement Calculator
Using the calculator is simple and takes just a few minutes.
Step 1: Enter Years of Service
Input your total completed years of federal service.
Example:
25 years
Step 2: Enter Additional Months
If you have partial years, enter extra months (0–11).
Example:
6 months
Step 3: Enter Your High-3 Average Salary
Your High-3 salary is the average of your highest three consecutive years of basic pay.
Example:
$75,000
This figure is critical because your FERS annuity is based directly on it.
Step 4: Enter Retirement Age
Your retirement age affects your annuity multiplier.
Example:
62 years old
Step 5: Enter TSP Account Balance
Input your total balance in the Thrift Savings Plan account.
Example:
$400,000
The calculator estimates monthly withdrawals using the 4% rule.
Step 6: Enter Sick Leave Hours
Unused sick leave increases your creditable service time.
Example:
1,044 hours
The calculator converts sick leave hours into additional months of service credit.
Step 7: Click “Calculate”
The tool will instantly display:
- Total service credit (including sick leave)
- Monthly FERS annuity
- Annual FERS annuity
- TSP estimated monthly withdrawal
- Total monthly retirement income
- Sick leave credit (in months)
If you need to adjust numbers, simply click “Reset.”
How the FERS Annuity Is Calculated
The basic FERS annuity formula is:
High-3 Salary × Years of Service × Multiplier
Standard Multiplier:
- 1% (0.01)
Enhanced Multiplier:
- 1.1% (0.011)
If: - You retire at age 62 or later
- AND you have at least 20 years of service
Example Retirement Calculation
Let’s assume:
- 25 years of service
- 6 additional months
- 1,044 sick leave hours
- High-3 salary = $80,000
- Retirement age = 62
- TSP balance = $500,000
Step 1: Convert Sick Leave
1,044 hours ÷ 174 hours per month = 6 months
Total service becomes:
25 years + 6 months + 6 months
= 26 years total
Step 2: Apply 1.1% Multiplier
$80,000 × 26 × 0.011
= $22,880 annual annuity
Monthly annuity:
$22,880 ÷ 12 = $1,906.67
Step 3: TSP 4% Rule
$500,000 × 4% = $20,000 annually
$20,000 ÷ 12 = $1,666.67 monthly
Total Monthly Income:
$1,906.67 + $1,666.67 = $3,573.34
This gives you a clear projection of retirement income.
Why Sick Leave Matters
Unused sick leave increases service credit but does NOT make you eligible to retire earlier.
It only increases the annuity calculation.
The calculator automatically:
- Converts hours to months
- Adds them to total service
What Is the 4% Rule?
The 4% rule suggests withdrawing 4% annually from retirement savings to provide sustainable income.
Example:
$400,000 × 4% = $16,000 annually
While not guaranteed, this rule is commonly used for retirement planning estimates.
Key Features of This USPS FERS Calculator
✔ Accurate FERS annuity formula
✔ Automatic sick leave conversion
✔ 1% and 1.1% multiplier logic
✔ TSP 4% withdrawal estimate
✔ Instant monthly and annual income results
✔ Easy-to-use interface
Who Should Use This Calculator?
This tool is ideal for:
- USPS employees
- Federal civilian employees
- Retirement planners
- HR advisors
- Employees within 5–10 years of retirement
- Employees comparing retirement ages
If you are under FERS, this calculator helps estimate your financial future.
Important Notes
- This calculator provides estimates only.
- It does not include Social Security income.
- It does not factor in taxes.
- It does not include survivor benefits.
- Official retirement calculations should be confirmed with your agency’s HR office.
15 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is High-3 salary?
It is the average of your highest three consecutive years of basic pay.
2. What is the FERS multiplier?
Usually 1%, or 1.1% if retiring at age 62+ with 20+ years.
3. Does sick leave count toward retirement eligibility?
No, it only increases annuity calculation.
4. How is sick leave converted?
174 hours equals one month of service credit.
5. What is the 4% TSP rule?
It suggests withdrawing 4% annually from retirement savings.
6. Is this calculator official?
No, it is an independent estimation tool.
7. Does this include Social Security?
No, Social Security benefits are separate.
8. Can I retire before age 62?
Yes, but you may not qualify for the 1.1% multiplier.
9. What happens if I retire with less than 20 years?
The 1% multiplier applies.
10. Is TSP mandatory?
Most FERS employees contribute to TSP.
11. Can I withdraw more than 4%?
Yes, but it may reduce long-term sustainability.
12. Does unused annual leave count?
No, only sick leave adds service credit.
13. Is retirement age required?
Yes, it determines multiplier eligibility.
14. Can this calculator be used by non-USPS federal employees?
Yes, if they are under FERS.
15. How accurate is this calculator?
It closely follows FERS formulas but should not replace official agency calculations.
Final Thoughts
Retirement planning should never be based on guesswork. With the USPS FERS Retirement Calculator, you can quickly estimate your annuity, TSP income, and total monthly retirement income using accurate FERS formulas.
Whether you’re five years away from retirement or just starting your federal career, understanding your projected income today helps you plan confidently for tomorrow.