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When to Retire

Compare retirement at two ages and see the difference

Compare two exit ages

yrs
mo
Civilian federal time already inside your service dates, but not as a controller, FLM, or OM. It does not earn ATC good time, so it pushes your earliest exit date later.
$
Enter today's figure; the tool grows it forward at your Salary Growth rate. For most controllers, close to current salary.
%
Your expected average annual raise before retiring: yearly federal and locality pay adjustments, plus any pay-band progression.
$
%
$ /yr
%
Your own contributions. Enter today's dollar amount; it grows at your Salary Growth rate, capped each year at the IRS limit.
Your own contributions: this percentage of your modeled salary each year, capped at the IRS limit.
Contributes the full IRS limit each year, including catch-up from age 50.
%
Expected annual withdrawal rate in retirement. 4% is a common starting point.
$ /mo
The headline age-62 figure from your SSA statement, as printed. (Sizes your SRS bridge.)
Two exit ages
Who can work past 56?

Controllers and Front Line Managers (MSS-2) must generally separate at 56; Operations Managers (MSS-3) are a special case: exempt from the age-56 separation, but eligible for good time; they can keep working to MRA + 30 years while earning the full 1.7% for every year (no 20-year cap). Higher management and staff can stay on, but those years earn 1.0%. Full rules: § 8415(f) and 5 CFR 842.806; confirm your coverage with HR/OPM.

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Enter your date of birth and entry-on-duty date above to compare exit ages.

You're at or past mandatory separation (age 56). If your position is exempt (second-level supervisor or non-covered management/staff), turn on “working past 56” above to model a later retirement.
Your 20-year mark lands after your 56th birthday. Your only exit window is the month you reach 20 years of service, which a whole-year comparison can't model. See Eligibility Dates for your exact date.
Retire at —
Service—
Multiplier—
High-3—
TSP at retirement—
Gross pension—
SRS bridge (to 62)—
TSP withdrawal—
First-year income
—
Pre-tax figures
Retire at —
Service—
Multiplier—
High-3—
TSP at retirement—
Gross pension—
SRS bridge (to 62)—
TSP withdrawal—
First-year income
—
Pre-tax figures
Weighing the two
Bigger pension
—
per year, for life
Extra lifetime money
—
working longer (pre-tax)
Years of freedom
—
by leaving earlier

—

Each year of earlier retirement costs about
—

Pre-tax. The real after-tax cost is somewhat smaller: much of the extra money from working longer is salary, taxed at a higher rate than the pension and TSP income it's measured against. For a tax-aware view, see the Income Timeline.

Cumulative total income

Money in hand by each age, including salary and retirement income. The gap at the right edge is the extra lifetime money.

Estimate only. Not financial, legal, or tax advice. OPM determines your actual annuity; confirm your coverage and computation with OPM and your HR specialist.
  • What it projects: Your High-3 and TSP grow forward from today at the rates you enter, plus agency TSP money (1% automatic + the match). TSP contributions follow the mode you choose: a fixed dollar amount grown at your Salary Growth rate, a fixed percentage of each year’s salary, or the annual IRS maximum with catch-up from age 50. Every mode is capped at the year’s IRS limit. Bought-back military time and unused sick leave aren’t modeled; both lift the two exit ages about equally, and Your Pension credits them.
  • The dollars: Undiscounted, pre-tax, nominal. “Total income” is spendable pay while working: salary minus your FERS contribution (1.3–4.9% by hire year) and the TSP contribution you defer, counted later as withdrawals. Retirement income then stacks on top. Pay and pension are taxed differently, and it excludes the TSP still invested at your end age and the SRS earnings test after MRA.
  • The horizon: Everything is measured to the life-expectancy age you set (default 80, about a 56-year-old’s remaining life expectancy). The pension grows with the assumed FERS COLA; the SRS is constant and ends at 62.
  • Past age 56: Figures use the special-provision computation (§ 8415(e)) by default, or the general-FERS enhancement (§ 8415(f)) once you qualify on MRA + 30 years; we show the higher. Only second-level supervisors and non-covered staff/management are exempt from the age-56 separation.

What each extra year changes

Working past your earliest date moves four levers: three in your favor, one against.

A bigger multiplier

Past the first 20 years (earned at 1.7%), every additional year adds 1.0% of your High-3. If you can retire on 30 years at your MRA (uncommon), your ATC years stay at 1.7% with no cap (§ 8415(f)).

A higher High-3

Raises and promotions in your final years lift the three-year average your whole pension is built on.

More TSP

More years of contributions, agency matching, and tax-deferred growth; fewer years drawing the balance down.

Fewer years of freedom

The one that doesn't show up in dollars: every year you stay is a year of retirement you don't get back.

Next step
Your Pension
The 1.7% multiplier, High-3, and gross-to-net math.
Related topics
Eligibility Dates Income Timeline SRS Bridge