Congressional retirement benefits are not as lucrative as common myths suggest; lawmakers participate in the same standard pension and savings system as most other federal civil service employees. They do not receive a full salary for life, and a minimum of five years of service is required to qualify for any pension.
1. Pension Eligibility & Age
Members of Congress first elected in 1984 or later fall under the Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS).
At age 62: Eligible with at least 5 years of service.
At age 50: Eligible with at least 20 years of service.
Any age: Eligible with 25 years of service.
2. How the Pension is Calculated
Benefits are calculated using the average of a Member’s highest three consecutive years of salary (their "high-3" salary). The base annual congressional salary is
The specific pension multiplier depends on when the lawmaker was first elected:
By law, the starting pension cannot exceed 80% of their final salary. Former Members covered by FERS are also eligible for Social Security.
Senators do not get paid for their full salary after they leave office. While they do not receive their regular annual pay for life, retired members of Congress who meet specific age and service requirements are eligible for a taxpayer-funded pension.
Vesting & Eligibility: Senators must complete at least 5 years of federal service to qualify for any pension. To draw an immediate, full pension, they must either be at least 62 years old with 5 years of service, at least 50 years old with 20 years of service, or have 25 years of service at any age.
Pension Formula: The retirement payout is calculated using a formula based on the number of years served and the average of the senator's three consecutive highest-paid years.
Caps: By federal law, a member's starting pension cannot exceed 80% of their final annual salary. Members of Congress contribute a percentage of their pay (such as 1.3% under the Federal Employees' Retirement System) to this retirement fund.
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