Brief Facts About Congressional Pensions

Brief Facts About Congressional Pensions

Order Code 94-740
Updated January 13, 2004
CRS Report for Congress
Received through the CRS Web
Brief Facts About Congressional Pensions
Patrick J. Purcell
Specialist in Social Legislation
Domestic Social Policy Division
Summary
This report lists the number of retired Members of Congress and the average
amount of congressional pension they receive in retirement. It is updated annually.
740
Brief Facts About Congressional Pensions
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(as of October 1, 2002)
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Average
Average years
ak
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Number of
annual
of creditable
Average
Average
membersa
pensionb
servicec
aged
contributionse
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Members/former Members with
ttp
annuity beginning in FY2002
h
Under CSRSf . . . . . . . . . . . 2
$35,544
13.7
63.9
$36,547
Under FERSg . . . . . . . . . . . 3
$17,592
12.9
58.7
$26,116
Members/former Members with
annuity beginning in FY2001
Under CSRSf . . . . . . . . . . 13
$71,112
24.3
68.2
$113,168
Under FERSg . . . . . . . . . . 18
$31,500
15.8
64.1
$ 29,048
All retired Members
(as of 10/1/2002)
Under CSRSf . . . . . . . . . 340
$55,788
20.0
77.0
$60,186
Under FERSg . . . . . . . . . . 71
$41,856
18.7
69.2
$34,341
Source: U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
a Data include only former Members currently receiving congressional pensions.
b For Members retiring in 2001, amount shown is 2001 pension. For all others, amount is 2002 pension.
c Creditable service includes congressional, active duty military, and other federal civilian service.
d For newly retired Members, average age at retirement; for all retired Members, average age on 10/1/02.
e Total lifetime contributions the Member paid into the retirement system, including payments to both CSRS
and FERS for Members who switched from CSRS to FERS.
f CSRS is the Civil Service Retirement System. Congress enacted the CSRS for executive branch
employees in 1920 and extended it to Members of Congress in 1946. The CSRS was closed to new
participants as of January 1, 1984, when P.L. 98-21 required Social Security coverage for all
Members of Congress and new federal workers first hired on or after that date.
Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress

CRS-2
g FERS is the Federal Employees’ Retirement system. Congress enacted the FERS to coordinate with Social
Security coverage. Members who had been covered under the CSRS could elect to switch to the new
FERS during “open seasons” held in 1987 and 1998, or could remain in the CSRS.
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