For other versions of this document, see http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-94-740
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                                                                                            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.



               Brief Facts About Congressional Pensions
                                            (as of October 1, 2002)

                                               Average    Average years
                             Number of          annual     of creditable    Average       Average
                             membersa          pensionb       servicec       aged       contributionse
    Members/former Members with
    annuity beginning in FY2002
      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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For other versions of this document, see http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-94-740