FAQ
These answers are intentionally direct. FERSCalc is meant to be useful, free to use, and plain about its limits, but it is not presented as official, exhaustive, or risk-free.
FERSCalc is a free tool built by a federal employee for federal employees who want a practical view of retirement timing, income, taxes, and household cash flow. It is most useful when you are actively comparing retirement dates or pressure-testing whether a plan looks workable.
Yes. FERSCalc is free for federal employees, with no account or paid tier. If that ever needed to change, it would be communicated plainly first.
No. FERSCalc is an independent planning tool, not an official estimate from OPM or any federal agency. It is intended to help you understand scenarios and tradeoffs before you make final decisions.
No calculator scenario data is uploaded. The calculator runs in your browser and stores your scenario locally on your device unless you explicitly export it yourself.
You will get the best results if you have your birth date, service start date, target retirement date, high-3 salary, TSP balances, expected Social Security figures, FEHB details, and your filing state. You can still start with partial information and refine later.
FERSCalc estimates federal tax for all filers and includes a 2025 state income-tax planning baseline for all 50 states and DC, including no-income-tax states. These are not tax filings or independently certified state rules; future-law estimates and state edge rules remain simplified. For per-state FERS, TSP, and Social Security treatment, use the State Tax Guide. For model scope and assumptions, use Assumptions & Coverage.
Yes. The calculator supports adding a second person for household planning, survivor-benefit considerations, combined income, and joint tax effects.
FERSCalc focuses on monthly retirement income, taxes, TSP drawdown, scenario comparison, and cash-flow context rather than a single headline number. The goal is to show what retirement may actually feel like, not just gross benefit components. If you enable it under Assumptions, the Results → Stress tab adds illustrative historical replay charts and tables using bundled annual market data — separate from your main projection assumptions and from Monte Carlo.
No. FERSCalc provides planning output based on your inputs and built-in assumptions. It should support decision-making, not replace professional advice or official benefit confirmation.
