💵How Much is a Federal Pension?

Hey friend,

Financial planners estimate you need roughly $6,000/month for a comfortable U.S. retirement.

The Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) "three-legged stool" provides a clear path to hit that target:

• Leg 1: Social Security (~$2,000/mo) – The current average retiree payout. Check your exact estimates at SSA.gov.

• Leg 2: Thrift Savings Plan (~$1,000/mo) – A conservative $200,000 balance pays $1,000/mo over 20 years. Maximize this by keeping your 5% match (never drop to 0%).

• Leg 3: FERS Pension (~$3,000/mo) – To cover the final $3,000/month ($36,000/yr), hit these High-3 salary targets based on your service length:

Your FERS Pension Target Pathways:

• High-3 Salary Target: $163,636

• Pay Grade: GS-14, Step 5

• Strategy: Requires finishing your career in a high-locality region (e.g., Washington, D.C.).

• High-3 Salary Target: $109,000

• Pay Grade: GS-12, Step 3

• Strategy: Highly achievable, GS-12 is the most populated grade in the federal government.

• High-3 Salary Target: $93,500

• Pay Grade: GS-11, Step 5

• Strategy: Easily attainable nationwide across almost any agency.

A presidential executive order mandated “Strategic Hiring Committees” across the federal government. At the Department of Defense (DoD), senior officials, including political appointees, hold the keys to approving key job offers behind closed doors.

• Air Force & Space Force: Senior leaders review individual hires and freeze exemptions every 2–4 weeks. (Space Force holds a blanket exemption).

• Army: Issued blanket approvals for critical roles: Engineering (0800), IT (2210), and Contracting (1102).

• Navy & Marine Corps: Operations and exemptions remain undisclosed to the public.

• OSD & Sub-Agencies: Oversees central leadership roles under strict non-transparency.

• The Critics: The Partnership for Public Service warns this adds deep political control over career civil service roles, while congressional leaders report severe staffing delays.

• The Supporters: Proponents argue these boards mimic corporate strategies to ensure budget and talent align with national priorities.

By the Numbers: These panels target ~5%–10% of mid-to-senior roles. While the DoD onboarded 29,000 workers through June (up from 19,000 in 2025), total workforce size remains under 700,000 due to ongoing attrition.

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The National Archives (NARA) granted temporary telework for employees at its downtown Washington, D.C. headquarters due to disruptions from the upcoming IndyCar street race. However, the union representing workers demands the flexibility extend into next week as tear-down construction continues.

• The Setup: NARA’s primary headquarters sits enclosed on three sides by the temporary race route. Road closures, barricades, active construction, and a temporary pedestrian bridge have severely blocked access to the building.

• Safety Concerns: The union flagged hazard issues after an employee with mobility issues was forced to climb stairs over a non-ADA accessible bridge and crawl under low-hanging tree branches just to enter the facility.

• Agency Response: NARA authorized situational telework through August 23 alongside maxi flex and unscheduled leave options.

• Accessibility Failures: Temporary infrastructure blocked ADA-compliant entrances, leaving employees with disabilities without functional building access.

• Evacuation & Way-Finding: The union warned that modified emergency egress plans fail to match fluid conditions on the ground, calling for dedicated facility staff stationed at exits to guide employees.

• Extension Demands: The union is pushing to extend telework through next week while event crews dismantle heavy fencing and temporary bridges.

August 25th from 9am – 2pm MST

Utah Department of Workforce Services, 1050 Market Dr., Vernal, UT 84078

Discover a career with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) by joining U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) Recruiters and BLM Hiring Managers for an exclusive information session designed to guide you through the federal hiring process. Learn how you can help manage, restore, and conserve America’s public lands, waters, and wildlife for generations to come.

Learn more here

August 26th from 2pm – 3:30pm EST

Join the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Field Operations for a live virtual event. Hear from Customs and Border Protection Officers who do the job every day and learn more about a career with OFO.

This is a Recruitment Webinar (OFO) - Northern Border.

Register here

August 27th from 9am – 2pm MST

Bureau of Land Management | Salt Lake City Field Office 491 John Glenn Rd., Salt Lake City, UT 84116

Discover a rewarding career with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) by joining U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) Recruiters and BLM Hiring Managers for an exclusive information session designed to guide you through the federal hiring process. Learn how you can help manage, restore, and conserve America’s public lands, waters, and wildlife for generations to come.

Learn more here

August 27th from 7pm – 8pm EST

Explore career opportunities with the Indian Health Service (IHS), Division of Sanitation Facilities Construction at an upcoming Virtual Information Session.

Learn more here

August 27th - 28th from 8am – 6pm EST

FCI Estill (SC), 100 Prison RD, Staff Training Center, Estill, SC 29918

FCI Estill is hosting an in-person hiring and recruitment event.

During this event, qualified applicants for Correctional Officers, Medical Professionals and all other direct hire positions can undergo an expedited hiring process.

Correctional Officers (50% sign-on bonus)

Learn more here

Watch the last Q&A livestream: here

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📓Get the Government Job Secrets Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D695NKCN

📲 Schedule a call with me: https://clarity.fm/armandcuret

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