This is an update to a previous article about our State Representative Dave Joyce and his pension benefits.

Here is the previous article: https://lobbyistsforcitizens.com/2020/07/07/how-much-is-congressman-dave-joyces-pension-he-aint-talking/

We did receive a response on 7/9/20 from Mr. Ryan Kelly, a staff member at Rep. Joyce’s Mentor office.  We asked how much Rep. Joyce will be receiving when he “hangs up his spikes”.

We were given this link to the website that covers Pensions of Members of Congress:
https://www.senate.gov/CRSpubs/ac0d1dd5-7316-4390-87e6-353589586a89.pdf

Mr. Kelly did not answer the question directly, but at least we have more details about the benefits of our Congressional Representatives.

Excerpts from the article:
“Members are now covered under one of four different retirement arrangements:
 CSRS and Social Security;
 The CSRS Offset plan, which includes both CSRS and Social Security, but with
CSRS contributions and benefits reduced by Social Security contributions and
benefits;
 FERS, which includes the FERS basic retirement annuity, Social Security, and
Thrift Savings Plan (TSP); or
 Social Security alone.

Congressional pensions, like those of other federal employees, are financed through a
combination of employee and employer contributions. All Members pay Social Security payroll taxes equal to 6.2% of the Social Security taxable wage base ($132,900 in 2019). Members first covered by FERS prior to 2013 also pay 1.3% of full salary to the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund (CSRDF). Members of Congress first covered by FERS in 2013 contribute 3.1% of pay to the CSRDF. Members of Congress first covered by FERS after 2013 contribute 4.4% of pay to the CSRDF. Members covered by CSRS Offset pay 1.8% of the first $132,900 of salary in 2019, and 8.0% of salary above this amount, into the CSRDF.

Under both CSRS and FERS, Members of Congress are eligible for a pension at the age of 62 if they have completed at least 5 years of service. Members are eligible for a pension at age 50 if they have completed 20 years of service, or at any age after completing 25 years of service.

The amount of the pension depends on length of service (as measured in months) and the average of the highest three years of salary. By law, the starting amount of a Member’s retirement annuity may not exceed 80% of his or her final salary. [Emphasis added by LFC]

There were 617 retired Members of Congress receiving federal pensions based fully or in part on their congressional service as of October 1, 2018. Of this number, 318 had retired under CSRS and were receiving an average annual pension of $75,528.”

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