What this course covers
Federal retirement under FERS has three parts (a pension annuity, the Thrift Savings Plan, and Social Security), plus rules for eligibility, survivor benefits, and the Special Retirement Supplement. This course explains all of it in plain English, one idea per lesson, with visuals built from the same formulas the RetireCiv calculator uses. Choose a track below based on how far you are from retiring.
0–10 years of service
Early Career
Build the foundation: how FERS works and why your first decade matters most.
10–25 years of service
Mid Career
Optimize the plan: eligibility, High-3, allocation, and the trade-offs ahead.
25+ years · within 5 years of retiring
Late Career
Land the plan: SRS, timing, withdrawals, and your readiness checklist.
Prefer to see your own numbers?
The RetireCiv calculator turns everything in this course into a personalized estimate: your pension, TSP projection, and readiness score. No account required.
Start the calculator