The Congressional Research Service (CRS) regularly publishes a report titled Retirement Benefits for Members of Congress (RL30631), which details enrollment and annuity data for former lawmakers. Recent editions are available at Congress.gov, and older versions can be found at EveryCRSReport.com. The table below presents key figures from available CRS reports dating back to 1998.
In addition to being required to pay into Social Security since 1986, former members of Congress may be eligible to receive retirement annuities through one of two federal pension systems: the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) or the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). Those who served in Congress for at least five years are eligible for an annuity based on their length of service.
CSRS, established in 1920, offers more generous benefits but is closed to members who began service after 1984.
FERS, created in 1986, applies to more recent members and offers a combination of a smaller defined benefit pension, Social Security, and a defined contribution plan through the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). Reforms enacted in 2012 and 2013 increased the retirement contributions required from new members of Congress and reduced their pension benefit accrual rates, making the system less generous for those entering service after these changes.
The table below includes:
The number of former members enrolled in each retirement system.
The average annual annuity received under each system.
The total annuity benefits paid out under each plan in a given year as calculated from the CRS statistics.
Over time, the number of CSRS recipients has declined as the system phases out, while FERS participation has increased. However, average CSRS annuities remain significantly higher due to the structure of the older system.
As the table shows, there are gaps in the data, particularly in recent years. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which oversees the federal pension programs, should provide greater transparency regarding these expenses.
In addition to improving transparency, OPM must also be held accountable for enforcing provisions in three key laws: the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007, the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act of 2012, and the No Congressionally Obligated Recurring Revenue Used As Pensions To Incarcerated Officials Now (No CORRUPTION) Act. These laws are designed to ensure that former members of Congress convicted of certain crimes are stripped of their pension eligibility.
| Former Members of Congress: Retirement Enrollment and Benefit Trends | |||||||
| Data Date/Report Link | # Enrolled in CSRS | Average Annuity in CSRS | CSRS Total Annuity Benefits Paid | # Enrolled in FERS | Average Annuity in FERS | FERS Total Annuity Benefits Paid | Grand Total of Annuity Benefits Paid |
| 10/1/2022 | 261 | $84,504 | $22,055,544 | 358 | $45,276 | $16,208,808 | $38,264,352 |
| 10/1/2018 | 318 | $130,500 | $41,499,000 | 299 | $41,208 | $12,321,192 | $53,820,192 |
| 10/1/2016 | 335 | $74,028 | $24,799,380 | 276 | $41,076 | $11,336,976 | $36,136,356 |
| 10/1/2015 | 344 | $74,136 | $25,502,784 | 276 | $41,316 | $11,403,216 | $36,906,000 |
| 10/1/2014 | 351 | $72,660 | $25,503,660 | 250 | $41,652 | $10,413,000 | $35,916,660 |
| 10/1/2013 | 367 | $71,664 | $26,300,688 | 250 | $42,048 | $10,512,000 | $36,812,688 |
| 10/1/2012 | 312 | $71,472 | $22,299,264 | 215 | $40,560 | $8,720,400 | $31,019,664 |
| 10/1/2011 | 280 | $70,620 | $19,773,600 | 215 | $39,576 | $8,508,840 | $28,282,440 |
| 10/1/2010 | 262 | $69,420 | $18,188,040 | 181 | $38,460 | $6,961,260 | $25,149,300 |
| 10/1/2009 | 275 | $69,012 | $18,978,300 | 180 | $40,140 | $7,225,200 | $26,203,500 |
| 10/1/2007 | 286 | $63,696 | $18,217,056 | 149 | $36,732 | $5,473,068 | $23,690,124 |
| 10/1/2006 | 290 | $60,972 | $17,681,880 | 123 | $35,952 | $4,422,096 | $22,103,976 |
| 10/1/2002 | 340 | $55,788 | $18,967,920 | 71 | $41,856 | $2,971,776 | $21,939,696 |
| 10/1/2000 | 356 | $52,464 | $18,677,184 | 53 | $46,932 | $2,487,396 | $21,164,580 |
| 10/1/1998 | 367 | $50,616 | $18,576,072 | 46 | $46,908 | $2,157,768 | $20,733,840 |