Does my ‘High-3′ FERS calculation include locality pay boost? (2024)

“Is the High 3 FERS Disability Retirement based on basic pay or adjusted basic pay (which includes the locality pay)? Both show up on my check stub.”

Reg’s Response

Your high-3 is based on the average of your highest three consecutive years of pay from which retirement deductions are taken. As a rule that includes basic pay and locality pay. You can confirm that this is true for you by looking at your pay slip to see if retirement deductions are taken from both.

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Got a question for the Federal Times expert? Send inquiries to: fedexperts@federaltimes.com.

Reg Jones, a charter member of the senior executive service, is the resident expert on retirement and the federal government at Federal Times. From 1979 until 1995, he served as an assistant director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management handling recruiting and examining, white and blue collar pay, retirement, insurance and other issues. Opinions expressed are his own.

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