Severance Pay Calculator
Check eligibility and estimate your severance under 5 U.S.C. 5595 — including the age adjustment, the 52-week cap, and tax withholding.
Reviewed by Jonathan D., 20-year federal employee · Formulas verified against OPM.gov ·
Eligibility check
Answer these first. If you are not eligible, the calculator will explain why.
Enter your details
Provide your pay, service, and separation timing to calculate your estimate.
Your estimate
Answer the four eligibility questions above to begin.
How federal severance is calculated
Severance pay starts from your weekly rate of basic pay, then layers on credit for years of service and an age adjustment for employees over 40. The total is capped at 52 weeks of pay over your lifetime.
| Service period | Severance credit | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Years 1–10 | 1 week per year | 8 years = 8 weeks |
| Years 11+ | 2 weeks per year | 5 years past 10 = 10 weeks |
| Partial years | 25% per full quarter | 6 months = 0.5 × applicable rate |
| Lifetime cap | 52 weeks maximum | Includes prior federal severance |
The age adjustment factor
Employees over 40 receive an extra 2.5% for each full 3-month quarter over age 40 — which can sharply increase the total.
| Age at separation | Quarters over 40 | Factor | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 0 | 1.00 | No adjustment |
| 42 | 8 | 1.20 | +20% |
| 45 | 20 | 1.50 | +50% |
| 50 | 40 | 2.00 | +100% |
| 55 | 60 | 2.50 | +150% |
| 60 | 80 | 3.00 | +200% |
Worked example: 15 years, age 45
A GS-13 Step 7 employee in Washington, DC with 15 years 6 months of service, separated at age 45.
| Component | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Annual basic pay (2026) | GS-13 Step 7, DC locality | $140,343 |
| Weekly pay | $140,343 ÷ 52 | $2,698.90 |
| Years 1–10 | 10 × $2,698.90 | $26,989 |
| Years 11–15 | 5 × 2 × $2,698.90 | $26,989 |
| 2 quarters (6 months) | 2 × 0.5 × $2,698.90 | $2,699 |
| Age adjustment (50%) | $56,677 base × 0.50 | +$28,338 |
| Total gross severance | 31.5 weeks of pay | $85,015 |
What counts toward service
Who does not qualify
Eligibility is based on your status at separation. These situations disqualify you, even when a separation is involuntary — being eligible for retirement counts, whether or not you retire.
2026 federal workforce context
The RIF moratorium that protected many federal employees expired January 30, 2026. Combined with hiring freezes and buyout offers, roughly 249,000–271,000 federal workers departed in 2025. If you are facing potential separation, understand your options: