In an unexpected turn of events, Marjorie Taylor Greene made waves last night with a 10-minute video posted on social media, announcing her decision to retire from Congress. In her message, she expressed numerous grievances that led to her stepping down, though the specifics of these complaints were not extensively detailed in her announcement.

However, what caught the immediate attention of her detractors was the timing of her retirement. Greene plans to retire on January 5, 2026, just two days after January 3, 2026. The significance of this date lies in the fact that it marks exactly five years of her service in Congress—a milestone that qualifies her for a lifetime federal pension.

Critics quickly pointed out that by retiring just after reaching this five-year threshold, she secures her pension. After investigating this claim, it became clear that five years is indeed the minimum requirement for Congressional members to become eligible for a pension. Falling short of this period would mean no pension at all, but surpassing it, even slightly, guarantees a lifetime benefit.

Nonetheless, it’s important to note that reaching this five-year mark only entitles Greene to the minimal pension benefit, which doesn’t start immediately. For those astonished by this, consider the pensions accumulated by long-serving members like Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Grassley. Pelosi has served for 38 years, and Grassley for an impressive fifty, setting them up for far more substantial pension benefits.

(Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

What Marjorie Taylor Greene Will Receive After Five Years

Since 1984, Congressional members are part of the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). This system uses a straightforward calculation: it multiplies a member’s highest three-year salary average by an accrual rate and then by the number of service years. Throughout her time in Congress, Greene has earned the standard salary of $174,000. Her high-three average remains at $174,000, with her service reaching five years and an accrual rate of 1.7% per year.

So, let’s break down the numbers:

Pension = $174,000 × 0.017 × 5

Pension = $14,790 per year

That works out to roughly $1,232 per month.

And there is another catch. Greene cannot receive this pension until she turns 62 years old. Despite the political outrage, the financial reality is extremely modest. The minimum vesting threshold only unlocks the smallest possible benefit.

What Nancy Pelosi Will Receive After Nearly Forty Years

To understand how the formula scales, look at Nancy Pelosi. She entered Congress in 1987. She leaves in early 2027 after nearly four decades of service. She also served multiple years as Speaker, which raises her high-three salary to roughly $223,500.

Under FERS, Members receive 1.7% per year for the first 20 years and 1.0% per year for all additional years.

First 20 years: $223,500 × 0.017 × 20 = $75,990

Remaining 19.6 years: $223,500 × 0.010 × 19.6 = $43,806

Total = $119,796 per year

That equals about $9,983 per month, payable immediately upon retirement. Pelosi’s pension is roughly eight times larger than Greene’s, driven entirely by time in office and high leadership pay.

Nancy recently announced her decision to retire from Congress at the end of her current term. So she will begin to collect her pension in early 2027.

What Chuck Grassley Will Receive After Fifty Years

Now here’s where things get wild.

Chuck Grassley entered Congress in 1975, long before the modern retirement system existed. That places him under the Civil Service Retirement System, or CSRS, which is far more generous than FERS. CSRS uses a 2.5% accrual rate for each year of service. Grassley’s career covers roughly fifty years. His high-three salary is approximately $193,400 based on his periods as President Pro Tempore.

Under the CSRS formula, the raw calculation exceeds his entire salary:

$193,400 × 0.025 × 50 = $241,750

But congressional pensions under CSRS are capped at 80% of final salary.

So the maximum allowed pension is:

$193,400 × 0.80 = $154,720 per year

That is about $12,893 per month, for life. Grassley is essentially at the absolute ceiling for what any Member can legally earn.

Chuck Grassley infamously DOES NOT PLAN TO RETIRE. As recently as August, he indicated his intention to run for reelection in 2028, at which point he would be around 95 years old. He only receives his pension if he actually retires. So what’s he doing? Why not retire? Would the pension just go away if he died tomorrow? No.

Grassley’s wife, Barbara Grassley, would be eligible for a survivor’s annuity, which is a reduced version of his full pension. Under CSRS, which is what Grassley is under:

CSRS Survivor Benefit Rules

• The maximum survivor annuity is 55% of the Member’s earned pension.

• Survivors must have been married to the Member at the time of death.

• Survivor benefits begin immediately upon the Member’s death.

Grassley’s computed pension (capped at 80% of final salary) is about $154,720 per year.

Survivor annuity:

55% × $154,720 = $85,096 per year

Which is about $7,091 per month.

But common sense does scream that Chuck should retire, let some new blood into Congress and then go enjoy nearly $13,000 per month!!!

The Bottom Line

Marjorie Taylor Greene did time her resignation to qualify for her pension. That part is true. But the benefit she earned after five years is relatively small, delayed, and nowhere near the huge figures people imagine when they hear “lifetime pension.”

At the other end of the spectrum, a half-century in Congress combined with enrollment in the older, more generous retirement system produces a benefit as large as federal law allows.

That is the difference between five years and fifty years.