Pension & Cash Balance Planner
For physicians whose employer or group offers a defined-benefit pension or a cash balance plan.
These are example numbers. Answer a few questions and every calculator fills in with yours, saved in this browser.
Employer presets (for example, Kaiser Permanente medical groups) are added only from official plan documents, with the source and date shown.
Retirement to life expectancy
Plan’s rate for converting
Defined-benefit pension
Highest consecutive years averaged
Cash balance plan
Annuity at retirement, per year
$108,000
1.5% × 20 yrs × $360,000 final average pay
Lump-sum value
≈ $1.35M
At 5.0% over 20 years of payments
Final average pay is capped at the 2026 compensation limit of $360,000, which is why staying longer adds a flat amount each year once you reach it.
What staying longer is worth
| Year | Annual pension |
|---|---|
| 10 years | $53,580 |
| 15 years | $81,000 |
| 20 years | $108,000 |
| 25 years | $135,000 |
Cash balance plan
- After 10 years
- $201,394
- Portable when you leave, once vested
- After 20 years
- $514,222
- Take as lump sum or annuity
| Year | Projected balance |
|---|---|
| 5 years | $86,068 |
| 10 years | $201,394 |
| 15 years | $342,520 |
| 20 years | $514,222 |
Pay credits use pay up to the $360,000 compensation limit.
Educational estimate with a generic formula. Your plan’s Summary Plan Description governs benefit formulas, early-retirement reductions, survivor options and lump-sum rates.