More service
+1/60 of AFC
$1,000 a year on a $60,000 AFC, $909 after full Social Security age.
NHRS pages 'Service Retirement: Group I Tier A & B' and 'Group I Tier C'; Group I Summaries (Rev. 10/2024), PDF p. 1, Service Retirement; RSA 100-A:5, I(b)A smaller cut
Up to 6 2/3%
a year in Tiers A and B (3% in Tier C), until 60 or 65.
NHRS page 'Early Service Retirement: Group I Tier A & B', table; Group I Summaries, Tiers A and B (Rev. 10/2024), PDF p. 1, Early Retirement; RSA 100-A:5, I(c)Your AFC can also go up if your last year is one of your highest. We keep it the same in these examples, so raises would add more. The examples are our engine on NHRS's rules, not NHRS's figures.
Tier A
Tier A, 29 years at 56 on a $60,000 AFC. At 30 years the rate drops from 4% to 3% a year for every month left before 60.
| Retire | Cut | Monthly | Gain |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 1, 202629 years | 16% | $2,030$1,845 later | — |
| July 1, 202730 years | 9% | $2,275$2,068 later | +$245 |
| July 1, 202831 years | 6% | $2,428$2,208 later | +$398 |
| July 1, 202932 years | 3% | $2,587$2,352 later | +$557 |
Tier C
Tier C, 30 years at 62 on a $60,000 AFC. Each year removes 3% of the cut, until none at 65.
| Retire | Cut | Monthly | Gain |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 1, 204130 years | 9% | $2,275$2,068 later | — |
| July 1, 204231 years | 6% | $2,428$2,208 later | +$153 |
| July 1, 204332 years | 3% | $2,587$2,352 later | +$312 |
| July 1, 204433 years | none | $2,750$2,500 later | +$475 |
What drives the gain
- The formula. Each year of Creditable Service adds 1/60 of AFC. After full Social Security age it's worth 1/66. NHRS pages 'Service Retirement: Group I Tier A & B' and 'Group I Tier C'; Group I Summaries (Rev. 10/2024), PDF p. 1, Service Retirement; RSA 100-A:5, I(b)
- The early cut. Tier A and B cuts are counted to 60; Tier C to 65. Each month you wait removes one month of the cut. NHRS page 'Early Service Retirement: Group I Tier A & B', table; Group I Summaries, Tiers A and B (Rev. 10/2024), PDF p. 1, Early Retirement; RSA 100-A:5, I(c)
- The service bands. In Tiers A and B, reaching 20, 25, 30 or 35 years lowers the rate for every remaining month. NHRS page 'Early Service Retirement: Group I Tier A & B', table; Group I Summaries, Tiers A and B (Rev. 10/2024), PDF p. 1, Early Retirement; RSA 100-A:5, I(c)
To find the earliest and full-benefit dates the engine adds one year of service per year worked (unless the member has left).
One year of service per year worked.
What would settle it: Not a rule; a modelling choice.
- Each extra year adds 1/60 of AFC a year to your pension (1/66 after full Social Security age). Before 60 (Tiers A, B) or 65 (Tier C) it also shrinks the early reduction; for Tiers A and B, reaching 20, 25, 30 or 35 years lowers the reduction rate.RSA 100-A:5, I(b)-(c); NHRS page 'Early Service Retirement: Group I Tier A & B'
Run your own numbers in the calculator, or read the early-retirement table and the formula. Thinking of working part-time after? See working after retirement.
Questions
How much does one more year add to an NHRS pension?
One year of service adds 1/60 of your AFC a year ($1,000 a year on a $60,000 AFC) before full Social Security age, and 1/66 ($909) after. Before 60 (Tiers A, B) or 65 (Tier C) it also shrinks the early-retirement cut.
Does reaching 30 years matter in NHRS?
In Tiers A and B it lowers the early-retirement rate: 35 or more years 1.5%, 30 to 34 years 3%, 25 to 29 years 4%, 20 to 24 years 5%, Under 20 years 6 2/3% a year before 60. In Tier C, 30 years is the minimum to retire before 65 at all.
Source: NHRS Group I (Employee and Teacher) Member Benefits summaries, Tiers A, B and C, Rev. 10/2024, PDF p. 1. Also: NHRS member web pages (saved Nov. 12, 2026); RSA 100-A:1, 100-A:5. Last reviewed .