Senate Pension Plans

What do  Senators get paid once they retire

Working in Congress may seem like a breeze compared to the drama-filled world of Hollywood movies or shows or even bad press. Filibusters and government shutdowns dominate the headlines, but in reality, the House of Representatives and Senate only worked 174 out of 261 days in 2023. Despite receiving hefty salaries, representatives don't get to cash in on their full pay after retirement. They do, however, receive some income post-retirement. Representatives typically earn an annual salary of $174,000, with leadership positions earning a bit more. They also receive allowances for staff, office, and travel expenses. While their salaries may seem high, they are on par with other professionals in the private sector.

Additionally, members of the House have yet to receive a raise since 2009. Retirement benefits for representatives are based on their plan, age, and length of service. To collect their full pensions, they must meet specific age and service requirements. Despite the generous retirement benefits, representatives still need to save for retirement like everyone else.

The question is are they worthy of their salary and better yet, any type of retirement pension for their service? After all the Founding Fathers only received $6.00 per year for travel expenses and salary for their service to the country. I for one don’t think the current representatives either in the House or the Senate deserve the pay they receive for not doing their job for the citizens of America.

Elizabeth Kilbride is a Writer and Editor with forty years of experience in writing with 12 of those years in the online content sphere. Graduating with an Associate of Arts from Pheonix University kin Business Management, then a degree in Mass Communication and Cyber Analysis from Phoenix University, then on to Walden University for her master’s in criminology with emphasis on Cybercrime and Identity Theft and is currently studying for her Ph.D. degree in Criminology, her work portfolio includes coverage of politics, current affairs, elections, history, and true crime. In her spare time, Elizabeth is also a gourmet cook, life coach, and avid artist, proficient in watercolor, acrylic, pen and ink, Gouache, and pastels. As a political operative having worked on over 300 campaigns during her career, Elizabeth has turned many life events into books and movie scripts while using history to weave interesting storylines. She also runs 6 blogs that range from art to life coaching, to food, to writing, and opinion or history pieces each week.