How many years of service has Marjorie Taylor Greene accrued toward a House pension and what will qualify her for full benefits?

1. What counts toward “five years” — the timing that mattered

Greene was first sworn into the House on Jan. 3, 2021; by leaving on Jan. 5, 2026, she will have amassed about 1,829 days — five years and three days — which, under the statutory rules that govern congressional retirement, is just enough to vest her in a congressional pension under FERS because members must complete five full years of service to qualify ^{[1] [5]}.

2. What “vested” actually gets you: deferred annuity, not an immediate full pension

Meeting the five‑year service minimum makes a member “vested” for a deferred FERS annuity, meaning Greene will be eligible for a lifetime annuity beginning at age 62 rather than receiving an immediate full pension upon resignation at age 51 ^{[2] [6]}. Multiple outlets note she does not meet the age requirement now and so would either wait to collect at 62 or take a refund of her contributions — the latter cancels any future annuity rights ^{[2] [4]}.

3. How big is the payout likely to be — small compared with long‑serving members

News analyses applying the FERS formula to Greene’s five years estimate a modest annual benefit: roughly $8,700 per year (about $725–$727 per month) once she turns 62 ^{[1] [7] [3]}. Reporters and analysts explain that the formula uses the member’s “high‑3” average salary (in Greene’s case calculated at the standard congressional salary) multiplied by years of service and an accrual rate; five years yields a much smaller lifetime pension than decades of service would produce ^{[3] [8]}.

4. Other retirement components and unknowns reporters flag

Coverage repeatedly notes that a congressional pension is only part of a retired member’s financial picture; FERS members also have Social Security and the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), and returning to federal service later could change pension size ^{[8] [4]}. Some outlets emphasize that no public record shows any pension payments have been made to Greene yet, and that details like survivor elections can alter benefit amounts ^{[4] [9]}.

5. Why the resignation date drew scrutiny and competing interpretations

Several outlets highlight the political optics: critics argue Greene timed her resignation to clear the five‑year threshold by a few days and thus “locked in” a lifetime pension after relatively short service ^{[10] [3]}. Proponents or neutral explainers counter this is simply adherence to statutory vesting rules and that the benefit is small relative to long‑tenured members ^{[1] [7]}. Coverage from the National Taxpayers Union and others underscores the legal reality that the five‑year mark is the decisive metric ^[1].

6. Limits of the reporting and what is not publicly known

Available sources uniformly describe the five‑year rule, the deferred payout at 62, and estimated benefit figures, but they do not provide any primary government calculation or an official letter from Greene’s office confirming she will take the annuity rather than a refund — nor do they show any actual pension payments having been made ^{[4] [9]}. Reporting also contains slightly different monthly/yearly phrasing (some outlets report ~$8,700 per year; others repeat “$8,700 a month” likely in error), so readers should treat precise monthly figures in some stories cautiously and refer to official Office of Personnel Management or Congressional Administrative resources for final arithmetic ^{[7] [1] [3]}.

7. Bottom line for readers concerned about fairness or precedent

Factually: Greene will meet the five‑year vesting requirement and therefore qualifies for a deferred FERS annuity payable at age 62 unless she elects a refund of contributions ^{[2] [1]}. Contextually: the estimated payout is modest compared with multi‑decade members, and debates around the move reflect partisan optics as much as statutory design — critics frame it as gaming the system; explainers note it follows long‑standing rules that apply to all members ^{[10] [1]}.