🔤 Glossary
The jargon of government money, in plain language. Terms appear as hover cards across the site's calculators too.
AIME
Average Indexed Monthly Earnings — your wage history in one monthly number.
Annuity (FERS)
The monthly pension paid by the federal retirement system.
BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing)
The tax-free military housing allowance for members without government quarters.
BBCE (Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility)
A state option that relaxes SNAP's asset and gross-income limits.
Bend points
The AIME dollar thresholds where the Social Security formula changes slope.
Bilateral factor
An extra 10% (of the combined value) for paired left/right limb disabilities.
COLA
The annual cost-of-living adjustment applied to benefits.
Combined rating (VA math)
How multiple VA disability percentages merge — not by adding.
Effective date (VA claims)
The date a VA benefit legally begins — and what back pay reaches back to.
Elective deferral limit
The IRS cap on your own TSP/401(k) contributions each year.
FPL (Federal Poverty Level)
The HHS income guidelines that benefit programs key off.
High-3 average salary
Your highest-paid 36 consecutive months of federal basic pay.
Locality pay
The geographic percentage added to GS base salaries.
MHA (Military Housing Area)
The geographic zone that sets your BAH rate.
MRA (Minimum Retirement Age)
The earliest age a FERS employee can retire, set by birth year (55–57).
PIA (Primary Insurance Amount)
Your base Social Security benefit before adjustments.
SRS (FERS Annuity Supplement)
The bridge payment for FERS retirees under 62, approximating Social Security.
Wage base (taxable maximum)
The most earnings subject to Social Security tax in a year.