FERS Retirement Help in Philadelphia, PA
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By the OnPAR Federal Retirement Education editorial team · Last updated
Pennsylvania generally doesn't tax retirement pay once you've met your plan's retirement conditions, so where you live in the Delaware Valley matters. We help Philly-area feds by phone or video and have no local office.
Federal employers in the area
OPM's August 2026 workforce data shows 19,299 federal civilians on duty in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington metro[19]. That count leaves out employees whose metro OPM does not publish, mainly security agencies such as most of DoD[20], so the real number is higher. The largest are the Veterans Health Administration (6,466), the IRS (3,787), the Social Security Administration (1,619) and the Veterans Benefits Administration (1,066)[19].
Who to call about your benefits
Start with your agency's HR or benefits office. Navy civilians, for example, use the Navy Civilian Benefits Center at 1-888-320-2917[2]. Once retired, call OPM at 1-888-767-6738[3]. For Social Security questions, find your nearest SSA office with SSA's official locator[21]; we don't list addresses here because offices move.
State tax on your FERS annuity
- Pennsylvania: A normal distribution from an eligible retirement plan is not taxable in PA if you retired after meeting the plan's age or service requirements[30]. Eligible plans include qualified 401(a) pension plans[31]. If you're not sure your plan qualifies, PA says to ask the plan administrator[30].
- New Jersey: The pension exclusion applies at 62 or older with total income of $150,000 or less[29].
Cost of living
BEA puts the 2024 price level for the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington metro at 102.6, where 100 is the U.S. average[1].
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Sources
- BEA: Regional Price Parities by State and Metro Area (2024 data, released Feb 19, 2026)
- DoD DCPAS: Benefits Service Centers (official DoD civilian benefits contacts)
- OPM: Retirement Services contact
- OPM Federal Workforce Data: Federal Employment raw data, August 2026 (EHRI Status, published Oct 4, 2026)
- OPM Data Release Policy (security-agency duty stations outside DC are not published by metro)
- SSA: Social Security Office Locator
- NJ Division of Taxation: Retirement Income Exclusions
- PA Department of Revenue: Is my 1099-R taxable in PA?
- PA Department of Revenue: PIT Guide, Gross Compensation (eligible retirement plans)