Dupage Policy Journal

Former state school employee Maria Gabas, who retired in July 2016, saved $34,419 toward a pension over 7 years working for public schools, Teachers' Retirement System of the State of Illinois records show.

Over 30 years of retirement, Gabas would collect as much as $614,333, according to a projection by Local Government Information Services (LGIS), which publishes DuPage Policy Journal.

The projection assumes Gabas received $12,912 in the first year of retirement, then 3 percent annual increases thereafter, compounded.

After 3 years of retirement, Gabas will have already received $39,909 in retirement benefits, or more than the sum total of the retiree's contributions to the teachers' pension fund.