LEOFF 2 Pension Scenario Modeling — Understanding Your Real Options

The DRS estimator tells you what your baseline pension will be. It cannot show you what your retirement actually looks like across different scenarios — survivor option vs. pension maximization, COLA compounding, or private protection. This page walks through the four scenarios every LEOFF 2 member approaching retirement should understand.

The Four Scenarios

Scenario 1 — Both You and Your Spouse Live Long Lives

Survivor option result: Reduced income and smaller COLA for decades. Every year you both live, the permanent reduction compounds.

Pension Shield result: Maximum income and full COLA while alive. Protection remains in place. Cash value grows tax-deferred with tax-free access.

Scenario 2 — You Die Before Your Spouse

Survivor option result: Your spouse receives a reduced, taxable monthly check with no flexibility.

Pension Shield result: Your spouse receives a tax-free benefit and can choose a lump sum, lifetime income, or a combination — on their terms.

Scenario 3 — Your Spouse Dies Before You

Survivor option result: You remain locked into the reduced benefit for the rest of your life. The pension fund keeps the difference.

Pension Shield result: You keep the full pension. You can reduce, repurpose, or surrender the coverage. You are not stuck.

Scenario 4 — You Both Die Early

Survivor option result: Payments stop. Your heirs receive nothing from the pension.

Pension Shield result: Your heirs inherit the tax-free death benefit. Your decades of service leave a legacy.

The Numbers Behind the Decision

These are illustrative figures. Your actual numbers depend on your pension, age, health, and specific plan design. A personalized analysis is required.

What a Personalized Analysis Includes

  • Your maximum LEOFF 2 benefit vs. survivor option reduction percentages
  • Side-by-side 25-year income comparison across all four scenarios
  • Insurance qualification assessment (preliminary, no commitment required)
  • COLA impact modeling over 20 and 30 year time horizons
  • Tax bucket analysis (taxable pension vs. tax-free Shield benefit)

This analysis is complimentary for LEOFF 2 members. No obligation. Complete the form to request yours.

Simple Self-Assessment — Is the Pension Shield Right for You?

Answer these five questions:

  1. Are you in good health with no major uninsured medical conditions? (Yes / No)
  1. Does your pension include a COLA adjustment? (Yes / No)
  1. Are you within 10 years of your planned retirement date? (Yes / No)
  1. Do you want your family to inherit something if you and your spouse both pass away? (Yes / No)
  1. Would higher monthly income during retirement matter to your family's quality of life? (Yes / No)

If you answered Yes to 3 or more of these questions, a Pension Shield analysis is worth running. Request yours below.

Request My Free LEOFF 2 Pension Analysis →

This content is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice and should not be relied upon as such. No advisor-client relationship is created by accessing this content. Consult a qualified financial advisor before making any pension decisions.