Chicago City Wire

Former firefighter Paul O'Donnell, who retired in November 2018, saved $130,901 toward a pension over 35 years working for fire departments, Firemen's Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago records show.

Over 30 years of retirement, O'Donnell would collect as much as $3.78 million, according to a projection by Local Government Information Services (LGIS), which publishes Chicago City Wire.

The projection assumes O'Donnell received $79,379 in the first year of retirement, then 3 percent annual increases thereafter, compounded.

After 2 years of retirement, O'Donnell will have already received $161,139 in retirement benefits, or more than the sum total of the retiree's contributions to the state pension fund.