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Chicago City Wire

Wednesday, April 30, 2025

Former fire engineer Palenik paid in $141K to pension fund, could collect $3.51M in retirement

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Former fire engineer Joseph Palenik, who retired in August 2016, saved $140,993 toward a pension over 28 years working for fire departments, Firemen's Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago records show.

Over 30 years of retirement, Palenik would collect as much as $3.51 million, according to a projection by Local Government Information Services (LGIS), which publishes Chicago City Wire.

The projection assumes Palenik received $73,697 in the first year of retirement, then 3 percent annual increases thereafter, compounded.

After 2 years of retirement, Palenik will have already received $149,605 in retirement benefits, or more than the sum total of the retiree's contributions to the state pension fund.

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