Chicago City Wire

Former lieutenant Michael Clifford, who retired in December 2017, saved $189,774 toward a pension over 29 years working for fire departments, Firemen's Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago records show.

Over 30 years of retirement, Clifford would collect as much as $4.11 million, according to a projection by Local Government Information Services (LGIS), which publishes Chicago City Wire.

The projection assumes Clifford received $86,446 in the first year of retirement, then 3 percent annual increases thereafter, compounded.

After 3 years of retirement, Clifford will have already received $267,195 in retirement benefits, or more than the sum total of the retiree's contributions to the state pension fund.