Chicago City Wire

Former firefighter Aaron Dear, who retired in November 2018, saved $173,911 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, Dear would collect as much as $3.42 million, according to a projection by Local Government Information Services (LGIS), which publishes Chicago City Wire.

The projection assumes Dear received $71,791 in the first year of retirement, then 3 percent annual increases thereafter, compounded.

After 3 years of retirement, Dear will have already received $221,899 in retirement benefits, or more than the sum total of the retiree's contributions to the state pension fund.