Q: I have heard that five years of service is required to be eligible to receive a FERS annuity. I am 61 years old and have been a GS employee for one year. I plan to buy back my four years and seven months of service in the Navy. My question is this: can I retire with an annuity after working two more years (total of three years of active GS service) and get an annuity based on my creditable service of seven years and seven months (military time plus active GS time)?
I read on a private website dedicated to federal retirement issues that I must work a minimum of five years as a GS employee before being eligible for an annuity. The military buyback time would not count for eligibility to retire but does count toward the annuity calculation. In other words, I would have to work five years as a GS to qualify for a FERS annuity and then my retirement calculation would be based on five years + four years, seven months ofmilitary time.
A: What you read on the private website is correct. You cannot retire until you reach age 62 and have a minimum of five years of civilian service. Any service for which you’ve made deposit will be added on and used in the computation of your annuity.
