Q. I am a federal law enforcement employee, hired as a GS-1811 criminal investigator six years ago. I am 54 years old. The position was not under the SRC. However, CPAC has determined that it should have been. The agency has been directed to move 1811s to the SRC.
I have bought back 10 years of military service and understand I will be required to “buy in” to the SRC (extra 0.5 percent base salary x six years). I understand the SRC requires mandatory retirement at age 57 or as soon thereafter as I have 20 years “qualifying” service. From what I have read, it appears that only the six years I have served in the 1811 law enforcement position count as qualifying service. If that is the case, what benefit is the 10 years military service I have bought back already? My plan under FERS was to retire at age 62 with 24 years service. What impact will this change have, and what will my retirement options be if my agency moves me to the SRC?
A. Your understanding is correct. You would need to have 20 years of service in a covered position to retire under the special provision for law enforcement officers. Your active-duty service for which you made a deposit cannot be used to meet that requirement. However, that time will be added to your total service and calculated under the standard, rather than the enhanced, annuity formula.
Alternatively, you could retire on an unreduced annuity at age 60 with at least 20 years of service (served and bought back). However, all that service would be calculated using the standard annuity formula.
