Q. I did nine years in the active-duty Navy. I did four years in the Navy Reserve, but the Reserve was nondeployable-only, stateside. I now have a federal job and am wondering if doing the post-56 is worth it. I am 44 years old. I got out of active duty as an E-5. The job I have now only pays $33,000 a year.
A. If you made a deposit for your active-duty service, you would be credited with nine more years of civilian service and at retirement your annuity would be 9 percent higher. Note: Reserve duty is never creditable, even with the payment of a deposit.