Q. I am in the Air National Guard as a WG-10 (accepted) technician who bought back three years of active military time. I am 49 years old with 22 years as a technician, including the three years I bought back. I would like to get a different job in the private sector. My minimum retirement age is 56. What would the penalties be if I retired now? Could I receive any retirement now and start collecting right away? What if I wait, and start working a private-sector job until my MRA then start collecting? Would there be any penalties if I do not touch my FERS until my MRA versus collecting now?
A. You don’t have the right combination of age and service to retire. If you are determined to leave, you can resign from the government and apply for a deferred annuity at age 60.
