Q. I am a FERS employee with 31 years of creditable service but will not reach my minimum retirement age (56) until May 2013. I am faced with possible termination but plan to resign. I understand that deferred retirees are not eligible for supplemental annuity, nor are they eligible to enroll in life insurance and health benefits. What if I am terminated rather than resigning? Will I be eligible for immediate annuity plus supplement and eligible to enroll in health benefits? Or I will only be eligible for deferred retirement in 2013 after reaching my MRA?
A. It won’t make any difference to your benefits if you resign or are terminated. In neither case would you be eligible to retire. In either case, because you have at least 20 years of service, you’d be eligible for deferred retirement at age 60. Deferred retirees aren’t eligible to receive the special retirement supplement, nor may they re-enroll in the Federal Employees Health Benefits or the Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance programs.
