Q. I’m a 67-year-old distribution/sales and service clerk. I will have 13 years of service by November. Does this mean I can’t take the retirement incentive? And exactly what do they mean when they say “resign”? Would I be losing any benefits if I resign instead of retire?
A. Resigning would make no sense. Any 62-year-old employee with at least five years of service can retire on an immediate annuity. Therefore, if you were to accept a buyout, you could retire at the same time. If you had been enrolled in the Federal Employees Health Benefits plan and Federal Employees Group Life Insurance programs for five consecutive years before you retire (or at least before the buyout was offered), you could carry that coverage into retirement.
