Q. I am looking to retire by mid-December when I have reached my minimum retirement age and have 27 years FERS service (first week of November). I have paid the deposit for my three years military time. I thought that would enable me to retire on an immediate annuity (MRA with 30 years) and also qualify for the special retirement supplement. I am concerned by your response from Oct. 12, which indicated that the special retirement supplement is based solely on actual FERS service and does not include active-duty service for which a deposit has been made. Am I missing something about the immediate annuity retirement which I thought would include my three years of military time? Can you clarify this for me? I’m not so sure I want to retire if I really cannot get the special retirement annuity.
A. While you can retire at your MRA and receive an immediate annuity based on your total years of service (actual and active-duty military, for which you’ve made a deposit), the special retirement supplement will be based solely on your years of actual service. Money to pay for the SRS comes from the Civil Service Retirement and Disability fund. Only when you reach age 62 and the SRS ends will you begin receiving a Social Security benefit based on all your Social Security-covered employment.
