Q. If I have worked 6½ years civil service in FERS and I buy back my military time (four years), will I be eligible for the MRA+10 retirement at age 57 if I leave federal work now? Also, if I work 10 years in civil service and bought back my military time, would I get 14 percent (10 + 4) of my high-3 average or just the 10 percent?
A. If you make a deposit for your active-duty service, you could retire under the MRA+10 provision. Your annuity would be computed using the standard formula: 0.01 x your high-3 x your combined years of actual and bought-back active-duty military service. So, if you retired with 10.5 years of service, your annuity would be 10.5 percent of your high-3; if 14 years of service, 14 percent. Just be aware that if you retire under the MRA+10 provision, your annuity will be reduced by 5 percent for every MRA+year you are under age 62. Further, you won’t be eligible for the special retirement supplement, which approximates the Social Security benefit you earned while a FERS employee.
