Q. I am a FERS employee with 30-plus years of federal service looking to retire as soon as possible after turning 62. I will turn 62 on Jan. 28, 2015. What date is best to retire shortly after my 62nd birthday — the end of the pay period that includes Jan. 28 or some other day?
A. There is no best date to retire. There are only a few tips that, once you consider them, can lead you to the date that seems best for you. First, because you are a FERS employee, you’ll want to retire as close to the end of the month as possible. That way, the distance between when you retire and when you are placed on the annuity roll will be minimized. Second, retire at the end of a pay period so you can get credit for any annual and sick leave you earned during that pay period.
Third, if you have excess annual leave that will be lost if you retire after the new leave year begins, retire before that.
