Q. I was a tenured foreign service officer. I have nine years of creditable service. I voluntarily left the Foreign Commercial Service after multiple posts. I left in August 2010 with excellent reviews and under great conditions and awards. I was 54 when I left the service to join a private company. I am now 58.
I would like to apply for retirement benefits to qualify for Federal Employees Health Benefits for myself and to gain any other benefits from the pension. Can you help me to understand what I may be eligible for and when I could apply?
A. You can apply for a deferred annuity at age 62 using a RI 92-19 form available at www.opm.gov/forms. That’s all you’ll be entitled to. You won’t be able to re-enroll in the Federal Employees Health Benefits or Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance programs.
