Q. I am a law enforcement officer, born 1967. My 6(c) service computation date is Nov. 1, 1989, and I plan to continue to work as a 6(c) until Dec. 31, 2014 (but not retire, simply change jobs/agency). I would like to continue working as a FERS regular employee until Dec. 31, 2020, when my youngest is out of college. If I change from 6(c) to regular FERS either now or at the end of 2014, do I mess up my ability to retire with the 6(c) computation of my 20 “good years,” or lose the ability to retire before minimum retirement age on an unreduced annuity, or give up the ability to avoid wage earnings testing against my special retirement supplement prior to my MRA?
A. If you leave before completing 20 years of covered service and move to a noncovered job, the age and service requirements to retire will be those for a regular FERS employee, and your annuity will be computed using the standard FERS formula. Because you will have already reached your MRA when you retire, your special retirement supplement will be subject to the annual Social Security earnings test.
