Q. I am a federal firefighter under FERS. When I reach age 57, I will have 20 years of service.
1. Can I resign from the Forest Service without drawing my retirement?
2. Can I then collect my firefighter retirement at age 62 or later?
3. Can I resign from the Forest Service and move to another government position?
A. 1. Yes, you can resign at any time.
2. If you were a special category employee who was age 57 and had 20 years of service, you’d be eligible for an immediate annuity. If you had 20 years of covered service and were at least age 50, you’d be eligible for an immediate annuity. If you weren’t age 50 but had 20 years of covered service, you’d be eligible for an annuity at your MRA. Finally, if you didn’t have 20 years of covered service when you left, regardless of your age, you would only be eligible for a standard annuity when you reached age 62.
3. You could move to another position if someone offered you a job. The retirement rules would be the same as the ones spelled out for Question 2.
