Q. My wife will be 50 in three years and will have 30 years of federal service under FERS. Can she retire with no penalty and keep her federal health benefits.
A. No, she cannot retire on an immediate annuity. The earliest she could do that would be when she reaches her minimum retirement age, which in her case would be 56 years and 6 months. The only way she could retire earlier than her MRA would be if her agency offered her an opportunity under the Voluntary Early Retirement Authority and she was at least age 50.
