Q. I have a question about going part time in the federal system, FERS, post-1986. I was hired in October 1995. If I went part time until I retired at age 60, say 4 days a week, how will that affect my retirement calculation, and will I lose anything in the FERS calculation for going part time at the end of my career besides the less time used in the calculation? Will they still use my full salary for the calculation?
A. You’d get full credit for the years and high-3; then your annuity will be reduced in proportion to the amount of time you worked part-time.
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I have the same question but the answer here doesn’t completely clarify. For example, if one worked 30y but the last year was half-time, would the ‘part-time scale factor’ be (29 + 0.5)/30 = 0.9833? That would mean that if one’s 30y full-time annuity was $30k, the reduced annuity, due to the half-time year, would be $29,500. Is that correct?
To find out how the reduction works, go to http://www.opm.gov/retirement-services/publications-forms/csrsfers-handbook/c055.pdf and scroll to Part 55B2, which applies to both CSRS and FERS employees.