Q. I’m a FERS employee. Can I retire at age 53 with 25 years of service? A. No you can’t, unless your agency offers you that opportunity because it is undergoing substantial restructuring, reshaping, downsizing, a transfer of function, or reorganization. If they aren’t, you can always resign and apply for an unreduced annuity when you reach age 60. Or you could retire under the MRA+10 provision when you reach your minimum retirement age, which would be 56 and 4 months. However, in that case your annuity would be reduced by 5 percent per year (5/12ths of 1 percent per…
Browsing: Minimum retirement age
Q. I’m 56 years old, which is my MRA, as I’ve been a federal employee for 28 years and 7 months. If I’m offered an early out and retire, will I be entitled to the special retirement supplement? A. Yes, because you’ve already reached your MRA and have at least 25 years of service.
Q. How many years of continuous FERS service do I need with the federal government to be eligible for a retirement benefit? A. It depends on your age. As a FERS employee, you can retire at your minimum retirement age with 30 years of service, 60 with 20 or 62 with 5. (MRAs range from 55 to 57, depending on your birth year.) You can also retire at your MRA with as few as 10 years of service; however, your annuity would be reduced by 5 percent for every year (5/12ths of 1 percent per month) that you were under…
Q. I was born in 1967. I’m covered by FERS and want to retire at the age of 55 when I’ll have 34 years of federal service. Will I take a huge hit in my annuity? A. Because you were born in 1967, your minimum retirement age is 56 years and 6 months. Although you wouldn’t be eligible to retire, you could resign and apply for a deferred annuity when you reach your MRA. However, if you did that, you wouldn’t be eligible to receive the special retirement supplement nor would you be able to re-enroll in either the FEHB or…
Q. I was born in 1967. I’m covered by FERS and want to retire at the age of 55 when I’ll have 34 years of federal service. Will I take a huge hit in my annuity? A. Because you were born in 1967, your minimum retirement age is 56 years and 6 months. Although you wouldn’t be eligible to retire, you could resign and apply for a deferred annuity when you reach your MRA. However, if you did that, you wouldn’t be eligible to receive the special retirement supplement, nor would you be able to re-enroll in either the FEHB…
Q. I’m a FERS employee and plan to retire at minimum retirement age, which is 56. However, I’ll have fewer than 30 years of service. Is the 5 percent per year penalty based on each year short of 30 years, or is it based on each year short of age 62? A. The MRA+10 provision allows FERS employees to retire at their minimum retirement age with fewer than 30 years of service. If you retire under that provision, your annuity will be reduced by 5 percent for every year (or 5/12 of 1 percent per month) that you are under…
Q. I’m a firefighter under the special retirement plan. I’m at 20 years of civilian service but 44 years old. I meet the minimum service time, but not the age. Can I leave the civil service now? If I do, when would I receive my annuity? A. If you leave before being eligible to retire on an immediate annuity, you could apply for a deferred annuity when you reach your minimum retirement age, which is 57. That annuity would be based on your high-3 as a firefighter on the day you left. Note: You wouldn’t be able to reenroll in…
Q. I am 46 and have 25½ years of service. If I accept an offer of an early retirement, do I have to wait until I reach my minimum retirement age to start receiving my annuity? Also, will my payment for unused annual leave hours be included in my last paycheck? A. Anyone who has at least 25 years of service can retire at any age if offered an early retirement opportunity. However, you wouldn’t receive the special retirement supplement until you reach your minimum retirement age. (MRAs range between 55 and 57, depending on your year of birth.) You’ll…
Q. I have 23 years FERS service and am age 47. If I am involuntarily separated, will I be penalized 5 percent a year for each year I am under 56 (my minimum retirement age)? Would my annuity commence on the day of involuntary separation? And would I be entitled to continue my FEHB coverage? A. Based on your age and service, you wouldn’t be eligible to retire. So, unless you later returned to government service, your only option would be to apply for a deferred annuity at age 60. As for health benefits, on the day you separated from…
Q. I’m a FERS employee who will be retiring soon. Will I be entitled to the special retirement supplement? A. The special retirement supplement is payable immediately to those who retire at age 60 with 20 years of service or at their minimum retirement age with 30. If you retire under an early retirement authority, it’s payable at your MRA. No paperwork is needed to receive the SRS. Three things to keep in mind: 1) The SRS is never payable to those who retire under the MRA+10 provision or who leave government and apply for a deferred annuity. 2) The…