Q: If one retires under FERS MRA+10, but postpones (not “defers”) taking the annuity, is half of the sick leave now creditable to time in service? I have determined that it is creditable for immediate annuities, but not for deferred annuities. I can find nothing pertaining to postponed annuities. Example: I plan to retire at age 59 with more than 28 years of service. I plan to postpone my annuity until I am 60 (November 2012) to avoid the age penalty. Will half of my sick leave be used to compute my service time?
A: If you retire under on immediate annuity – including under the MRA+10 provision – you’ll get credit for your unused sick leave, even if you postpone the receipt of that annuity to a later date. How much credit you’ll get will depend on when you retire. If you leave government and later apply for a deferred annuity, you won’t get any credit for your unused sick leave.
