Q. I am 37 and have seven years of FERS service in a non-law enforcement officer position. I am considering changing to a federal law enforcement 1811 position. This will mean I will have 20 years of law enforcement service at 57. Can I choose to retire at 50 (minimum law enforcement officer retirement age)? I will then have 20 years of FERS service, seven as non- law enforcement and 13 as law enforcement. Or will my minimum retirement age be 57, the age I will be when I have 20 years’ strictly law enforcement service? If the latter is the case, do my seven non- law enforcement service years count for anything toward retirement?
A. You would have to have 20 years of law enforcement-covered service to retire at age 50. Since you don’t, you’ll have to wait until you do. When you finally retire, your non-law enforcement service will be computed using the standard formula, not the enhanced one used for those 20 years of covered service.
