Q. I was promoted to GS-11 this year. I have the time required for retirement. How long do I need to serve in this current grade (GS-11) before I can retire with this grade?
A. There isn’t any time limit. You can retire whenever you feel like it. However, if you are asking how long you’d have to stay at that grade to maximize your annuity, the answer is simple: three years. That’s because your annuity will be based in your highest three consecutive years of basic pay.
