Q. Will buying back military time also increase my FERS supplement?
A. No it won’t. The special retirement supplement is paid out of the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund and is based solely on an employee’s actual years of FERS service.
7 Comments
The bigger question is why does it not? What is the legal rationale? If the member bought back the military time how does that not cover an employees portion of the retirement supplement? Could you please explain. Thanks,
The answer is simple. The special retirement supplement is paid out of the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund, not the Social Security Fund. Therefore, it can only cover the portion of the annuity that is based on actual FERS service.
So you are stating that the 3 percent service time buy back and forwarded wavied military retirement checks going to OPM does not go to these funds?
My answer should have been more complete. While your deposit would go into the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund, by law only actual FERS service can be used when determining the amount of the special retirement supplement.
Thanks for the reply, do you know what law (Chapter, section, etc.) that is so I can address getting it changed? It does not make sense for military service that is part of your retirement and purchased to be excluded in the computation.
I’ve already provided you with the law and chapter: Public Law 111-84 and 5 U.S.C. 8422.
Thanks for your simple answer, so for clarification, you are stating that the military service time buyback and waivered military retirement checks sent to OPM do not go into these funds? Thanks,