Pre-Retirement

At your request, your employer should provide you with any of the following estimates that apply to your circumstances. However, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management determines the actual amount of the benefit that is payable based on the laws and regulations and on the certified record of your employment.

• If you receive military retired pay, an estimate of your benefit with and without credit for military service.
• If you are considering deposit for military service after 1956, an estimate of your benefit with and without credit for the military service you performed after December 31, 1956.
• If you are considering a deposit, under the Civil Service Retirement System, for federal employment before October 1, 1982, estimates of the amount of the deposit and the amount of your benefit with and without the reduction for the deposit.

Deposit service ending before October 1, 1982 and covered by the CSRS.

• If you are considering a deposit, under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS), for federal employment on/after October 1, 1982, estimates of the amount of the deposit and the amount of your benefit with and without credit for the employment period.

  Deposit service ending after October 1, 1982 and covered by the CSRS.

• If you are considering repaying, under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS), a refund of retirement contributions for employment ending before October 1990, an estimate of the amount of the redeposit and your benefit with and without the actuarial reduction taken if the redeposit is not paid.

  Redeposit service ending before October 1, 1990 and covered by CSRS.

• If you are considering repaying, under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS), a refund of retirement contributions for employment ending after October 1990, an estimate of the amount of the redeposit and your benefit with and without credit for the employment period covered by the refund.

  Redeposit service ending on/after October 1, 1990 and covered by CSRS.

• If you are considering a deposit, under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), for federal employment before 1989, estimates of the amount of the deposit and the amount of your benefit with and without credit for the employment period.

  Deposit service ending before January 1, 1989 and covered by FERS.

• If you are considering providing less than the maximum annuity payable after your death to a husband, wife, or ex-spouse, estimates of the amount of the survivor's annuity and the amount of your annuity with and without the reduction for full survivor's benefit.

  View information on family benefits.

• If you are considering providing a survivor annuity to someone who has a financial interest in your continued life, an estimate of your benefit with and without the reduction for this election.

  View information on family benefits.

• If you have made voluntary contributions and can elect to purchase additional annuity with those contributions, benefit estimates with and without credit for the voluntary contributions.

  View information about voluntary contributions.

• If you can elect to receive the alternative form of annuity, an estimate of your benefit with and without the lump sum payment of retirement contributions.

  View information about the alternative form of annuity.

• For employees, under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), who can elect to receive an annuity supplement, an estimate of the monthly amount payable to age 62.

Voluntary contributions are payments made to the retirement fund in addition to the retirement deductions that are withheld from your pay. You can make these voluntary contributions only if you are covered by the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and do not owe a deposit for a period when deductions were not withheld from your pay or if you received a refund of retirement deductions.

To make voluntary contributions, you should submit a Standard Form (SF) 2804 to your employer. You can make voluntary contributions in multiples of $25. Total contributions cannot exceed 10 percent of your lifetime earnings. You can purchase additional annuity of $7 per year for each $100 of voluntary contributions, plus 20 cents for each full year you are over age 55 when you retire. If you elect to take a reduction in the additional annuity, you can also purchase additional annuity for a survivor who may receive a benefit after your death. Voluntary contributions do not receive cost-of-living allowance increases.

Interest is paid on voluntary contributions at the rate of three percent annually until December 31, 1984. After that date, a variable interest rate is compounded annually on December 31st until service ends or a refund is paid.

Your benefit will be computed in the same manner as if it were not subject to offset. However, it will be reduced when you become eligible for Social Security benefits. The offset applies when the basic requirements for Social Security are met, generally at age 62, even if you do not apply for those benefits. If you are not eligible for Social Security benefits at age 62, there is no offset unless you become eligible later.

At retirement, each $100 in your voluntary contributions account (including interest earned) will provide an additional annuity of $7 a year, plus 20 cents for each full year you are over age 55 at the time you retire. You may also choose to share the additional annuity by electing a survivor annuity. However, your additional annuity would then be reduced by 10 to 40 percent depending on the difference between your age and the age of the person designated to receive the survivor annuity.

You also have the option to withdraw all voluntary contributions with interest at any time before receiving an annuity. In this case you have two options:

• If the amount of the voluntary contributions, plus interest, is more than $200, you can roll the funds into an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) or other qualified retirement plan to defer income tax.
• You may withdraw the money and pay a 20% tax on the contributions and interest.

If you want to withdraw your voluntary contributions, you should submit a Form RI 38-124 to OPM. You should submit your request at least 60 days before your expected retirement.

Check with your local personnel service center to verify that you have enough service and meet the age requirements for retirement eligibility. They can provide personalized assistance because they have your employment records.

Your local personnel service center will also talk with you about the date your annuity payments can start based on the date you pick.

An MRA+10 retirement allows you to retire with retirement benefits beginning immediately after you have completed at least ten years of service and have reached your Minimum Retirement Age, which depends on the year you were born and ranges from age 55 to 57. To identify your Minimum Retirement Age, see the FERS Minimum Retirement Age chart below:

If you were born

Your MRA is

Before 1948

55

In 1948

55 and 2 months

In 1949

55 and 4 months

In 1950

55 and 6 months

In 1951

55 and 8 months

In 1952

55 and 10 months

In 1953-1964

56

In 1965

56 and 2 months

In 1966

56 and 4 months

In 1967

56 and 6 months

In 1968

56 and 8 months

In 1969

56 and 10 months

In 1970 and after

57

Keep in mind that if you retire under FERS MRA+10 retirement provisions, your annuity will be reduced for each month you are under age 62. The reduction equals five percent per year (or 5/12 of one percent per month).

• The benefit is not reduced if it begins after your 60th birthday and you have at least 20 years of service or you reach the Minimum Retirement Age and have 30 years of service. Delay of the benefit can be used to avoid all or part of the reduction for retirement before age 62 that would otherwise have been applied.
• Your life insurance enrollment will stop until the annuity begins. Once the annuity begins, the life insurance coverage you had when you stopped working will resume if you are eligible.
• Your health benefits can be temporarily continued under the Temporary Continuation of Coverage for 18 months. You must pay the full cost of coverage, including both the employee and government shares, plus a two percent administrative charge. Your employer will collect the premiums and maintain this coverage.
• When your payments begin, if you are otherwise eligible to continue coverage, you can again enroll in the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program and we will pay the government share of the premiums.
• If you do not file an application before your death, the rights of your surviving family members would be protected because you would be considered a retiree.

That depends on when you worked and whether you are covered by the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) or the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS).

Make a selection from the list of circumstances below which best describes your situation and ask your local personnel service center for assistance because they have your employment records.

• Redeposit service and covered by FERS.
• Redeposit service ending before October 1, 1990 and covered by CSRS.
• Redeposit service ending on/after October 1, 1990 and covered by CSRS.

Yes, you will be paid for any unused annual leave at retirement by your former employing agency.

That depends on when you worked and whether you are covered by the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) or the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS).

Make a selection from the list of circumstances below which best describes your situation and ask your local personnel service center for assistance because they have your employment records.

• Deposit service ending before October 1, 1982 and covered by the CSRS.
• Deposit service ending on/after October 1, 1982 and covered by the CSRS.
• Deposit service ending before January 1, 1989 and covered by FERS.
• Deposit service ending on/after January 1, 1989 and covered by FERS.