Table of Contents
- Can I collect military retirement and civil service pay?
- Civil Service Retirement and the Federal Employee Retirement System
- Does military service count towards civil service retirement?
- Military Buy Back Rule for Federal Retirement
- Buying Back Your Military Service Backdates Your Service Computation Dates
- Can I get FERS and Military Retirement?
- National Guard or Reserve Retirement with FERS
- Should I buy back my military service?
- Reader Question About Buying Back Military Service Credits
Many military veterans are drawn to federal service in their post-military careers. This opportunity allows veterans to continue serving their country, apply the valuable skills they acquired in the military, and secure financial stability for themselves and their families.
However, transitioning into and retiring from the civil sector requires new rules and knowledge. To maximize your benefits, you should understand how your civil service pension coincides with your military retirement pay.
Can I collect military retirement and civil service pay?
Yes, military retirees are eligible to work in civil service positions and receive both their military retirement pay and a salary from their civil service job. Unlike some other retirement systems, there is no offset or reduction in military retirement pay when you start receiving civil service pay. You are entitled to full benefits from both sources.
The same rule applies to those who served in the Reserves or National Guard and receive retirement pay based on points. You can receive your military retirement pay and work in a civil service job, earning a separate salary.
The most obvious benefit of this path is that after a full military career, you can augment your retirement pay with civil service income.
Federal compensation packages are excellent, including regular basic pay raises, a pension plan, health benefits, dental and vision insurance, and life insurance. Some agencies even help pay for student loans and offer other incentives, such as alternative work schedules and options to work at home.
The complications arise when determining how you want to handle your civil service retirement.
Civil Service Retirement and the Federal Employee Retirement System
If you begin a civil service career today, you’ll likely contribute to the Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS). FERS is separate from your military retirement and offers excellent benefits, including a pension, Social Security, and the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP).
FERS replaced the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) for employees who began their federal service after December 31, 1983. CSRS was a contributory retirement system that previously provided retirement, disability, and survivor benefits for most U.S. federal civil service employees and their families. When the FERS program came online, CSRS employees were given the option to switch to FERS.
Does military service count towards civil service retirement?
Yes, active military service can count as credit towards your civil service retirement*, but you must adhere to specific steps and conditions to take full advantage of this opportunity.
The process of making your military service count towards civil service retirement involves a “buy back” or making a deposit into FERS for the time you served in the military. This payment credits your active duty military service years towards your civil service retirement, increasing your FERS pension. Buying military service credits is a good option for many, but not all, veterans and military retirees.
*Periods of inactive military service, including AT and IDT, are not eligible for military service credits in the FERS system.
Military Buy Back Rule for Federal Retirement
To initiate the buy back process, you must complete specific forms and provide documentation of your military service, such as your DD Form 214, to your civil service human resources department. They will calculate the cost of buying back your military time, which is generally a percentage of the base pay you received while in the military.
The exact percentage varies depending on the dates of your military service:
| Year of Military Service | Buy Back Deposit (% of military pay) |
| 1957 – 1998 | 3% |
| 1999 | 3.25% |
| 2000 | 3.4% |
| 2001 – present | 3% |
It’s important to note that there is a deadline for completing the buy back process to receive full credit without accruing interest. Typically, you have three years from the start of your civil service employment to make this payment. After this period, interest may accumulate, increasing the cost of buying back your military time. FERS employees must buy back military service credits before retiring from the FERS system.
Buying Back Your Military Service Backdates Your Service Computation Dates
In addition to increasing your FERS pension, your military service credits also backdate two important service computation dates:
- Service Computation Date for Leave (SCD Leave): helps you to accrue annual leave more quickly than if you were starting your career without any service credits
- Service Computation Date for Reduction in Force (SCD RIF): increases your seniority date if a Reduction in Force causes layoffs.
Annual Leave accrues at the following rates:
| Years of Service | Annual Leave Accrued |
| 0 to 3 years | 4 hours per pay period |
| 3 to 15 years | 6 hours per pay period |
| More than 15 years | 8 hours per pay period |
Buying back your military service can take you to a higher SCD Leave threshold or accelerate your timeline to the next level.
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Can I get FERS and Military Retirement?
You can’t use the same period of active military service for both military and federal retirement unless you qualify for one of the exceptions listed below. This is known as double-dipping.
In other words, if you opt for a buy back to count your military service toward your federal retirement, you can’t “double dip” by receiving a military pension from the government for that same duration of military service.
You have two options when it comes to civil service retirement as a military retiree:
- Forfeit your military retirement pay and buy into the federal retirement plan
- Don’t buy back military service and start fresh with federal service with no credit for time served in the military
Retaining your military retirement means you start from year zero as a federal employee and begin building creditable civilian service toward federal retirement while maintaining your military pension.
Exceptions for Reserve Component and Certain Medical Retirees
Most military retirees are subject to the double-dipping policy and must waive their military pension to count their service towards FERS. However, there are some exceptions to this rule.
Military retirees may be granted an exception if they were awarded the retirement pay:
- Due to a service-connected disability either incurred in combat with an enemy of the United States or caused by an instrumentality of war and incurred in the line of duty during a period of war, or
- Under the provisions of Chapter 1223, Title 10, U.S.C. for those retiring from a reserve component of the Armed Forces.
In other words, traditional Guard and Reserve retirees who typically receive retirement pay at age 60 are an exception and can use their active military service toward both a military and FERS retirement.
Detailed information regarding creditable military service for retirement purposes is in the Federal Employees Retirement System Transfer Handbook on the Office of Personnel Management’s website.
National Guard or Reserve Retirement with FERS
Reserve Component (RC) members are eligible for three types of military retirement that can impact how their military retirement works with a FERS retirement:
- Active-Duty Retirement: 20 years (or more) of active duty
- Reserve/Guard Retirement: 20 years (or more) of combined active duty and RC military service (pay can be collected at age 60)
- Military Medical Retirement: due to a service-connected disability either incurred in combat with an enemy of the United States or caused by an instrumentality of war and incurred in the line of duty during a period of war.
In the first scenario, Active Guard Reserve (AGR) retirees receiving an active duty pension can only buy back their military time if they waive their military retirement pay. This is rarely a good option.
The second and third scenarios allow the RC retiree to “double-dip” and buy back their active military service and have it count toward a military and FERS retirement. These are the two exceptions covered by federal law. This is a great deal in almost every situation.
Should I buy back my military service?
Buying military service credits allows veterans to increase their FERS pension and backdate their Service Computation Dates for Leave and Reduction in Force calculations.
But it’s not always the best solution.
Let’s look at some common situations veterans encounter when they join the civil service and FERS system to help you understand the impact of buying back your military service credits.
1. Non-retired military veterans: There is no downside to buying back military service credits for this group.
2. Active duty retiree: Active-duty retirees must forfeit their active-duty military pension to buy back their military service credits. This is rarely worth it. However, they can still file their DD Form-214 with their human resources department. They may be eligible to earn military service credits that will backdate their SCD Leave and SCD RIF dates if they had qualifying service in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized. This is a situation in which qualifying deployments can provide powerful benefits years later.
3. Reserve Component retiree: RC members should almost always buy back their military service credits. In many cases, Guard and Reserve members will still be serving in the RC when they join the civil service. In this case, you should immediately buy back your time to increase your FERS pension, begin accruing leave more quickly, and backdate your SCD RIF date.
4. Retirement due to a combat-related service-connected disability: These members should buy back their military service credits.
Note: It’s best to start the military service credit buy back as soon as you join the civil service. The Civil Service HR department may take some time to run the cost estimate, and you only have three years to buy back your military time without paying interest. Once three years have passed, you will pay interest on the remaining buy back amount.
You can pay for the service credits in a lump sum or through monthly payroll deductions.
Reader Question About Buying Back Military Service Credits
Let’s take a deeper look at how you can use your military service toward your civil service career with a real example from one of our readers.
The reader asks:
“I served 14 years of active duty and six years in the National Guard. I received my 20-year letter. I began working for the postal service and ‘bought back’ my 14 years of active duty towards my postal service retirement. For example, I have 12 years of actual time with the U.S. Postal Service but 26 years on the books due to the buy back option.
My question is, how does this affect my retirement through the National Guard when I reach age 60? Will I receive retirement pay for only my six years served in the National Guard or for the entire 20 years of military service?
I guess I am asking if it was ‘beneficial’ for me to buy back my military time. Do I lose the six years of National Guard time if I buy back my 14 years of active duty time? I am a little confused about what happens to the six years for National Guard time since the time spent in the Guard after the buy back would be less than 20 years.”
These are great questions on a very confusing issue.
Thankfully, I have great news for you! Your military service is eligible for dual credit because you qualify for a traditional National Guard retirement. You can’t use the same active military service to count toward both an active duty military pension (vesting immediately after 20+ years of active duty service) and a FERS pension.
However, your active military time can count toward both a Reserve Component pension and a FERS pension starting at age 60. You receive the credit for your entire 20 years of military service, and the 26 years you have in the books with the U.S. Postal Service.
Buying back your military service was a great financial move. Not only did you maintain your military pension and boost your FERS pension, but you also backdated your Service Computation Leave and RIF dates, helping you accrue annual leave more quickly and giving you more seniority in the event of a Reduction in Force Layoffs.
In this case, you get to have your cake and eat it too!
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Ricky L Lemons says
Can my spouse who is a 29 year CSRS civil service retiree receive any part of my Army military E7 retirement upon my death?
Ryan Guina says
Ricky, please read about the Survivor Benefit Plan, which provides a portion of a service member’s retirement pay to his or her survivors. Best wishes!
David kiser says
can you tell me how i can get my military retirement to count as federal retirement. I had to retire because of a injury. I did do 20 yrs but they made me retire cuz i couldnt do anything anymore
Dr. Lonny Wortham says
David,
Was it an active-duty retirement.
chris says
I just want to verify. I did 4 years AD and now in the national guard. I want to buy back my military time for my government job. Now if I buy back that 4 years, that 4 years will still be used towards my national guard retirement? So hypothetically if i never went on another deployment, I would have 16 years of how many points I made from drill and the 4 years of active duty, even though i did the buy back?
Justin Heil says
I will be drawing a Reserve retirement based on a mix of active duty and Reserve time. I bought back my active duty time towards FERS and will be applying for deferred retirement soon using Form R1 92-19. How do I fill out sections 4, 4a, 4b, and 4c? The questions are:
4. Are you receiving or have you ever applied for military retired or retainer pay (including disability retired pay)?
Yes, complete items 4a-4c.
No, go to section D.
4a. Was your military retired or retainer pay awarded for disability incurred in combat or caused by an instrumentality of war and incurred in the line of duty during a period of war?
Yes, if available, attach a copy of notice of award.
No.
4b. Was your military retired or retainer pay awarded for Reserve service under Chapter 1223, Title 10, U.S. Code?
Yes, if available, please attach a copy of notice of award.
No.
4c. Are you waiving your military retired pay in order to receive credit for FERS?
Yes, see instruction for information about how to request a waiver.
Yes, a copy of my waiver is attached.
No
I assume that I would answer
4. Yes
4a. No
4b. Yes
I don’t know the proper answer for 4c, since I don’t want to waive my military reserve retired pay, and do want to receive credit for FERS.
Thank You! Justin
Dip says
1. I am interested in the answer to this very question!!
2. Doug…thanks very much for you help to this community.
Doug Nordman says
You’re welcome, Dip, I’m glad it’s helping! I’m paying it forward.
Justin Heil says
Thanks Doug!
I have already applied for a Reserve Pension, and will apply for a deferred FERS pension. Both would start paying when I hit age 60 this summer.
Therefore, would I check as follows, and include my Reserve Retirement Authorization letter:
4. Yes
4a. No
4b. Yes
4c. No
or could I just check No for 4. and move on?
Thanks again!
Justin
Doug Nordman says
If you’ve already applied for your Reserve pension then, as you’ve written, you could answer “Yes” to questions 4 and 4b and “No” to 4a & 4c.
I’m not sure what HR or OPM mean by “notice of award”, but you could include copies of your Notice Of Eligibility, your latest DD-2656, and whatever correspondence you’ve received back from your Reserve HQ.
Doug Nordman says
Justin, you might be overthinking the answers, but I can help parse the vocabulary.
If you’ve retired from the Reserves or Guard and you are not yet receiving that pension, then you’re technically “retired awaiting pay.” When you’re 9-12 months away from the start date of your pension (age 60 for most) then you apply (all over again on DD Form 2656) for your Reserve pension.
I think Q4 is asking whether you’re currently receiving your pension, not whether you’re retired awaiting pay. You’d answer “No” for your situation, skip 4a-4c, and move on to section D.
Even if you were receiving a pension, Q4a is checking for a military disability pension while Q4b is checking for a Reserve pension. Both of those can be concurrently received with a FERS pension, as waived in federal law and referenced in the post.
Q4c is asking whether you’re waiving an active-duty pension in order to buy all of your military service credit deposit for a FERS pension. This is generally only a good idea if you retired from active duty at a very junior military rank and achieved a very high civil-service grade. In nearly two decades of writing about the military service credit deposit, I’ve only seen one active-duty retiree waive their pension.
Tim Ekola says
I’m not sure if you know the answer, but I thought I’d run this question by you…
I have worked for the VA for 3 years. Before that I worked for DoD (Army Civilian) for 5 years and 3 months.
I did not “sell” my active-duty time back to the VA, as I retired from the Navy Reserve and will be collecting my reserve retirement at age 60 (just a few more years away). My understanding is that – one cannot draw both “active duty” retirement and FERS (doubling dipping), but that one can draw both reserve retirement and FERS.
Can you confirm?
Also, if I can “double dip” what do I need to do to “sell” back my active duty years?
Thanks in Advance.
Best Regards,
Tim
Doug Nordman says
Tim, this post cites the links to the federal law and regulations that allow you to buy your military service credit deposit from OPM for your FERS pension. They’re in the last few paragraphs of the post.
You’d have to waive an active-duty pension if you had one, but you’ve earned a Navy Reserve pension. Those quotes from federal law and the FERS Handbook are the references which let you receive both your Reserve pension and your FERS pension.
Contact your HR office at the VA to start the process of buying your military service credit deposit. The GubMints post “Comprehensive Military Service Credit Deposit Guide” shows you how. It’s in the Related Articles section of the bottom of the post.
Raymond says
Mr. Nordman,,
This is great information.
However I do have a question about whether I can buy back a certain portion / time frame of military service without impacting my Reserve Retirement.
I am a Title 38 Civil service employee with 23 yrs of service which I started in 1998. I served Regular Army Enlisted from June 86-June 89, then subsequently served as an Active Duty Army Officer from Mar 1994 to Mar 1997.
DFAS calculated this service period as 6 yrs 11 days.
I voluntarily transferred from the IRR to Ready Reserve in Sep 2003 and subsequently retired 10 FEB 21 from USAR.
I was mobilized to active duty for 18 months in support of Enduring Freedom OCT 2004 to MAY 2006. I was placed on leave without pay during that period at the VA where I am employed.
My understanding is that this time counts as if I were there?
The question is can I buy this period back without it negatively impacting either retirement?
DFAS calculated that period as 1 yrs 5 mos 28 day.
My goal is to retire from civil service in FEB 2023 at age 56 yrs + 4 mos and 30 yrs service.
Respectfully
RD
Doug Nordman says
Good question, Icarus, and you’re welcome to ask more anytime!
I agree that it might make sense for Martin to buy a large military service credit deposit, even with all of the interest charges for not doing it sooner. The issue is building the spreadsheet to compare his options, including all those years of COLAs on the military pension.
I know of a few active-duty retirees with E-5 or E-6 pensions who have gone on to tremendous success in the civil service at the GS-15 or even SES levels. In their case it also makes financial sense to waive their active-duty pension (not convert it to a Reserve one but waive the entire pension) and buy their full military service credit deposit.
Personally, while I know a lot about military pensions and spreadsheets, I’m much more ignorant on the details of the FERS pension system. I’m also not interested in learning more about FERS, but I’m certainly happy to share what others have learned about the military service credit deposit.
Martin Wright says
I have a situation that I believe is very unique. I have done a lot of research and cannot find a good answer. I retired from active duty in 1997 with 21 ½ years of service. After 9-11, I went back into the USAF Reserves and served for additional 14 years. I began working as a federal civilian in 2007 and I am getting close to retirement. I turned 60 in 2017 and at that time I had my retirement recalculated to include all of my USAFR time and had my active duty military retirement terminated and converted to a Reserve retirement. I have orders in hand showing “Service per Title 10 USC Section 12732” of 34+ years and “Service per Title 10 USC Section 12733 26.91”. I have researched and it appears I can count all of my time towards my civil service retirement because my orders have Section 12732 and 12733 listed. I know we are not supposed to double dip so how does this play out? Can I use any or all of my military time towards my retirement? How do I get OPM to give me an answer?
Doug Nordman says
Martin, you can buy back your military time since you’re not receiving an active-duty pension. However you’ll pay quite a bit more to FERS because you’re past the two-year mark in the civil service where the credit deposit has a higher price.
You can start the process now and decide if it’s worth the cost. Civil-service veteran (and fellow submariner) Eddie Wills has more advice on that at Gubmints:
http://gubmints.com/2013/03/26/gubmints-comprehensive-military-service-credit-deposit-guide/
Once you get your price quote from OPM, you should do the math on whether the higher pension is worth the cost. Because you’ll already have an inflation-adjusted annuity, you might decide that the money you’d spend on your military service credit deposit is better invested in other assets with a higher expected return. Eddie’s post mentions that assessment in his step #3, which you can confirm with a fee-only financial advisor.
Icarus says
Doug you said it well, “If there’s anything more complicated than retiring from the military, it’s retiring from federal civil service.” I think there’s something more complicated than retiring from federal civil service, and it’s the interaction between converted military retirements and FERS annuities.
Like Martin, I too have been doing a lot of research and cannot find a good answer. Doug, I would sincerely appreciate your thoughts and comments on the following observations, please.
I have learned a lot though from the CSRS and FERS Handbook. However, I don’t think it’s been updated since 1998. It states, “Under the provisions of 10 U.S.C. 12731-12739 (Chapter 1223) which grants retired pay to members of reserve components of the armed forces on the basis of age and service (active and reserve).” Yet, Chapter 1223 now also includes Section 12741, which is the law which permits Martin to convert his active duty retirement into a reserve component retirement. Section 12741 became effective in 2001 as an incentive for active duty retirees to continue serving in the Reserve Component.
Of course, Reserve retired pay awarded under Chapter 1223 of Title 10 is one of the exceptions to the general FERS creditable service rules of not permitting credit for periods of military service which is used to award military retired pay. Specifically, 10 U.S.C. 12736 states, “No period of service included wholly or partly in determining a person’s right to, or the amount of, retired pay under this chapter {that is, Chapter 1223} may be excluded in determining his eligibility for any annuity, pension, or old-age benefit, under any other law, on account of civilian employment by the United States or otherwise, or in determining the amount payable under that law, if that service is otherwise properly credited under it.” This Section 12736 was passed into law in August 1956.
I also learned the only limitation to making a military service credit deposit is that it must be completed while still actively employed as a government servant. Per the CSRS and FERS Handbook, “… a separated employee may not make a military service deposit.”(section 23A1.1-4) Nothing prevents an active employee eligible for or receiving active duty retired pay from making such a deposit.
The actual deadline for waiving active-duty retirement pay doesn’t occur until an individual applies for a FERS annuity. The Handbook also states, “Employees who receive military retired pay and choose not to waive it will receive a refund of all money paid toward a military deposit at retirement.”(section 23A1.1-5)
Because of this, I would recommend everyone to make a service credit deposit (if feasible) as early as possible before the interest charges start to apply. You would save on the interest charges, remain flexible for the future, and eventually get the money back if you do not decide to waive your military retired pay. (Of course, you might also lose some investment gains on that money though.)
But Martin doesn’t need to waive his retired pay now; because he converted his active component retired pay to reserve component retired pay per Section 12741, and because he’s legal to “double-dip” due to Section 12736.
I would think in this way, if Martin makes a deposit with interest charges for 21.5 years of federal military service, he could stand to more than double his FERS annuity. He would increase his computation from just 14 years of creditable civilian service to 35.5 years.
(I will have another question later, please.)
Doug Nordman says
Good point, Jason, and I’ll point out that it’s more complicated than it seems. The active-duty mobilizations have to be for at least 90 days. They also have to be under specific conditions in combat, national emergencies, or natural disasters.
The legislation has been amended several times since it was enacted in 28 January 2008, so servicemembers & vets will need to check the details here:
https://themilitarywallet.com/national-guard-and-reserve-early-retirement-age/
and make sure that their active-duty orders were written for the correct portions of the federal law.
One final caveat: the law in the 2008 NDAA only covers an early retirement. (That’s three months earlier for every 90 days in a fiscal year, or in some periods, across fiscal years.) Tricare still only starts at age 60. Reserve/Guard retirees with an early pension will still have to find healthcare from other sources like the VA, an employer, or the Affordable Care Act exchanges.
Tim says
Good Afternoon,
I am a FERS employee and plan to buy back 5 years and some change of active duty time. I also happen to still be in the National Guard. I read above that when I finish my 20 with the Guard, I am still entitled to my retirement pension once I hit 60. My question, that I didn’t see answered above is, what happens to those points? National Guard and reserve retirement is calculated based on points accrued as shown on the RPAM. For my active duty years, those were 365 points. Those points would increase the value of my military pension if left there untouched. If I buy those years back, do those points drop to zero thus reducing the value of my military pension?
I guess if I dont buy them back, I would have 5 active duty years and 15 Guard years worth of points, allowing me to retire with 20 “good” years. What I believe happens when you buy back is that those points drop to zero but still count as “good years”. I built a spreadsheet to determine what is more beneficial (buying back vs not buying back) and based on total lifetime earnings, it definitely makes sense no matter what to buy the time back. I just dont want to get stuck doing an additional 5 years in the guard if I decide to buy my time back. Does anyone have any insight?
~Tim
Doug Nordman says
No worries, Tim, the points are good toward both your National Guard pension and your FERS pension.
It sounds like your getting double credit for the same points, and the reason is because you’re paying for the extra credit. You’re not moving points from one pension system to the other, like moving money from your TSP to your IRA or from checking to savings. Instead you’re being given the chance to spend more money on buying additional credit toward your FERS pension.
You’ve already earned the points for your National Guard pension. To boost your FERS pension (through an earlier Service Computation Date), you’re spending more of money to deposit it into the FERS pension system as a credit for your active-duty military service.
The result is that you’ll have 20 good years with the National Guard, consisting of five active-duty years of points and 15 Guard years of points. That results in your Notice Of Eligibility letter for a Guard pension. On the civil-service side, OPM will tell you how much money they want you to pay into the FERS pension system to receive the credit for your active duty.
Better yet, if you serve additional active-duty time in the Guard (for example, a mobilization for deployment) then you’ll have more points toward your Guard pension. Then after the deployment you can also use your DD-214 from that set of active-duty orders to buy even more of your FERS military service credit deposit.
Raymond Morace says
Someone I know has 15 years of military service and his wife is divorcing him. He’s planning on leaving the military and has lined up a couple Federal Civil Service job options. When he gets hired, he intends to buy back his 15 years of military time to apply the years as credit to his civil service.
QUESTION: When he retires, is his wife entitled to a portion of his Federal Civil Service retirement, even though they were never married while he worked as a civilian for the Government?
Doug Nordman says
Raymond, I can’t help with that question. I’m not familiar with any divorce law affecting a civil service pension.
The Uniformed Services Former Spouses Protection Act only says that a military pension can be considered as an asset by state divorce courts and divided as part of that state’s laws for divorces. It doesn’t apply to the federal civil service, but a lawyer might be able to help you research whether there’s a similar law for FERS pensions.
Diego says
Doug,
I retired under FERS Law Enforcement at age 50 and getting my full pension. Can my pay be penalized for serving on Active Duty for Operational Support A-DOS while on NG duty? Title 10 12301?
Doug Nordman says
I’m not an expert on FERS pension law, Diego, but you’re fine as long as your Guard active duty does not result in an active-duty military pension. While you’re on active duty, you could consult with a JAG to confirm that you’re within FERS regulations for a Reserve pension. The legal references are in the above post.
I’d definitely talk with a JAG if you think that you’re going to be on A-DOS for enough time to qualify for sanctuary and an active-duty pension.
Shawn says
I entered FERS full-time in 2011 and bought back 13 years military service credit. In 2021 I retired from the Nation Guard with a title 10 USC1405 pension having completed a cumulative time of 20 years active service military.
I have since returned to my FERS position after military activation and now collect a military pension. I believe this 1405 retirement status is considered double dipping so I can no longer receive the 13 years credit I purchased 10 years ago? If so How do I get the service credit funds back that I paid for the 13 years?
Thanks Shawn
Doug Nordman says
Shawn, I’m not sure how OPM handles that.
You should be entitled to a refund of the money you spent for the military service credit deposit if you’re no longer using it for your civil-service record, but I’m not familiar with the process.
David Nicoll says
I completed four years active duty Army. I was then hired into federal civil service (FERS) as a Military Technician. I bought back my four years active duty and paid the deposit in full. I joined the USAR at that same time. After 11 years in TPU status, I went on AGR status, and was on leave without pay (LWOP) for five years. At that point I had to resign from FERS in order to stay in the AGR program, and in doing so, I opted for a deferred federal retirement that I could start drawing at age 62, since I had 19 years employment under FERS. I retired from the Army Reserve at age 60 and began drawing my military retirement. I am now 61 so I started looking into the process to file for FERS retirement. I’m trying to determine if I can draw both my USAR retirement and FERS without any penalty. Looking over the application form for deferred retirement (Form RI 92-19), Section C, Item 4c, it asks “Are you waiving your military retired pay in order to receive credit for FERS?” I did not think I had to waive my USAR retired pay in order to draw FERS retirement. Please let me know how to proceed.
Thank you…
Doug Nordman says
David, you’re right that you’re eligible (by law) to collect both your Reserve pension and your FERS pension. That’s in federal law and in the OPM instructions referenced in the blog post.
It sounds like you were in the AGR program for a while, but not long enough to qualify for an active-duty pension. When you say you retired from the Army Reserve at age 60 and began drawing your military retirement, I’m assuming that you’re referring to a Reserve pension (and not an active-duty pension).
It looks like the RI 92-19 question might be asking whether you’re waiving an active-duty military pension, and the answer is “No.”
Due to the Dual Compensation Act (a law passed in 1964), you’re not eligible to collect both an active-duty pension and a FERS pension. But you’re still eligible to collect a military Reserve pension and a FERS pension, and you don’t have to waive anything.
David Nicoll says
Doug,
Your assessment above is correct. I’m also contemplating getting rehired back into FERS in order to buyback my 8 years and 4 months of AGR time (Sep 2011-Jan 2020) before I retire. I need to compare the buyback cost versus the increase in my federal retirement pay. I guess the first question is do they consider AGR time the same as active duty? I’m also trying to estimate the buyback cost, but not sure if DFAS uses only base pay earned during that period of AGR service, or do they factor in BAH and BAS? I used the Military Buyback calculator in MyFEDBenefits, but the estimated earnings seem a bit low. I went on AGR status as an O-4, and retired at that same grade. Just wondering how to get a somewhat accurate estimate of my buyback cost?
Thanks again for all your help,
David
Doug Nordman says
That looks good, David.
This post from Eddie Wills at Gubmints is a few years old, but according to the OPM and the form in his post the military service credit deposit is 3% of base pay during active duty. Your AGR orders are usually active duty.
http://gubmints.com/2013/03/26/gubmints-comprehensive-military-service-credit-deposit-guide/
Rocky says
Sir, would you please provide some retirement guidance? I worked as a federal employee for 8 years and then served 14 years AD in the Army and then joined the USAR. And then I got another job as a federal employee. I bought back all my military service into my federal retirement. Based on many calls to active duty I have accumulated USAR points that I estimate are equivalent to 22 years of active duty. I have paid back all my federal retirements funds that were not withheld during my deployments. I have applied for retirement from federal service and I am still in the USAR. Am I still eligible for both retirements payments?
Doug Nordman says
Sure, Rocky, you’ve earned your Reserve pension (by serving on all of those active-duty orders) and you’ve paid your military service credit deposit for your FERS pension.
Even though you’ve accumulated the equivalent of 22 years of active duty, you’re still going to receive a Reserve pension.
When you reach the eligibility ages for each pension then you’re entitled to start receiving them, and federal law also allows you to receive both at the same time.
Rocky says
Thanks a bunch for the helpful information.
Jay Rubel says
I retired with 24 years of military service. 9 years 10 months was active duty. I went into the Air National Guard for 14 more. I currently work for DOD and have been in civil service now for about 12 years and plan to retire at 62 which will give me 20 years in civil service. I will receive my pension from the Guard when I reach 60. I have not purchased any of my service time toward my civil service position nor have I put any money into thrift savings. I am working on that and want to be caught up with the minimum the government will match. I just couldn’t afford it then but can start contributing now. What advice can you provide me to maximize my retirement? Should I buy back my military time? Will that hurt me in the long run? Can or should I keep them separate? Can I collect both without penalty? Also I have paid into social security to collect that as well. How will that be affected? Any help you can provide is appreciated.
Doug Nordman says
As that post says, Jay, you’re entitled to collect both a Reserve pension and a civil-service pension. There’s a specific exemption in federal law allowing Reserve retirees to collect both. There are no penalties.
As you’ve written, you’re also eligible to collect Social Security. It’s not affected by your military or civil-service pensions, and you can collect that based on your lifetime earnings history. I’d recommend using the calculator “Open Social Security” to figure out the best start date for your age, marital status, and two pensions.
https://opensocialsecurity.com/
You might decide to start as early as age 62 but you’ll get a higher monthly payment if you can wait longer– and your surviving spouse would also get a higher survivor benefit.
Since you’ve worked in the civil service for 12 years, you may already have a TSP account that’s been receiving 1% agency contributions. I’d recommend immediately (as in, “today”) figuring out how to log in to your TSP account and boosting your TSP contributions to at least 5% of your pay. That will give you the civil service’s full agency and matching contributions. (The matching contributions are “free money.”) I’d also recommend moving your TSP assets out of the G fund into some combination of the C, S, I, or Lifecycle funds. If you’re planning to retire in eight years then you might sleep comfortably at night with the L2030 or L2035 fund, or (since you’ll be receiving two pensions) you might want to invest more aggressively with the C, S, and I funds.
Since you’re in your 50s, you’re eligible for catch-up contributions to both the TSP and to your IRA. I’d read this link and the pamphlets linked in the side panel:
https://www.tsp.gov/PlanParticipation/EligibilityAndContributions/typesOfContributions.html
I’d also recommend browsing the TSP’s YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/user/tsp4gov
Finally, it might be worth buying your military service credit deposit. After 12 years, though, it’ll be much more expensive and might not be worth the money you’d have to pay for it. First, read the GubMints post linked above:
http://gubmints.com/2013/03/26/gubmints-comprehensive-military-service-credit-deposit-guide/
and then do the reverse-annuity calculation recommended in that post. If that calculation gives you confusing results then I’d recommend consulting a fee-only advice-only financial planner to go over the numbers with you. I can refer you to a couple who are military veterans.
You have a lot of homework to do, and it’ll take at least two weeks for the TSP to update your login/password. Once you’ve started contributing as much to the TSP as you can afford, then let me know if you have more questions.
Scott says
I am having a hard time believing that I can use my active duty service toward my reserve retirement AND as time credited toward my FERS civilian employment. Here is my situation: I served for a number of years in the Navy reserves right out of high school (8 years) – basic training, “A” School and straight to reserves. A number of years later I joined the Army where I served for just under 8 years on active duty (then went into the reserves). Upon completion of my years of active duty with the Army I accepted a civilian job with the government (FERS) and went into the Army reserves. Upon employment with the government I had a calculation done for the military time I’d served and paid the deposit for that. I am still in the reserves (planning to retire from the reserves in a few years) and will get my pension for that (I received my 20 yr letter from the reserves in 2013 – plan to retire in 2027). I will also have 20 years with my civilian employer in 2027 (my “SCDR” with my civilian employer is in 2007), – The computation date in my file does not include my military time (though my computation date for leave “SCDL” is in 1997 – which seems about right if my military time in the Army and Navy are combined). — I am happy to be able to receive two retirements (one from the military reserves and the other for my civilian service). What I am not clear on is whether or not my service for my civilian retirement (“SCDR”) needs to be recalculated to include the military time I “bought back.” This could mean that I would retire from the Army reserves in 2027 AND from my civilian job (but not with just 20 years of creditable service but with 30 years of creditable service)? — It’s good enough to be eligible for two pensions – but to be able to use my military time (prior to getting my civilian job) and credit it towards my civilian retirement does not seem right. – I appreciate whatever help you can provide. – Thank you.
Doug Nordman says
Good question, Ben!
Your plan would depend on several moving parts. First, after 20 years of active duty & AGR, you’d be eligible for an active-duty pension. If you left the AGR billet and became a drilling Reservist again then you’d need to clear that with your service. By federal law you’d also waive either the pension or the drill pay, and that might not be in your best financial interests.
In addition, if you’re not actually retired from active duty, then you might not be eligible for Tricare as a retiree. You’d have to figure that out with Tricare for Prime, Select, or Tricare Reserve Select.
When you’re in the civil service then you could buy your military service credit deposit with your active-duty time, but again you’d have to give up the active-duty pension. This only makes financial sense if you have a smaller active-duty pension (E-5/6 rank) and a very high civil-service job (GS-14/15). I’m not sure that could all come together within five years.
Otherwise it might make more sense to retire from AGR whenever you’re ready to receive that pension (and Tricare). You could still obtain some civil-service credit for parts of your active-duty time without having to give up your active-duty pension. This Gubmints post has the details on a military service credit deposit for your OPM Service Computation Date:
http://gubmints.com/2013/04/15/military-service-credit-deposit-retired-from-active-duty/
Ben says
Doug,
I completed 8 years of AD service and directly transferred into the Reserves as an AGR. My question is this – can I complete 20 years of total active service, 8 AD + 12 AGR, then become a traditional reservist and GS employee? After 5 years of GS service, can I then buy back my total military time for an immediate GS retirement valued at 25 years?
If successful, would I still be eligible for an immediate 20 year AGR retirement from the reserves (essentially both retirements, immediately)? Or would I have to wait until 60 to receive a traditional reserve retirement?
Complicated question, I know. Thanks for the insight!
Doug Nordman says
Good questions, Mark S.
You can buy the military service credit deposit for active-duty mobilizations and possibly for ADSW, but not for AT or IDT. See the comment on this post at this link:
http://gubmints.com/2013/03/26/gubmints-comprehensive-military-service-credit-deposit-guide/#comment-50698
In general, you can’t buy a military service credit deposit for service academy time. You might be able to do so if you were an enlisted admission to the service academy and dropped out before commissioning, but the laws appear to be receiving new scrutiny– especially from the Navy. See the comments at this post:
https://the-military-guide.com/navy-reserve-retirement-credit-for-rotc-summer-training/#comment-213046
Mark S says
Follow up question: Will buying back active duty time performed while in the reserves (ie. Mobilization, ADSW) affect/reduce your military reserve pension? I’m FERS and have bought back my original initial active duty time of 5 years and am now retired from the reserves with considerable additional mobilization and ADSW periods but still employed as a GS.
Doug Nordman says
No worries, Greg, TERA is a reduced pension yet with the same treatment as a regular military pension.
Depending on your civil-service seniority, it can make financial sense to waive a military pension in favor of buying your military service credit deposit. (A shipmate is a senior civil servant who retired from the military as an E-6 and opted to waive his military pension for a higher FERS pension.) However you’re entitled (by federal law) to collect your military active-duty pension and your civil-service pension as long as you do not buy your military service credit deposit.
Eddie Wills has more advice on this at GubMints.com. Here’s a post on the details of the military service credit deposit:
http://gubmints.com/2013/03/26/gubmints-comprehensive-military-service-credit-deposit-guide/
and here’s a post on using the deposit when you’re retired from active duty:
http://gubmints.com/2013/04/15/military-service-credit-deposit-retired-from-active-duty/
Doug Nordman says
Linda, I’m going to assume that you’re talking about an active-duty military pension. Please let me know if I guessed wrong.
I can’t advise you about your spouse’s qualification to receive a civil service pension. However he receives his military pension while he’s working for the civil service, and that military pension continues when he retires from the civil service to receive his civil-service pension.
In a few rare cases, it makes sense to waive an active-duty military pension to buy the military service credit deposit in a civil-service pension. In general this works for smaller military pensions (at the E-5 or E-6 rank) and larger civil-service pensions at GS-15 or SES.
http://gubmints.com/2013/03/26/gubmints-comprehensive-military-service-credit-deposit-guide/
My friend Eddie Wills has also written more details about earning credit for military service with an active-duty pension while you’re working in the federal civil service. Your spouse may have already taken care of these opportunities.
http://gubmints.com/2013/04/15/military-service-credit-deposit-retired-from-active-duty/
Mark S says
I just recently retired from the reserves last month and am employed as a GS in the FERS system. I did submit to buyback my initial active duty and am still paying thru payroll deductions. My question is, can I buyback any of the active duty time I did as a reservist although I’m now retired from the military? Also, can I still perform a Military Service Credit for my service academy time?
Greg says
My Question is.. I retired from Active Duty in 1996 after 17 years under TERA. I know TERA has a few ins and outs (I did not enter Federal Service soon enough (I started in 2001). I’ve heard that TERA retirements are treated similar to Reserve Retirements (since I did not do 20 years) and I may not have to waive my retirement pay. Rough calculations are that I would waive a small check and more than double my Federal Retirement. Will I have to waive my military retirement?
Derek Smith says
This is wonderful news as I am approaching federal retirement and have been concerned about this. I am about to turn 56 and will be eligible for my reserve retirement is 4 years. What a blessing to be able to count on disability, a federal pensions AND my National Guard pension as well. Retirement may not be so bad.
Allen says
I am currently retired from the Marine Corps with 21 years of active duty. I am working a federal law enforcement job with the Bureau of Prisons.
What is the earliest I can get a Federal law enforcement retirement? Is it 10 years? Because the maxim retirement age is 57 and the Min Retirement age is 50.
Alan says
Doug,
I separated from military as a LTC at 13 years. I am now in the process of joining the Air National Guard and use my 13 years of AD service for a Air National Guard pension. I presently work as a physician contractor in a military hospital and am paid very well but I have an opportunity to for a G.S. position where I will be paid 1/2 as much, but will have more job security. I am in my early 50s. What would be your recommendation in regards to converting into Civil Service with my 13 years versus my Air National Guard retirement? Thanks.
Alan
Janet Simpson says
My husband completed 18 years of military service and then got out. Is it possible for him to get a Civil Service job to complete his retirement? Is there any age limit?
Josh says
Thank you so much for the clarification. I spoke with 3 different customer service representative at DFAS and they said that I need to contact my unit finance for more information. I researched several different sources and found out that it seem like you got the correct information.
Your information is very valuable to the veterans.
Again, thank you.
calseung73 says
Sir,
I tried to buy my 13 years of active duty time though “Buy Back” program so it counts towards my civil service retirement. However, I was told from my HR that I may not be able to use my active duty time for my reserved military retirement after I use for my civilian service retirement. I hear two different information. Therefore, I contacted DFAS for clarification as well.
Could you please clarify?
Thank you.
V/r,
Patterson James says
I retired 20 years Active Duty and my VA disability is 90%, Combat Related Service Connected was applied making my retirement tax free. Does this allow me to draw a Civil Service Retirement ?
Doug Nordman says
I hear that, Justin, although you made the right choices at the time. Receiving an AGR position (and being able to keep it all the way to an active-duty retirement) was never a guarantee when you left active duty, and keeping it is also not guaranteed.
After you qualify for your AGR active-duty pension, then I’d talk with the Human Resources staff at your civil-service position about the possibility of receiving a refund on your military service credit deposit. (Maybe you’ll reach FI on your military pension and no longer care about earning a civil-service pension.) I also know one military vet who retired from active duty as an E-6 and followed it up with a very successful civil-service career. In his senior civil-service situation it made more financial sense to waive the military pension when he started his civil-service pension.
Shaun Mcmullen says
I am in a little different place. I served on Active Duty for 10.5 years. I got a federal job and worked for another 10 years as civil service. I bought back my active duty time while at civil service and now I have went back on Active duty. So how will my retirement workout if I retire from active military and then go back to the civil service and retire again. Can I receive two federal retirements?
Doug Nordman says
Sean, that’s a very good question and the answer is outside my circle of competence. You need to consult with a JAG (or a civilian lawyer) who understands OPM regulations. You could also e-mail Eddie at GubMints.com (http://gubmints.com/contact/) to see if he’s heard the question before.
Of course you can receive two federal pensions. You’ve earned both of them. The question is whether you can continue to receive the benefit of the military service credit deposit in your federal pension without having to waive a portion of your military pension.
I see three possibilities:
1. OPM regulations give you the credit for the first 10.5 years (because you were entitled to it at the time) and you elect not to take the credit for the latter 9.5 years (because you’d have to waive your military pension). You’d still apply for your additional FERS credit for annual leave:
http://gubmints.com/2013/04/15/military-service-credit-deposit-retired-from-active-duty/
You’d retire to both pensions. It might be perfectly legal under OPM regs, although it’s certainly rare. The question is whether OPM actually has any regs to address this situation.
2. OPM regulations determine that you’re no longer eligible to benefit from your military service credit deposit for the first 10.5 years and they return your money. You’d still apply for whatever FERS credit you can get for annual leave (the same post linked in #1).
You’d retire to both pensions, although your FERS pension is smaller because you were no longer able to use the military service credit deposit.
3. OPM regulations determine that you’re now going to have to waive a portion of your military pension in order to keep the military service credit deposit from the first 10.5 years. You’d have to negotiate a solution, because I think that an active-duty pension now is worth more than buying a larger FERS pension later.
You’d retire to both pensions, although your military pension is smaller because you had to waive a portion of it.
You might possibly find some way to apply for a waiver to enable #1.
Again, please consult Eddie and a lawyer who understands OPM FERS regulations with military service.
Justin says
I am in the same boat, I just recently got an AGR position but I am still a fed who has bought back his AD time 14 years(still a fed covered under USERRA). When I hit a 20 year Active retirement will it screw me over that I bought back my service when I started as a fed.
Nate P says
Shaun, curious if you ever got resolution to this as I’m in a very similar situation and was curious what you found out.
Mark S. says
Great article!!! I do have another question though. I’m also Federal Service and currently on ADSW as a naval reservist. I already set up a military deposit for my previous AD and am going to make an adjustment to continue crediting my current ADSW. Question I have though is how does the current Blended Retirement System figure in to all this?
Doug Nordman says
Thanks, Mark, and your question has a simple answer! It’s all the same.
The only changes to your military pension are the different multiplier (2.0% per year for BRS instead of High Three’s 2.5%) and your DoD BRS matching contributions to your TSP.
You still earn the same number of days of active duty for your ADSW, and your military service credit deposit amount is still based on those days. None of those OPM civil-service procedures were changed by the DoD BRS.
Wayne says
Can his 14 years of active duty still be used towards guard/reserve retirement.
Doug Nordman says
Yes, Wayne, and it’s only six good years of Reserve/Guard drills away from qualifying for that pension!
Chris says
Am I confused? You seem to imply that you cannot receive a military and a civil service pension? Now, I know for a fact that you can receive a military pension and a civil service paycheck because I have many friends currently doing so. I always assumed that they would receive both pensions as well. Is that not true? Keep in mind that these are active duty retirees had to start from scratch in the civil service after they retired from active duty.
Doug Nordman says
I’m not implying that at all, Chris. The post is about the sizes of those pensions and how a military pension is affected by taking the FERS military service credit deposit.
The military service credit deposit is a bad deal for active-duty military retirees (although they should still take the adjustment to their federal Service Computation Date). I don’t know any active-duty military retirees who have applied for the military service credit deposit because it would halt their active-duty pension while they were in the federal civil service. Instead, active-duty military retirees should choose to continue to receive their active-duty pension and should not buy into the military service credit deposit. The result is that their FERS pension is based only upon their years of federal civil service. Review bullet #2 in the post.
The FERS military service credit deposit is a great deal for Reserve and National Guard retirees. The reason that FERS retirees should still buy their Reserve/Guard military service credit deposit is because there’s a specific exemption in the FERS regulations allowing them to do so while still receiving their full Reserve/Guard pension. As a result they still receive their Reserve/Guard pension (beginning at age 60 or perhaps a little earlier) and they receive a larger FERS pension. Review bullet #3 above.
peter gregory says
Military or civil service, historically the most attractive features of both systems has been the automatic COLA or yearly inflation adjustments. But what if “inflation” or COLA is an economic condition of the past. 2017 will mark the 2nd year in row, 4 out of the last 7, where no COLA will be provided to either SS or the traditional military retirement system. One can argue the govt, and Fed is still using outdated or ineffective CPI measures, that still stress finished goods and commodities over services. Case in point is 2 types of services retirees continue to consume more and more, heath care and housing/rent where year over year “inflation” still advances at 5-7% year over year.
Many feel that like Japan of the last 30 years, the developed West may be in a prolonged period of dis-inflation, or deflation. Where almost a decade of zero interest rate policy, negative bond yields, falling productivity spell an extended period of stagnation. And if it is true there is a mismatch or at least mis-measurement of true inflation, then the value of the traditional military, civil service pension erodes year after year, and over 4 to 5 decades of a military retirement, the actual value or income security year over year is greatly diminished. And if that is the case the only real alternative in retirement security is to save more, lots more. Which brings another issue, how does one make money in a negative interest rate, yield environment, where the individual retiree or saver goes further out on the risk curve. Those economic periods usually end very badly. Interesting times indeed.
Doug Nordman says
Patterson James, you might be referring to these clauses in the FERS Handbook:
“On account of a service-connected disability incurred in combat with an enemy of the United States; or
On account of a service-connected disability caused by an instrumentality of war and incurred in the line of duty during a period of war…”
This is a good time to consult with your OPM rep and talk to a JAG. These sections of the Handbook may be referring to a disability retirement (Chapter 61 of Title 10 U.S. Code) which is different from an active-duty retirement and also different from receiving compensation for a VA disability rating.
In other words I’m not sure about the civil service interpretation of the word “disability” in the FERS handbook, and I strongly recommend checking with a lawyer.
Doug Nordman says
Good question, Calseung73! The post lays out the rules for receiving a civil-service pension and a military Reserve pension.
You already know that you can also use your active-duty time to buy your civil-service military service credit deposit. You can learn more about that system (and analyze its value to you) with Eddie Wills’ post from the “Related articles” links:
http://gubmints.com/2013/03/26/gubmints-comprehensive-military-service-credit-deposit-guide/
It sounds like your HR might not have a handle on how your military active-duty time counts toward a Reserve retirement. Your Reserve point-count records should show that you’ve received one point for each of your days of active duty, along with 13 good years of Reserve retirement credit. You’ll continue to earn Reserve retirement points (and good years) until you reach 20 good years, at which point you’ll receive a Notice Of Eligibility for a Reserve pension. The 13 years of active duty count toward that pension, and you only need to earn seven more good years for the NOE.
In other words, your active duty can be counted toward both your civil-service retirement and your Reserve retirement.
Doug Nordman says
You’re welcome, Josh, and thanks for letting us know that it worked out!
Doug Nordman says
Janet, this post is intended for members of the military’s Reserve and National Guard who are also federal civil-service employees. They can earn a pension in both the military and the federal civil service.
If your spouse simply left the military and has no intention of joining the Reserve or National Guard (or returning to active duty with another service), then he can’t qualify for a military pension. However if he joins the federal civil service (and possibly some state civil services) then he could use his military time to buy his military service credit deposit from the civil-service retirement system.
Once he’s joined the federal civil service then he can learn more about the military service credit deposit from former civil-service employee (and submarine veteran) Eddie Wills:
http://gubmints.com/2013/03/26/gubmints-comprehensive-military-service-credit-deposit-guide/
Doug Nordman says
It’s not an easy question to answer, Alan, but you can do the analysis.
As you know from this post, you can earn both your ANG pension and your civil service pension. (That’s permitted by the exception in federal law.) In addition, you can still buy your military service credit deposit in the federal civil service.
You can analyze the financial benefit of buying your military service credit deposit from Eddie Wills’ link at GubMints.com:
http://gubmints.com/2013/03/26/gubmints-comprehensive-military-service-credit-deposit-guide/
That’s part of the collection of “Related articles” links at the end of this post.
Doug Nordman says
Sorry, Allen, you’ve asked a good question but I’m not knowledgeable enough to have the answer. This post is intended for readers who are working toward both a military pension from the Reserve or National Guard as well as from civil service, and I’m focused on the military side of the question.
There are very few situations where you’d want to waive your active-duty pension just to qualify for a federal civil service pension. They’d mainly involve already having an active-duty pension at the paygrade of E-6 or below and buying your military service credit deposit in a civil-service pension of GS-14 or higher.
However there’s one benefit of the military service credit deposit which all military retirees should review:
http://gubmints.com/2013/04/15/military-service-credit-deposit-retired-from-active-duty/
Linda Carter says
My husband retired from the military after 20 years. He receives a military retirement. He then spent 16 years working in civil service. He is now 62. Can he also receive civil service retirement for the 16 years.
Jordan says
Allen, there are two provisions for federal law enforcement retirement eligibility according to OPM: https://www.opm.gov/retirement-services/fers-information/types-of-retirement/#url=Voluntary-Retirement
– You can retire at ANY age if you have worked in a federal law enforcement position for 25+ years.
OR
– You can retire after working in a federal law enforcement position for 20+ years AND you are 50+ years old at the time you apply for retirement.
*Interesting example: If you are 51 years old, but have only worked for 15 years in a federal law enforcement position, you CANNOT retire. You must work 5 more years until you hit 20 years of service before you are eligible for retirement.
You are correct that you must retire or transfer out of a law enforcement position at 57.
Doug Nordman says
I’m glad it’s helping, Derek, and I think you’ll enjoy your retirement!
Doug Nordman says
No worries, Mark, you can buy your additional military service credit deposit without affecting your Reserve pension. That’s the benefit of the federal law waiver allowing you to collect both pensions.
The reason you’re able to do this is because you’re paying for the credit.
Doug Nordman says
I’m sorry to read about your skepticism, Scott, yet you can review the source references that I’ve linked in that post.
The logic of the federal government is that it may attract (and retain) better employees, you’ve earned it, and you’re paying for it. It’s the financial equivalent of “Thank you for your service.”
As for your service computation dates: that’s outside my circle of competence. I know a bit about the military side of the military service credit deposit, but I’m not at all familiar with OPM’s rules or policies.
It seems that your date calculations do need to be verified, and hopefully there’s someone at your department’s Human Resources team who can guide you through the source references. There’s also Eddie Wills’ post on the subject. He’s the submarine vet with several years of federal civil-service experience who I mentioned in that post, and here’s more of his work:
http://gubmints.com/2012/10/05/whats-your-service-computation-date/
along with his 99-cent booklet:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DZF44HW
and finally, the option to contact him directly with your question:
http://gubmints.com/contact/
Doug Nordman says
Thanks, Raymond, I’m glad it’s helping.
Your active duty from October 2004-06 gave you a DD-214 that you can provide to your HR to buy more of your military service credit deposit. You’re doing it years after the fact, though, so it might have additional interest added to the basic purchase.
The VA chose to put you on unpaid leave for that period, but you probably continued to earn that credit toward your civil service retirement. That’s their policy. Meanwhile you also earned credit toward your Reserve pension, and you’re paying for your military service credit deposit.
It’s all good, and none of these benefits reduce the other benefits.
Jason Burns says
I’ve been AD / T-5 / Technician T-32 for the last 31 years with the military and Air National Guard. After reading a few of the posts/questions, I wanted to mention another benefit to the “Guard”. You can request a reduced minimum retirement age (reduced MRA) on the military side. If you performed AD deployment service on orders, you can compile all of those orders and submit them to your processing center online. Instead of collecting my mil paycheck at 60, it’s now 57 1/2.