FERS Federal Employees

Retirement System 

FERS 

Facts 

1 

Information for 

Separating 

FERS Employees Who 

Are Not Eligible for an 

Immediate Annuity 

RI 90-11 

September 1996 edition is usable Revised October 1997

United States 

Office of 

Personnel 

Management 

Retirement and 

Insurance 

Service 
Additional retirement information and all 

publications of the U.S. Office of Personnel 

Management listed in this pamphlet are available 

on the Internet. 

OPM Website — http://www.opm.gov/asd 
Table of Contents 

Page 

Introduction. ...............................1
 

Eligibility Requirements for Immediate
 

Retirement Under FERS .......... .........1
 

I. Retirement . ..............................3
 

II. Health Benefits... ........................6
 

III. Life Insurance .. .........................8
 

Additional Information . ......................9
 

i 
Introduction 

This pamphlet contains information about retirement 

and insurance for separating employees who are 

under the Federal Employees Retirement System 

(FERS), and who are not eligible for an immediate 

annuity. 

Eligibility Requirements for Immediate 

Retirement Under FERS 

Type of Minimum 

Retirement Minimum Age Service 

Also See the Special Requirements on the Next Page. 

Optional 

62 5 

60 20 

MRA* 30 

MRA * 10 

Special Optional 

Any age 

50 

25 

20 

Early Optional 

Any age 

50 

25 

20 

Discontinued 

Service 

Any age 

50 

25 

20 

Disability Any age 18 months 

*	 MRA = Minimum Retirement Age. Depending 

on your year of birth the MRA ranges from age 

55 to age 57. To determine your MRA refer to 

the table on page 4. 

1
 
If you meet one of the following age and service 

combinations, you are eligible for an annuity now, 

and this pamphlet is not applicable to you. Your 

employing agency should help you apply for retirement. 

Special 

Requirements 

None 

None 

None 

None 

(Note: Annuity is reduced 5% for each year 

employee is under age 62.) 

Special Optional — You must retire under special 

provisions for air traffic controllers or law enforcement 

and firefighter personnel. 

Early Optional — The U.S. Office of Personnel Management must have determined that your agency is 

undergoing a major reorganization, reduction-in-force, 

or transfer of function. 

Discontinued Service — Your separation must be 

involuntary and not for misconduct or delinquency. 

Disability — You must be disabled for useful and efficient service in both your current position and any 

other vacant position at the same grade or pay level for 

which you are qualified. Other requirements must also 

be met. 

2
 
If Year of the Minimum 

Birth is. . . Retirement Age is. . . 

Before 1948 55 

1948 55 and 2 months 

1949 55 and 4 months 

1950 55 and 6 months 

1951 55 and 8 months 

1952 55 and 10 months 

1953-1964 56 

1965 56 and 2 months 

1966 56 and 4 months 

1967 56 and 6 months 

1968 56 and 8 months 

1969 56 and 10 months 

1970 and After 57 

I. Retirement 

A. Option: Refund 

1.	 You may apply for a refund of your 

retirement contributions if you have 

been separated from Federal service 

for at least 31 days (or have occupied a 

position not covered by FERS for at 

least 31 days). If you have more than 1 

year of service, interest on the contributions will be part of the refund. 

Form to Use: 

· SF 3106, Application for Refund of 

Retirement Deductions 

2.	 Before you can receive a refund, you 

generally must notify your spouse and 

any former spouse that you have filed 

the application. Also, you may be 

barred from receiving a refund if the 

refund would end the court-ordered 

right of any spouse or former spouse to 

future benefits based on your service. 

3
 
3.	 If there is some possibility that you 

may return to Federal service, you may 

not want to apply for a refund. 

Refunded FERS contributions cannot 

be redeposited and the service covered 

by the refund cannot be re-credited. 

While your money is on account, it 

continues to earn interest. 

4.	 If you elected to transfer to FERS and 

qualify to have a portion of your annuity computed under CSRS rules, and 

later separate from Federal service, you 

may apply for a refund of your CSRS 

contributions only. (You may redeposit 

the CSRS contributions according to 

CSRS deposit rules.) By leaving your 

FERS contributions in the retirement 

fund, you will retain title to a FERS 

deferred annuity. 

Note: If you were covered by CSRS Offset 

provisions (both CSRS and Social Security) 

when you transferred to FERS, your Offset 

service is now treated as FERS service. You 

cannot redeposit a refund of Offset service 

deductions that you receive after transferring to FERS. The service covered by that 

refund cannot be re-credited. 

B. Option: Deferred Annuity 

1.	 If you have at least 5 years of creditable civilian service for which withholdings or deposits remain in the 

Fund, and you are not eligible for an 

immediate retirement benefit, you will 

be eligible for a deferred annuity. You 

may receive a deferred annuity beginning on the first day of the month after 

you attain age 62. Alternatively, if you 

have at least 10 years of creditable 

service, you may elect to receive a 

deferred annuity as early as the first 

day of the month after you attain your 

Minimum Retirement Age (MRA). 

4
 
2.	 If you are eligible for a deferred annuity beginning after you attain your 

MRA (see paragraph B1 above), your 

deferred annuity will be reduced by 

5/12 percent for each month (5 percent 

per year) by which the commencing 

date of annuity precedes your 62nd 

birthday, unless you have at least 30 

years of service; have 20 years of service and postpone the commencing date 

until you are age 60; or have at least 20 

years of service as an air traffic controller, firefighter, law enforcement 

officer, or Member of Congress. 

3.	 Contact us to ask for form RI 92-19, 

Application for Deferred or Postponed 

Retirement. Call (202) 606-0500 (for 

TDD, call (202) 606-0551) or write us 

at: 

OPM
 

P.O. Box 45
 

Boyers, PA 10617-0045.
 

Complete the form and mail it to us no 

sooner than 2 months before age 62. 

The deferred annuity begins on your 

62nd birthday. 

4.	 The deferred annuity is based on the 

length of your service and your high-3 

average salary. The basic annuity computation formula is: 

1% of your high-3 average pay 

times 

years of creditable service 

Note: If you retire at age 62 or later 

with at least 20 years of service, a factor of 1.1% is used rather than 1%. 

5.	 If you want to make a deposit for 

post-1956 military service so that you 

can receive credit for this service in the 

computation of your deferred annuity, 

you must pay the deposit to your 

employing agency before you 

5
 
separate from Federal employment. 

We at OPM cannot accept your payment. 

6.	 If you die before applying for a 

deferred annuity and you have less 

than 10 years of creditable service or 

no eligible survivor, any contributions 

remaining in the retirement fund are 

paid in a lump sum (with interest) to 

your designated beneficiary or person 

in the order of precedence set by law. 

7.	 If you die before applying for a 

deferred annuity, your surviving spouse 

is entitled to a survivor annuity if: 

a.	 You have at least 10 years of creditable service for which withholdings or deposits remain in the 

Fund (5 years of which is creditable civilian service); and 

b.	 Your spouse was married to you at 

the time of your separation from 

Federal service. 

Your surviving spouse may elect to 

receive a lump-sum payment of your 

retirement contributions in lieu of the 

survivor annuity. 

II. Health Benefits 

A.� 31-day Extension of Coverage and 

Temporary Continuation of Coverage. 

1.	 Enrollment in the Federal Employees 

Health Benefits (FEHB) program terminates on the last day of the pay period during which you separate. You 

then have a 31-day free extension of 

coverage. 

2.	 When you separate from service, you 

may choose to continue FEHB coverage for a period of 18 months after 

6 
your separation. If you take advantage 

of this temporary continuation of coverage option, you must pay both the 

employee and the employer share of 

the health benefits premium plus an 

administrative charge of 2 percent of 

the premium. You can choose to enroll 

in the same plan you had at separation 

or any other plan, option, or type of 

enrollment for which you are eligible. 

(Department of Defense employees 

should check with their personnel 

department concerning payment of 

premiums.) 

3.	 Temporary continuation of coverage 

begins as soon as the 31-day free 

extension of coverage ends regardless 

of when you elect it. Your agency is 

required to notify you about your eligibility for temporary continuation of 

coverage within 60 days after you 

separate. You have 60 days after 

receiving the notice to enroll. If you 

enroll after the 31 day free extension 

expires, your enrollment will be retroactive to the expiration of the 31-day 

free extension and you will be billed 

for the retroactive coverage. 

4.	 For additional information about temporary continuation of coverage, read 

the pamphlet RI 79-27, Temporary 

Continuation of Coverage (TCC) under 

the Federal Employees Health Benefits 

Program. 

B. Conversion Privilege 

1.	 If you do not want to continue your 

health benefits coverage under the 

temporary continuation provision 

described in paragraph A.2., you may 

convert to an individual (nongroup) 

contract. The conversion contract is 

available only from the carrier of the 

plan you are enrolled in when you 

separate. If you continue your coverage 

7
 
under the temporary continuation provision, you will have another opportunity to convert to an individual 

contract at the end of the 18-month 

period. 

2.	 If you do convert, you must pay the 

entire cost of coverage and your benefits may be less than previous coverage. However, the carrier must offer 

you a nongroup contract regardless of 

any health problems you or your family members may have. 

C.� Form You Should Receive: SF 2810, 

Notice of Change in Health Benefits 

Enrollment 

When you separate, your employing office 

must terminate your enrollment by completing an SF 2810 and giving you a copy. 

The SF 2810 tells about the 31-day extension of coverage and how to convert to an 

individual (nongroup) contract and gives 

information about temporary continuation 

of coverage. Your agency will also give 

you a notice about your eligibility for the 

temporary continuation of coverage 

described above (paragraph A) and information about how to enroll. 

D. Reinstatement of Coverage 

You cannot reinstate your health benefits 

coverage if you receive a deferred annuity. 

8
 
III. Life Insurance 

A. Conversion Privilege 

Life insurance under the Federal Employees Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) program 

terminates at the end of the pay period in 

which you separate. You then have a 

31-day free extension of coverage during 

which you may convert to an individual 

policy. 

B. Forms You Should Receive: 

·

SF 2821, Agency Certification of 

Insurance Status 

· SF 2819, Notice of Conversion Privilege 

When you separate, your employing office 

must terminate your coverage by completing an SF 2821 and giving you a copy. It 

must also give you an SF 2819 that provides information on your right to convert 

to an individual (nongroup) life insurance 

policy. 

C. Reinstatement of Coverage 

You cannot reinstate your life benefits coverage if you receive a deferred annuity. 

9
 
Additional Information 

You may obtain copies of the pamphlets listed 

below from your personnel office, from OPM’s 

Website (http://www.opm.gov/asd), or from OPM 

ONLINE (OPM’s electronic bulletin board) at (202) 

606-4800. To access OPM ONLINE, your communications software should be set to the following: 

Baud: Up to 28,800
 

Parity: None
 

Data bits: 8
 

Stop bit: 1
 

Publications that provide information about the 

Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) are: 

·

FERS Brochure (An Overview of Your Benefits) 

(RI 90-1) 

·FERS Facts #1 - Information for Separating 

FERS Employees Who Are Not Eligible for an 

Immediate Annuity (RI 90-11) 

·FERS Facts #2 - Information About 

Reemploy-ment for FERS Annuitants (RI 90-18) 

For employees who are eligible to transfer to the 

FERS: 

·

FERS Transfer Handbook (A Guide to Making 

Your Decision) (RI 90-3) 

Pamphlets applicable to employees in both the Civil 

Service Retirement System and Federal Employees 

Retirement System are: 

·

Court-Ordered Benefits for Former Spouses 

(RI 84-1) 

·

Work-Related Injuries and Fatalities — What You 

and Your Family Need to Know About Your 

Benefits (RI 84-2) 

·

Life Events and Your Retirement and Insurance 

Benefits (For Employees) (RI 84-3) 

· Thinking About Retirement? (RI 83-11) 

10 
The pamphlets in the Civil Service Retirement 

System Retirement Facts Series are: 

·

Retirement Facts #1 - The Civil Service 

Retirement System (RI 83-1) 

·

Retirement Facts #2 - Military Service Credit 

Under the Civil Service Retirement System 

(RI 83-2) 

·

Retirement Facts #3 - Deposits and Redeposits 

Under the Civil Service Retirement System 

(RI 83-3) 

·

Retirement Facts #4 - Disability Retirement 

Under the Civil Service Retirement System 

(RI 83-4) 

·

Retirement Facts #5 - Survivor Benefits Under 

the Civil Service Retirement System (RI 83-5) 

·Retirement Facts #6 - Early Retirement Under the 

Civil Service Retirement System (RI 83-6) 

·Retirement Facts #7 - Computing Retirement 

Benefits Under the Civil Service Retirement 

System (RI 83-7) 

·Retirement Facts #8 - Credit for Unused Sick 

Leave Under the Civil Service Retirement System 

(RI 83-8) 

·

Retirement Facts #9 -Refunds Under the Civil 

Service Retirement System (RI 83-9) 

·

Retirement Facts #10 - Voluntary Contributions 

Under the Civil Service Retirement System 

(RI 83-10) 

·

Retirement Facts #11 - Information for Separating 

Civil Service Retirement System Employees Who 

Are Not Eligible for an Immediate Annuity 

(RI 83-13) 

·

Retirement Facts #12 - Information About 

Reemployment for Civil Service Retirement 

System Annuitants (RI 83-18) 

11
 
·

Retirement Facts #13 - CSRS Offset Retirement 

(RI 83-19) 

·

Retirement Facts #14 - Law Enforcement and 

Firefighter Civil Service Retirement System 

Retirement (RI 83-20) 

Pamphlets on the Federal Employees Health and 

Life Insurance Programs are: 

·

Federal Employees Health Benefits Guide 

(RI 70-1) 

·

Temporary Continuation of Coverage (TCC) 

under the Federal Employees Health Benefits 

Program (RI 79-27) 

· Federal Employees Group Life Booklet (RI 76-21) 

12
 
Retirement and Insurance Service 

Serving over 10 million customers, Federal employees, 

annuitants, and their families.