Retirement and Benefits

Quality Benefits for the Federal Family

United States 

Office of 

Personnel Management 

The Federal Government’s Human Resources Agency 

Benefits Administration Letter 

Number 10 - 104 Date: May 25, 2010

Subject: Preparing Federal Erroneous Retirement Coverage Correction Act 

(FERCCA) Decision Packages 

Introduction: This Benefits Administration Letter (BAL) provides instructions to 

agencies on preparing FERCCA decision packages. This BAL should only be used when 

the employee has not been previously corrected and has a choice to elect a retirement 

system. 

There are several other BALs that deal with different aspects of FERCCA. The 

following chart should assist you in deciding which BAL to use for different purposes. 

Benefits Administration 

Letter (BAL) Number 

BAL Subject Use this BAL to: 

BAL 02-103 Retirement Coverage Error 

Correction: Erroneous 

FERS Coverage in Effect 

for Less than 3 Years 

Correct erroneous FERS 

coverage that lasted for less 

then 3 years 

BAL 03-104 Retirement Coverage Error 

Correction: Correction of 

Errors that do not provide 

an Election 

Correct FERCCA errors that 

do not provide an election 

BAL 04-106 FERCCA Agency 

Administrative Issues -

Frequently Asked Questions 

Answers miscellaneous 

frequently asked questions on 

a variety of topics such as 

actuarial reductions, Conner 

decisions, FERCCA TSP 

issues. 

BAL 04-107 Required Agency Action for 

Retirement Coverage Error 

Corrections 

Determine how to handle 

different types of retirement 

errors 

BAL 04-108 Making Eligibility 

Determinations Under 

FERCCA 

Determine if someone is 

eligible for FERCCA and 

provides sample notices 
 Retirement and Benefits

Quality Benefits for the Federal Family

letters. 

BAL 05-103 Retirement Coverage Error 

Correction: Correction of 

Errors that Provide an 

Election 

Correct FERCCA errors that 

provide an election 

BAL 06-106 Federal Erroneous Retirement 

Coverage Corrections to 

Standard Form 50's 

Provides instructions on how 

to correct SF 50s for 

FERCCA 

Using this BAL: 

Before using this BAL you need to determine the employee’s eligibility to make a 

retirement election under FERCCA using BAL 04-108 “Making Eligibility Determinations 

Under the FERCCA”. The instructions in BAL 04-108 explain how to provide the 

employee with a FERCCA eligibility letter. The eligibility letter will explain the types of 

retirement coverage errors and their election options. 

Agencies are responsible for providing the FERCCA eligibility letter, election packages, 

and counseling for any FERCCA errors discovered after August 1, 2004. Additional 

information on agencies’ FERCCA responsibilities is covered in BAL 04-107 “Required 

Agency Actions for Retirement Coverage Error Corrections.” 

This BAL is designed as a job aid when you need to provide an employee with a decision 

package. The BAL takes you through the FERCCA election process for each error type 

which includes the election package, counseling for the employee on their FERCCA 

election decision, and the employee’s election. This BAL is sectioned by error type. For 

example if your employee is in CSRS and should be in FERS then you will follow the 

step by step instructions in the first section to create a decision package for the employee. 

Each section provides the documents that should be included in a decision package for 

that error type and provides information to you on assisting the employee in making an 

informed FERCCA decision through the use of scenarios and Fact sheets that cover 

counseling issues. Also included is how the employee makes their election and what to 

do if the employee does not make an election and causes a default election to be 

processed by the agency. 
 Retirement and Benefits

Quality Benefits for the Federal Family

List of Appendices 

I Erroneous CSRS Coverage Employee Belongs in FERS: Election Between 

CSRS Offset and FERS 

II Erroneous CSRS Offset Coverage Employee Belongs in FERS: Election 

Between CSRS Offset and FERS 

III Erroneous CSRS Coverage Employee Belongs in Social Security Only: 

Election Between CSRS Offset and Social Security Only 

IV Erroneous CSRS Offset Coverage Employee Belongs in Social Security 

Only: Election Between CSRS Offset and Social Security Only 

V Erroneous FERS Coverage Employee Belongs in CSRS: Election Between 

FERS or CSRS 

VI Erroneous FERS Employee Belongs in CSRS Offset: Election Between 

FERS or CSRS Offset 

VII Erroneous FERS Employee Belongs in Social Security Only: Election 

Between FERS or Social Security Only 

A Actuarial Charts for Actuarial Reductions 

Kathleen M. McGettigan (Acting) 

Associate Director 

 for Retirement & Benefits