Applying for Deferred 


or Postponed Retirement 


Under the Federal 


Employees Retirement 


System (FERS)


This pamphlet is for former 

employees who: 

•	 were covered under FERS,

•	 and are applying for deferred 

retirement, 

•	 or postponed the beginning 

date of their retirement and 

now want the benefit to begin.
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Thursday, April 1

We provide re

You will find 

information a

http://ww

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retire@op
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Thursday, April 1

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Thursday, April 1

was covered b

System (FER

retirement ann

you want to a

at least 1 mon

service (or tra

FERS) and: 

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civilian ser

retirement 

• you compl

service, inc

and are elig

Retirement 

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a deferred ann

Retirement A

eligible for an 

Retirement A

the commenci

avoid the age 

Do not use th

Application fo

to apply for an 

month since y

If you want to 

of your separa

for Immediate 

your former e
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Thursday, April 1

one of the foll

• You have c

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day of the mo

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service.

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If your 

of birth 

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1948 

1949 

1950 

1951 

1952 

1953 to 1964 

1965 

1966 

1967 

1968 

1969 

After 1969 
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Thursday, April 1

years of servi

reach age 60, 

Your annuity 

per year) for e

commencing 

However, you 

of your annuit

reduction. If y

commencing 

you elected w

Health Be

Federal D

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If you separat

the Minimum 

of service, bu

your annuity t

you are eligib

Health Benefi

Group Life In

the program f

before you sep

ally from you

eligible to ree

Program if yo

from Federal 

If you separat

10 years of se

Retirement A

service with a

service, and a

you are not el

life insurance 

you had while 
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Thursday, April 1

you may choo

(as well as tho

deducted from 

deduction of p

administrator, 

1-800-582-33

Depending on 

of one or two 

premiums can 

If you are not 

your spouse, a

FLTCIP cove

deferred or po

application by 

number listed 

Applicants mu

to be approve

Ap

Form to U

Use form RI 9

Postponed Re

postponed ret

Employees Re

When to S

Office of P

(OPM) 

Send your app

Management 

you want you

completed app
What to d

Before Pr

If your addres

has been forw

Management, 

to us to report 

your claim nu

have not recei

your name, da

You can phon

TTY equipme

to write to us, 

U.S. Offic

ATTN: Ch

P.O. Box 

Boyers, P

In addition, no

forwarding ad

What Hap

Retiremen

After OPM re

you a claim n

“CSA.” This n

an annuitant b

time you writ

annuity.

OPM will rev

service on file 

necessary to c

is available. If 

information fr

When we fini

send you a bo
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Thursday, April 1

the first busin

for which the 

payments for 

check dated Ju

Method of 

The U.S. Dep

Federal benef

Most Federal 

Direct Deposi

annuity paym

at a financial 

If you do not 

have your ann

bank account, 

card. Your an

deposited to th

date. 

You cannot re

Deposit or Di

permanent pa

States in a cou

available. 

To select a me

of RI 92-19, A

Retirement. If 

payments via 

savings accou

routing numb

address, and t

institution in p

Instructions). 

If you elect to 

Direct Expres

for informatio

electronically 

do not have a 
Services Onli

www.services

begin, you wi

system. If you 

1-888-767-67

Standard Form 

Form, to the O

(OPM). Befor

verified your 

account numb

you bank. Bot

the form. You

SF 1199A to u

U.S. Offic

Retireme

P.O. Box 

Boyers, P

When you rec

you will conti

your mailing 

Married A

If you are mar

be computed w

survivor bene

The maximum 

your unreduce

by 10% to pro

can elect to pr

of your unred

your annuity) 

must get your 

options.
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Thursday, April 1

(25% of your 

annuity at reti

Spousal C

If you are mar

maximum sur

spouse must c

which is part 

Deferred or P

completed by 

Office of Pers

with your app

Waiving t

Requirem

OPM may wa

you show that 

determined. A 

be accompani

• a judicial d

whereabou

• affidavits b

one of who

the inabilit

stating the 

You must 

such as new

disappeara

The Office of 

waive the spo

a judicial dete

that would wa

based on exce

of the retiring 

waiving the sp
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Thursday, April 1

before reachin

spouse surviv

You may elec

more than one 

survivor annu

of your annuit

benefits. Also

your spouse’s 

any benefit el

can be elected 

combined sur

your current a

benefit and th

your annuity a

Electing a 

Current S

Gives a S

Spouse 

If a court orde

former spouse

concerning a 

as if there wer

annuity. By el

current spouse 

spouse’s right

entitlement in 

before age 55

order). You sh

page 11 under 

for a Current 

Survivor Annu

paragraphs ex

at the time of 

spouse’s futur

annuity to a fo
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Thursday, April 1

survivor annu

reduction for 

will be eligibl

ordered for th

If you die bef

the total amou

cannot exceed 

of Personnel M

terms of the c

election. The 

survivor bene

to the terms o

gives the entir

spouse, your w

annuity until t

Then your wi

annuity accor

gives less than 

former spouse

annuity no gre

court-ordered 

annuity. How

entitlement to 

remarriage be

of the court or

receive the su

For example, 

spouse surviv

annuity, you e

your current s

spouse’s entit

former spouse 

to 40% of you

receive a surv

annuity. How

entitlement to 

would then re

of your annuit
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Thursday, April 1

If a former sp

will prevent y

survivor annu

anticipated ne

interest annui

documentatio

this benefit. T

amount of the 

it are explaine

Interest Survi

Your Spouse. 

If you elect an 

for your curre

must jointly w

If you elect an 

your current s

entitlement be

reduction in y

interest annui

annuity reduc

interest electio

spouse annuit

spouse losing 

annuity. Your 

be entitled to 

former spouse 

widow(er) can 

for the insurab

If for any reas

Management 

interest electio

spouse will be 

regular surviv

signs another 

consenting to 

receive a part
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Thursday, April 1

financial bene

close relative)

you are in goo

If you choose 

the reduction 

difference bet

person named 

in the table be

of your reduc

Age of 

N

In Relati

Retirin

Older, same a

years younge

5 but less tha

10 years youn

10 but less th

15 years youn

15 but less th

20 years youn

20 but less th

25 years youn

25 but less th

30 years youn

30 or more ye

You can elec

addition to a 

former spouse

the regular s

interest benef
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Thursday, April 1

the parties we

subject to the 

processing. (M

after you retir

survivor annu

of these event

longer be redu

made at retire

election termi

annuitant mus

within 2 years 

a survivor ann

retirement or 

Continuing a 

effective to re

married after 

Insurable Int

provide an ins

person you na

annuity dies o

current spouse 

regular surviv

lost entitleme

also ends if, a

interest benef

survivor annu

the marriage. 

insurable inte

elect to provid

within two ye

cancel the ins

your insurable 
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Thursday, April 1

Regular A

You may chan

days after the 

payment, you 

should write t

U.S. Offic

Federal E

P.O. Box 

Boyers, P

Your first reg

annuity check 

than an estima

after the Offic

initially comp

under the Fed

(FERS) and h

time of retirem

When the 30-

first regular m

change your e

explained in t

If It is Mo

Date of Yo

Payment, 

from the 

Annuity 

If you are mar

your decision 

you may incre

must request t

months after t

Your annuity 

elect the maxi

elect a partial 
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Thursday, April 1

you are chang

survivor bene

from none to 

to a full benef

paid.) This de

months after t

Electing S

Spouse Ac

If you are mar

reduced annui

your spouse, i

Management 

two years of t

either a full su

before reducti

survivor annu

reduction for 

same person y

cannot elect a 

amount provid

There will be 

elect to provid

the reduction 

reduction dep

provide a full 

annuity. The y

annuity is 10% 

yearly reducti

of your annuit

provide the su

your marriage 

The other redu

actuarial redu

deposit. The d

the new annui

each month si

reduction is d

the deposit by 
Office o

To expedite o

claim number 

telephone us a

equipment, ca

business hour

hours of 7:30 

Time), you ma

Service Speci

inquiry/reque

You can also 

other informa

http:
United StateS


Office Of PerSOnnel ManageMent


Retirement Services 

1900 E Street, NW 

Washington, DC 20415 

www.opm.gov/retire 

RI 92-19A 

Revised May 2012

Previous editions are not usable