FERS and military time
- Thread starter SharkBait
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No. 20 years minimum in the FAA before you’re eligible for retirement.
SharkBait
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If I did 20 for the FAA would I be eligible for the 1.7 for all 35 years,(30 year retirement at 1.7) or would it be the 1.7 for the ATC years and 1% for the military?
ramfan402402
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This is super easy to Google. 1.7% for 20 years of federal ATC. Anything beyond that including military time (if you bought that time back) is 1%.
SharkBait
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I understand that military time is 1 percent, but it doesn't say if it counts towards your retirement in years. If you are over 30 years federal time you are eligible for a standard FERS retirement (non atc) of 1.7 percent for all 30. The question more or less is if your military time counts to push you to that 30 , or is just worth the flat 1% regardless of years
Cheese6432
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If you buy back those 15 years military service, you can technically retire after 10 years in the FAA since you’ll meet the 25 year requirement, so to answer your question, yes you can (if you buy that time back). If you buy your time back, your entire time combined will be calculated off of your high-3 and 20 years will be at 1.7%, the remaining at 1%
Google OPM FERS handbook. It’s full of good info, make sure you start in the FERS section
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19 years of military service and 1 year of FAA service deems the individual eligible for retirement? Wow.
Cheese6432
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No, not 19 + 1, it’s either 20 years FAA ATC or 25 cumulative federal service
Cheese6432
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Quote:
military service isn't creditable federal service in most circumstances. all this is covered and sourced in the faqs.
I went back and reread some of the FERS handbook, all military service if bought back regardless of timeframe is added the retirement computation, but it looks like creditable military service is only counted towards civilian service for retirement ELIGIBILITY only AFTER entering federal civilian service. So my previous quote may be wrong. Any length of military years after entering civilian service (that are bought back) would then count towards the 25 year eligibility to then retire.
source: OPM FERS handbook sections 46B2.1-1 A and B
military service isn't creditable federal service in most circumstances. all this is covered and sourced in the faqs.
I went back and reread some of the FERS handbook, all military service if bought back regardless of timeframe is added the retirement computation, but it looks like creditable military service is only counted towards civilian service for retirement ELIGIBILITY only AFTER entering federal civilian service. So my previous quote may be wrong. Any length of military years after entering civilian service (that are bought back) would then count towards the 25 year eligibility to then retire.
source: OPM FERS handbook sections 46B2.1-1 A and B
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Bought back military service is only used to add to the retirement pay calculation. It is never used for good time/eligibility. The exception for when military service is creditable is when already a federal employee and getting concurrent military service (ie: guard unit being activated, title 32 position, etc.).
SharkBait
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I guess thats a better way to address the question, I knew it wasnt good for ATC retirement, but I wasnt sure if the time could be used for general federal cumulative time(not atc special but GS general equivalent) or if it was only added for post retirement calculations cumulative federal service
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just the 1% for mil time afaik and i do not believe it can be added to your fed time to be able to hit the 1.7%
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It’s all correct that generally military time bought back does not in itself count towards making you eligible for a FERS retirement. The exception is military time that interrupted civilian service and you exercised USERRA reemployment rights. It can be confusing because there are different types of retirement under FERS, but I’ll just focus on your question of MRA (minimum retirement age) +30. FERS allows for someone to retire at their MRA (57 for those born in 1970 and after) with an unreduced pension so long as they have at least 30 years service. Military time does count towards the 30 years, as long as they have at least 5 years civilian service. This rule applies to all federal employees. Where it differs for ATC is that all good years then get the higher 1.7% multiplier. Your 15 years of military time could be used to help qualify for MRA +30 if you had additionally worked for at least 15 years of civilian service and are 57 or older. However, only time as a civilian government controller would count for the 1.7%. Your military bought back time would still only count for 1%.
Now some downsides. As a controller you will have to be retired by the end of the month in which you turn 56. Therefore, getting to your MRA would require at least one more year worked in another government job. Also, because it’s under the regular rules of FERS and not the special provisions for ATC an MRA +30 pension isn’t eligible for COLA until 62. Except for controllers with a lot of good time, this is highly unlikely to be a better choice than the normal ATC pension.
If you are thinking of getting out with 15 years and going FAA, definitely look into Guard or Reserves too. Your Active time will automatically count towards your reserve pension calculation and can be bought back into FERS. A reserve pension doesn’t require that you waive payments in order to apply the same time to a FERS pension once claimed, unlike an Active Duty pension.
Now some downsides. As a controller you will have to be retired by the end of the month in which you turn 56. Therefore, getting to your MRA would require at least one more year worked in another government job. Also, because it’s under the regular rules of FERS and not the special provisions for ATC an MRA +30 pension isn’t eligible for COLA until 62. Except for controllers with a lot of good time, this is highly unlikely to be a better choice than the normal ATC pension.
If you are thinking of getting out with 15 years and going FAA, definitely look into Guard or Reserves too. Your Active time will automatically count towards your reserve pension calculation and can be bought back into FERS. A reserve pension doesn’t require that you waive payments in order to apply the same time to a FERS pension once claimed, unlike an Active Duty pension.
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Cheese6432
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All great info! I’d like to add that you CAN actually work past 56 years old AS LONG AS you have not yet completed 20 years of FAA ATC service, which THEN you would hit your mandatory retirement time.
Law under Title 5 USC 8335 Mandatory Separation:
(a) An air traffic controller shall be separated from the service on the last day of the month in which he becomes 56 years of age OR completes the age and service requirements for an annuity under section 8336(e), whichever occurs later.
