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Golfingduo - I was ANG, a technician for 14 of that 21, left in 2004 and am straight civil service (AF) now.
That sucks about your QRB. I knew I'd never make it to 60 and be able to keep up the PT and weight requirements.
I was burnt out, there was a young man that wanted my job that I really liked and wanted him to have it.
I was lucky and found an in on a straight civil service position which in my field is almost impossible to do.
I had to leave my home state but you do what you have to do.
I will be 60 in 2016, and have 30 civil service (looks like anyway I can't afford to not work and know I will not be able to find a job paying whatI'm at now. But I would like to move somewhere I want to live and not be shackled to one of the few govt locations for my field as my only options to live. They all suck as far as I'm concerned except for a place in California that I couldn't afford.
I want to cut the cord even though I know its not fiscally smart. I just hate my life, or lack of life here. Its good
money but whats the point?
Thanks for the number, I will report back if I find the magic person who will calculate this all for me.
Sorry I can't offer anything concerning your reserve time..........that being said I do know it is extremely frustrating now as OPM will not perform any estimates or discuss what might be military time, part time, seasonal or the many other aspects that could affect your retirement until that time when you plan on retiring and submit your request.
The retirement backlog continues to grow and for some reason they say FERS is a lot more difficult to figure than CSRS.
Good luck, I know your frustration......I have been helping those with simple retirement (FERS, supplement, SSI, etc.) calculating and to some this is like learning a new language.
I feel your pain after 30 plus years with seven to go I am invested to heavily in this career to get out.
Did you add one to any top number that was below 31? Shouldn't change things by much I wouldn't think.
For the calcs you asked for, I did not add one to any top number (see the calc attachment on Sat). I used the method you quoted in your first post. I am familiar with the method for calculating years of service for annuity computations (OPM booklet chapter 50) that does add 1 to the top number, and I was surprised the method you quoted was different.
Thanks for chiming in JB. I thought that was the case. In order to get an approximate number for $$, I just picked 80,000 as a high 3 which would be a whole whopping 800 a month before taxes and insurance right?
For the annuity it hardly seems worth staying. For the money that goes into TSP and savings yes.
Thats more my concern with leaving and taking a minimium wage or close to it job to supplement my annuity.
For the calcs you asked for, I did not add one to any top number (see the calc attachment on Sat). I used the method you quoted in your first post. I am familiar with the method for calculating years of service for annuity computations (OPM booklet chapter 50) that does add 1 to the top number, and I was surprised the method you quoted was different.
Assuming it was correct and matched a non official booklet I picked up at a couple hour retirement thingy they held at work. That had the 31 day thing in it but I left it at work and couldnt quote it.
For all of you FERS types who may be idly reading this thread who don't know their is a difference between the SCD on your LES and the one calculated in retirement - there is a potentially big difference. And they don't actually calculate your final creditable service which your annuity is based off until AFTER you retire.
I don't have all my SF-50s and have not gone back and scrutinized them all with a fine tooth comb which is what is recommended. Instead I got a Certified Summary Sheet/SF 3107-1 done and that's what I'm basing
my date on. Hopefully its correct.
This is an eye opener! The Biggest Problem with Benefits Estimates : FedSmith.com
In order to get an approximate number for $$, I just picked 80,000 as a high 3 which would be a whole whopping 800 a month before taxes and insurance right?
For the annuity it hardly seems worth staying.
I would encourage you to stay for a full 30 years of civilian service since you are so close, say June 30. The taxes and insurance are not that much. They don't take out 6.2% Social Security or 1.45% medicare from pensions. Just income tax and the FEHB insurance premium (which you still only pay ~25% the gov pays ~75%, just like when you are working).
The ability to keep your FEHB insurance is a great retirement benefit. So be sure you are retirement eligible for an immediate annuity and you were covered by FEHB for the 5 years prior to retirement.
FERS:
AgeYears of Service
62... 5
60...20
MRA..30
MRA..10
Oh I plan on 30 - which is why this thread on what is my retirement SCD. I want to hit 60 when I get my little guard pension and then if I've got 30 I will hit the road Jack! Well assuming I can figure out where I want to retire and find a little job there. I think that part is doable. Just want to make sure I have 30 when I hit 60 which with your help it looks like that is the case. Btw those two and a low wage job I should not have to dip into TSP if I move to an area of acceptable cost of living and live frugally. Fingers crossed. Socially I cannot live here where I do not want to retire any longer.
OK I understand now.
age 60 with a full 30 years of service. The civil service annuity calc is likely more complicated due to the breaks in service (were the first 3 yrs CSRS?), but for a ball park estimate:
1) FERS annuity (1%/yr = 30% of high 3) ex/ .30 x $80,000 = $24,000/yr or $2,000/month
2) FERS supplement until getting SS at age 62
3) ANG retirement pay
4) TSP withdrawls
Golfingduo - I was ANG, a technician for 14 of that 21, left in 2004 and am straight civil service (AF) now.
That sucks about your QRB. I knew I'd never make it to 60 and be able to keep up the PT and weight requirements.
I was burnt out, there was a young man that wanted my job that I really liked and wanted him to have it.
I was lucky and found an in on a straight civil service position which in my field is almost impossible to do.
I had to leave my home state but you do what you have to do.
I will be 60 in 2016, and have 30 civil service (looks like anyway I can't afford to not work and know I will not be able to find a job paying whatI'm at now. But I would like to move somewhere I want to live and not be shackled to one of the few govt locations for my field as my only options to live. They all suck as far as I'm concerned except for a place in California that I couldn't afford.
I want to cut the cord even though I know its not fiscally smart. I just hate my life, or lack of life here. Its good
money but whats the point?
Thanks for the number, I will report back if I find the magic person who will calculate this all for me.
My pleasure. It is okay on the QRB. I am 57 almost 58 so I don't have that long to wait. My hope is my office will keep me on as a contractor for an additional year to 2016 September. If not I am pretty sure that my 25000 annual pension plus supplement will keep me from having to find a high paying job. If the job keeps me in for a year I can make it easily. I will let you know what my office decides too. Where are you thinking on moving? We live in MA and plan on relocating to TN/GA/SC/NC one of those four states.
If you retire before age 60, I suggest working at least an extra month beyond the 30 years just to be safe in case you miscalculate the years of service. A year or so ago, there was an article in one of the Fed news site where a fed retired at MRA with 30 years. His agency had reviewed his package and he retired. But then OPM performed the final review and denied six months of seasonal work. Just bringing this up because you have a few short work intervals listed. In my case, I worked for 3 months for the Forest Service during college as a summer hire and my agency has accepted this (and I bought back the time). But after reading that article, I'm not even counting that time in my creditable service. Of course if you work to age 60, you are covered as you can retire at 60 with just 20 years of service.
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I can't afford to not work and know I will not be able to find a job paying whatI'm at now. But I would like to move somewhere I want to live and not be shackled to one of the few govt locations for my field as my only options to live. They all suck as far as I'm concerned except for a place in California that I couldn't afford. 
