Under FERS, retirement eligibility is not determined by age alone or by service alone. The two work together, and the combination determines whether an annuity is reduced or unreduced.
Many federal employees assume they can retire as soon as they reach a familiar age such as 55 or 60. In practice, the age you reach, the years of creditable service you have, and the type of retirement you choose all affect when you can retire and how much your monthly annuity will be. This guide explains the core rules in plain language so you know which questions to bring to your official retirement records.
Minimum Retirement Age
The minimum retirement age (MRA) is the earliest age at which a FERS employee can begin receiving an annuity. It depends on your year of birth: employees born in 1948 or earlier have an MRA of 55, employees born in 1970 or later have an MRA of 57, and birth years in between phase upward. Knowing your MRA is the first step in any timeline.
Unreduced Versus Reduced Annuities
An unreduced annuity is paid without an early-retirement penalty. Common paths to an unreduced annuity include retiring at your MRA with 30 years of service, retiring at age 60 with 20 years, or retiring at age 62 with 5 years.
A reduced annuity may be available at your MRA with at least 10 years of service. The reduction applies because the annuity starts before age 62, and the amount is lowered for each year of early payment.
Why Service Dates Matter
The number of years counted toward retirement depends on your creditable service. Gaps, leave without pay, and part-time periods can change the total, so a service history review is valuable well before your planned date.
Planning Takeaway
Build a simple table with your birth year, MRA, projected service at each possible retirement date, and the resulting annuity type. Comparing dates in this way often clarifies whether waiting a few months or a few years makes a meaningful difference.
Minimum Retirement Age by Birth Year
| Year of birth | Minimum retirement age (MRA) |
|---|---|
| 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 to 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 later | 57 |
Confirm your own MRA with OPM, because it can be affected by special provisions for certain positions.
Three Examples
- Example 1: An employee born in 1965 whose MRA is 56 and 2 months retires at that age with 30 years of service. This meets the MRA plus 30 years milestone, so the annuity is unreduced.
- Example 2: An employee who turns 60 with 22 years of service can retire with an unreduced annuity under the age 60 with 20 years milestone.
- Example 3: An employee born in 1972 (MRA 57) who retires at 57 with 12 years of service qualifies for MRA+10 retirement. The annuity is generally reduced by 5 percent for each year under age 62, so five years early means a 25 percent reduction, unless the employee postpones the start date.
Other Eligibility Paths
Besides immediate and MRA+10 retirement, a deferred retirement may be available if you leave federal service before you are eligible for an immediate annuity, and early retirement may apply when an agency offers it during a downsizing or reorganization (age 50 with 20 years of service, or any age with 25 years). Disability retirement has its own eligibility rules, including a minimum amount of service and an application for Social Security disability benefits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the reduction permanent?
The reduction generally applies for the life of the annuity, although some options let you postpone the start date to reduce or avoid it. Ask OPM how it applies to you.
Does military service count toward eligibility?
Some military service can count toward creditable service, sometimes after a deposit. Check with your human resources office and OPM.
Do part-time years count?
Part-time service generally counts, but the amount of credit may be prorated, so review how your own history is recorded.
Where can I confirm my numbers?
Your agency’s human resources office and OPM retirement services can confirm your MRA and your creditable service.