FERS Creditable Military Service
All honorable active duty military service is potentially creditable under the retirement systems. Creditable military service includes honorable active duty service in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and U.S. Coast Guard. In certain circumstances, service in the National Guard (Title 32, U.S. Code) is creditable military service.
Deposit for Post 1956 Military Service
A deposit is not owed for honorable active duty military service performed before 01-Jan-1957. However, beginning in 1957, military service became subject to Social Security taxes and consequently will be creditable for Social Security purposes. Because the military service is now creditable under Social Security, you must pay a deposit if you also want to receive credit for the service under FERS.
USERRA Deposits
If the military service interrupts a period of civilian service and the employee exercises reemployment rights after 07/31/1990, the deposit is the lesser of the deposit amount based on military basic pay or the amount of FERS, FERS-RAE, or FERS-FRAE contributions that would have been withheld for the same period of civilian service.
Please note - Military Service Deposits must be paid in full prior to the date of separation or retirement. Because processing time requires approximately 120 days, employees who are anticipating retirement should plan accordingly.
How to buy back your military service:
- Complete an Estimated Earnings During Military Service request form, RI 20-97, for each branch of service.
- Attach your Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214 (or equivalent) to the RI 20-97 and send to the appropriate military finance center (External site).
- After you receive your statement of military earnings, send a copy with your DD 214 to your human resources office. HR will prepare an estimate of your military deposit and assist you with the application to make military service deposit. The required documents will be forwarded to DFAS.
Next, DFAS will notify you of the amount due by mail and provide instructions for making payments.
You can make payments directly to your payroll office by check, money order or payroll deductions as directed in the military deposit payment request letter you receive. You may also use pay.gov (External site) to make your payments directly to the payroll office. (Please note, you will need the identification number on your notification letter from DFAS to complete a payment via pay.gov) The deposit may be made in a single lump sum or by paying in installments. Your deposit balance and each payment will be reflected in block 20 of your Leave and Earnings Statement (LES).
After you have paid your military deposit you must request a Paid-in-Full Letter through HRO.