Leaving the Government

When you separate from service, you can apply to receive a lump-sum credit of your retirement deductions Your refund will be paid to you in a one-time payment. Please note, however, that receipt of a refund of your lump-sum credit generally forecloses your eligibility to receive retirement service credit for any period of refunded service. Therefore, taking a refund of retirement deductions may ultimately affect your ability to establish eligibility for future retirement annuity benefits or may reduce the amount of retirement annuity you may otherwise receive.

In the alternative to taking a refund of retirement deductions upon separation, and if you had at least five years of creditable civilian service prior to separation, you may leave your retirement deductions in the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund, and may wait until you have reached the age and service necessary to be eligible to retire for the purpose of establishing entitlement to deferred recurring monthly annuity benefits.