Retirement

- Dozens of CSRS and FERS publications, straight from the source

Branch 2184 has been providing expanded retirement assistance ever since the Postal Service discontinued local retirement counseling. In the past three year term 91 members have retired and in excess of 200 members have been provided assistance by appointment or by phone. The following is basic information you will need to determine your retirement eligibility.

Eligibility for CSRS Retirement

Optional Age Service (years)

62 5

60 20

55 30

Eligibility for FERS Retirement

Immediate Age Service (years)

62 5

60 20

MRA 30

MRA = Minimum Retirement Age

Year of birth determines MRA - Example: (If you were born in 1953 through 1964 your MRA is age 56. Years after 1965 increases your MRA.

If you meet the age and years of service requirements listed above, you are eligible for a CSRS Optional or a FERS Immediate retirement. Booklets have been prepared and updated to provide CSRS and FERS carriers with answers to their retirement choices and decisions. Both booklets are available at

the Branch.

Follow the below steps to insure a trouble free retirement process.

At least ONE YEAR prior to retirement:

Request an annuity estimate, which will help in personal financial planning. This computation will

also aid in making decisions about waiving military pay, and paying deposits or re-deposits.

Apply to make any deposits for civilian and post-1956 military service if applicable or find out how such service would be credited if deposits are not made.

6 months prior to retirement:

Request retirement paper work (Blue Book) from Shared Services (1-877-477-3273 Option 5) six months prior to planned retirement date.
Fill out retirement application (Blue Book). If you need assistance or are confused by any decisions you have to make you can contact the Union Office for assistance. Help will be provided by phone or an appointment can be made to meet with the Retirees Officer at the Branch.
Call Shared Services for an individual phone counseling appointment 120 days prior to your
Remove completed pages from Blue Book, make copies for yourself and mail to address listed in book. Retirement date is your last work day. Branch 2184 provides assistance to any member, in good standing, involving any aspect of the retirement process. Just call the Branch office or notify your steward that you want the union's assistance.

If you were born Your MRA is

Before 1948 55

In 1948 55 and 2 months

In 1949 55 and 4 months

In 1950 55 and 6 months

In 1951 55 and 8 months

In 1952 55 and 10 months

In 1953 through 1964 56

In 1965 56 and 2 months

In 1966 56 and 4 months

In 1967 56 and 6 months

In 1968 56 and 8 months

In 1969 56 and 10 months

In 1970 and after 57

Buy Back your Military Time

Additional NALC retirement publications

These NALC retirement booklets and leaflets are available free to members. Contact the NALC Retirement Department for copies. See note of caution.

The publications are also available here in PDF format. Click on the booklet or leaflet to browse it online, right-click and save to download.

Questions & Answers on the Civil Service Retirement System

This NALC booklet covers Civil Service Retirement System retirement eligibility, credit for

service, types of retirement, survivor elections, the Thrift Savings Plan, health and life insurance,

and more.

Questions & Answers on the Federal Employees' Retirement System

Covers Federal Employees Retirement System retirement eligibility, credit for service, types of

retirement, survivor elections, Social Security, the Thrift Savings Plan, health and life insurance,

and more.

Survivor's Guide to CSRS, FERS, and Social Security

This booklet covers questions spouses or other survivors may have about death benefits. It applies

to survivors under both the Civil Service Retirement System and the Federal Employees Retirement

System.

Preparing for Retirement

As one starts preparing for retirement, the first question that usually comes to

mind is when and where to begin the process.

Since there is a lot of information to absorb, many forms to be concerned with and

quite a few decisions to make, all of this has been put into a framework of steps to follow in

preparing for retirement.

This pamphlet outlines some steps that should aid in your preparation.

When a Retired Letter Carrier Dies . . .

NALC understands that dealing with matters after someone dies is a necessary task, but often one

which is hard for the bereaved to cope with.

The Retirement Department stands ready to help spouses and other survivors through

the steps they must take to obtain survivor benefits.

This leaflet details the agencies and institutions that must be notified in order for survivors to receive

retirement benefits.

When an Active Letter Carrier Dies . . .

The days following the death of an active letter carrier can prove to be quite traumatic. Many forms

and notices must be obtained from the Postal Service and completed at this extremely stressful time.

The NALC stands ready to assist our members and their families during these difficult times. The

information in this brochure, prepared as a guide with the letter carrier’s family in mind, contains

data that can assist a survivor with this daunting task.

NALC members can help to ease the burden of their survivors by completing the personal

information section on the back of this pamphlet.

*Caution: The information in these publications is based on the laws, regulations, policies, etc.,

in effect at the time they were published.