Catch-62Post-1956 Military Service Affects: Federal Civil Servants who have military service after 12/31/1956 and who become eligible for Social Security at age 62.

If military service performed after 12/31/1956 is not purchased at the rate of 7% of military pay received and the annuitant becomes eligible for social security at age 62, then the civil service annuity (at age 62) will be reduced proportionately by the amount of military service occurring after 12/31/1956.

FERS employees are affected as well, particularly since they are covered by Social Security currently, they will definitely be eligible at age 62. Their purchase price for the military service occurring after 12/31/1956 is 3% of military pay received.

If your military service was prior to 1/1/1957 there is no need to buy that service.
If you will not be eligible for Social Security by age 62, there is no need to buy that service.
If you will be eligible for Social Security at age 62, then definitely consider buying it.
If you have some Social Security quarters, you may wish to consider buying it, since employment after retirement could provide the necessary remaining quarters and you must purchase the post-1956 military service before you retire.

Public Law 97-253, The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1982, requires that an individual now in a position under the Civil Service Retirement System or Federal Employees Retirement System make a deposit to that fund in order to obtain retirement credit for past military service.

Your employing office will determine that deposit due from you for each period of military service based on either (1) actual records of military pay which you possess and can supply or (2) a statement of estimated earnings provided by one of the military finance centers listed below.

The National Personnel Records Center cannot provide pay records, pay information, or an estimated figure of pay earned. This Center’s function is to provide verification of all periods of factive military service, if this information is not available to you or your employing office. The enclosed DD Form(s) 214 or equivalent records provides this verification. Please forward these documents to the appropriate address

below:

ARMY: Commander
U.S. Army Finance and Accounting Center
Department 88
Indianapolis, IN 46249

NAVY: Commanding Officer, Navy Finance Center
Attn: 43 C
Anthony J. Celebreeze Federal Building
Cleveland, OH 44199

MARINE CORPS: Commanding Officer
Maine Corps finance Center (Dode 252R)
Kansas City, Missouri 64197

COAST GUARD: Commanding Officer, Settlement and Records
U. S. Coast Guard
Military Retired Pay Center
444 S. East Quincy St.
Topeka, Kansas 66683

PUBLIC HEALTH: Director, Commission Personnel Operations Division
SERVICE: U. S. Public Health Service
Parklawn Building, Room 4-35
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, Maryland 20857

NATIONAL OCEANIC Department of Commerce
AND ATMOSPHERIC NOAA
ADMINISTRATION: Reckville, Maryland 20852