Merchant Marine service is not creditable as military service.
Information about your active duty military service is needed so
that we can compare your claim with other records and request
verification of all claimed military service. This assures that you
are credited with the correct amount of active military service.
Deposit for Military Service
Persons who performed active duty military service after
December 31, 1956, may have paid a deposit to avoid an annuity
reduction. Read the following discussion to determine which
category describes your service. The deposit is 7% of the military
basic pay you received, plus interest at a variable rate determined
each year by the U.S. Treasury Department. Interest is charged if
the deposit is paid after October 1, 1986, or three years after you
were first employed in a civilian position subject to CSRS
coverage, whichever is later. If you did not pay your deposit
while you were still Federally employed, you cannot pay it now,
unless your final separation occurred as stated in 1.b. below.
1. If you were first employed in a civilian position subject to
CSRS coverage before October 1, 1982, and
a. If you were separated from the Federal service before
October 1, 1982, we will allow credit for military
service after 1956 until you are eligible for social
security. Then, we will offset the amount of your civil
service benefit that is attributable to your post-1956
military service by any amount of social security benefit
that is also attributable to that service. The law does not
provide for you to pay a deposit. If you are able to send
us information and documentation concerning your
eligibility for social security benefits, it may help us to
process your application more quickly.
b. If you separated from the Federal service on or after
October 1, 1982, you had the option of paying a deposit
for post-1956 military service in order to avoid any
reduction that would otherwise take effect when you
became eligible for social security benefits. An
exception to the rule that the deposit must be paid while
the individual is still employed exists for individuals
whose final separation from Federal employment
occurred between October 1, 1982, and October 1,
1983. These persons may pay the deposit directly to the
Office of Personnel Management (OPM).
2. If you were first employed in a civilian position subject to
CSRS coverage on or after October 1, 1982, you must have
paid the deposit for post-1956 military service in order to
receive credit for that service for retirement purposes. In
other words, unless you paid the deposit, we will not allow
credit for post-1956 military service at the time your annuity
commences, regardless of whether you are or will become
eligible for social security benefits.
Item 2: Indicate whether or not you are receiving or have
applied for military retired pay. (Military retired pay includes
disability pay.)
If you are receiving military retired pay, your military service
cannot be used for civil service retirement purposes, unless such
retired pay was awarded on account of a service-connected
disability incurred in combat or caused by an instrumentality of
war in the line of duty during a war period, or was awarded under
Chapter 1223, title 10, U.S. Code, Sections 12731 through
12739, formerly chapter 67, title 10 (reserve retired pay at age 60
based on 20 years of active and reserve service). If you are
receiving military retired pay and wish to combine your military
and civilian service to compute your civil service annuity, you
must waive your military retired pay.
In order to waive military retired pay you should send a written
request, specifying the effective date of the waiver and your Social
Security Number, directly to the Military Finance Center from
which you receive retired pay. Preferably this should be done at
least 60 days before the commencing date of your civil service
annuity (your 62nd birthday). Your letter might say, "I, (full name,
military serial number, and Social Security Number), hereby waive
my military retired pay for civil service retirement purposes,
effective close of business (the day before annuity commences)."
If you wish, add "I authorize the Office of Personnel Management
to withhold from my civil service retirement annuity any amount
of military pay granted beyond the effective date of this waiver
due to any delay in receiving or processing this election." This
authorization may hasten the processing of your waiver and your
retirement application.
If you have already waived military retired pay in order to receive
credit for active duty military service for civil service retirement
purposes, attach a copy of your request for waiver and of any reply
you have received.
Section F - Other Claims Information
Item 1: Indicate whether or not you have ever applied for
retirement, refund, deposit or redeposit, or voluntary contributions
under the Civil Service Retirement System. If you have, indicate
which in 1a and the applicable claim numbers in 1b. This helps to
assure that all of your records are located and that proper credit is
given for your service, and for any deposit, redeposit, or voluntary
contribution payments you have made.
Item 2: Indicate whether or not you have ever been employed
under another retirement system for Federal or District of
Columbia employees. If your answer is "yes," fill in the name of
that retirement system in 2a and the dates of service in 2b. This
helps to assure proper consideration is given to all of your service.
The service you show here cannot be used to compute your civil
service annuity if the other retirement system is paying you
retirement based on the service.
Item 3: If you have applied for, or received, workers'
compensation from the Office of Workers' Compensation
Programs, U.S. Department of Labor, because of a job-related
illness or injury sustained during Federal employment, check the
"yes" box and furnish your claim numbers and dates of benefits in
3a and 3b.
The information requested regarding benefits from the Office of
Workers' Compensation Programs is needed because the law
prohibits payment of both civil service retirement annuity and
compensation for total or partial disability under the Federal
Employees' Compensation Act at the same time. In some cases,
credit for service, particularly for periods of leave without pay,
may also be affected.
Section G - Direct Deposit/Direct Express
The U.S. Department of the Treasury pays all federal benefits
electronically. Your payments can be made by Direct Deposit to
your checking or savings account or you need to arrange for a
Direct Express debit card provided by the Department of the
Treasury. To enroll in the Direct Deposit program, contact your
financial institution or OPM. To obtain a debit card, go to
www.godirect.org. If your payments are not electronically
deposited to your account and you do not have a Direct Express
card, you must contact the Department of the Treasury at
1-800-333-1795 to discuss your options. This does not apply if
your permanent payment address is outside the United States in a
country not accessible via Direct Deposit/Direct Express.
OPM Form 1496A
Revised March 2012
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