Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS)

• Veterans who served before Dec. 31, 1956, need not buy back their service years as it is already counted toward retirement.
  
  CSRS employees who served after Jan. 1, 1957, and started their federal career after Oct. 1, 1982, must make a buy back deposit to have the military years count toward eligible retirement years of as well as to increase their annuity.
  
  CSRS employees who have served after Jan. 1, 1957, and started their federal career before Oct. 1, 1982, need not make a deposit for military service to count towards eligible federal service. However, a buy back deposit is required to increase annuity payments.
  
  

Federal Employess Retirement System (FERS)

• FERS employees must make a buy back deposit for military time to increase their annuity.
  
  

Procedure

• Obtain a calculation of military earnings by requesting it from the branch of service pay representative.
  
  Submit the calculation to the federal employer's HR office.
  
  Once the buy back is paid, a notification letter is issued. This letter is submitted with the employee's retirement application.