Federal Erroneous Retirement Coverage Corrections Act

Soon to be Separated

I'm leaving the Government, but I was in the wrong retirement plan during my employment. What do I do now?

If you might qualify for help under FERCCA, make sure your agency flags your retirement records when it sends them to OPM.

OPM reviews the records it receives with a claim for benefits to make sure the employee is in the right retirement plan. If there's a mistake, OPM can usually catch it. But, OPM may not be able to tell there was an error, if it has already been corrected. The records OPM gets will simply show that you're where you belong. Whether you have a choice of retirement plans under FERCCA, want to make a claim for out-of-pocket expenses, or can get credit under FERCCA for civilian or military service without making a deposit, it is important that your records are flagged as a FERCCA case. That will help ensure that you are not overlooked when OPM processes its FERCCA cases.

My agency told me I have a choice of retirement plans under FERCCA. I'm leaving the Government soon. If I take a refund of my FERS retirement deductions, do I still get to choose?

That depends on whether the retirement coverage error has already been corrected.

CSRS Offset and FERS coverage if you take a refund of your FERS money.

If you belong in CSRS or CSRS Offset but your records have not been corrected, you'll have a choice between that and FERS, even if you take a refund of your FERS retirement deductions.

My agency told me I have a choice of retirement plans under FERCCA. I'm leaving the Government soon. If I take a refund of my CSRS Offset retirement deductions, do I still get to choose?

Yes, if you are in CSRS or CSRS Offset, even if you belong in FERS, you'll have a choice between CSRS Offset and FERS coverage. You will not lose the right to choose by taking a refund of your CSRS or CSRS Offset retirement deductions.

If I leave the Government, can I still get lost earnings on make-up contributions I made when my agency fixed the retirement error and put me in FERS?

Yes. You can get lost earnings on the make-up contributions you already made to your TSP account, if you decide to stay in FERS. You cannot get lost earnings if you choose CSRS Offset coverage over FERS.

I registered in the FERCCA Database but may be subject to a RIF in the near future. How will this affect the processing of my case?

It does not matter if you no longer work for the Federal Government. If you are separated from the Federal service as a result of a RIF, resign, or retire, you may benefit from FERCCA as long as your retirement coverage error was in effect for at least 3 years after December 31, 1986.

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