FERS minimum retirement age by year of birth
The FERS minimum retirement age (MRA) is 56 for federal employees born from 1953 to 1964 and 57 for those born in 1970 or later, with 2-month steps in between. Type your date of birth to see your MRA and the date it falls. The table is OPM’s, read on the day shown below.
Month, day and year. It is not sent, saved or put in the address.
Your FERS minimum retirement age
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Type your date of birth. OPM sets the age by year of birth.
| If you were born | Your MRA is |
|---|---|
| Before 1948 | 55 |
| 1948 | 55 and 2 months |
| 1949 | 55 and 4 months |
| 1950 | 55 and 6 months |
| 1951 | 55 and 8 months |
| 1952 | 55 and 10 months |
| 1953-1964 | 56 |
| 1965 | 56 and 2 months |
| 1966 | 56 and 4 months |
| 1967 | 56 and 6 months |
| 1968 | 56 and 8 months |
| 1969 | 56 and 10 months |
| 1970 and after | 57 |
Source: OPM: FERS eligibility, opened on .
Immediate retirement: the age and the years of service OPM lists
An immediate FERS retirement benefit is one that starts within 30 days from the date you stop working. You are entitled to it if you meet one of these four sets of age and service.
| Age | Years of service |
|---|---|
| 62 | 5 |
| 60 | 20 |
| Your MRA | 30 |
| Your MRA | 10 (benefit reduced 5 percent for each year under 62, unless you have 20 years and it starts at 60 or later) |
What is the FERS minimum retirement age?
It is the age OPM uses to decide when you can retire under the Federal Employees Retirement System basic benefit plan with enough service, and it is set by year of birth: 55 for births before 1948; 55 and 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 months for 1948 to 1952; 56 for 1953 to 1964; 56 and 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 months for 1965 to 1969; and 57 for 1970 and after.
At what age can I retire with an immediate FERS benefit?
OPM lists four ways to an immediate retirement benefit, one that starts within 30 days from the date you stop working: age 62 with 5 years of service, age 60 with 20 years, the MRA with 30 years, or the MRA with 10 years. Early, deferred and disability retirement have other age and service rules that this page does not calculate.
Is the benefit reduced if I retire at the MRA?
If you retire at the MRA with at least 10 but less than 30 years of service, OPM says your benefit will be reduced by 5 percent a year for each year you are under 62, unless you have 20 years of service and your benefit starts when you reach age 60 or later. The reduction rule on OPM’s page is for 10 to under 30 years of service.
Does the MRA change if I was born on the 1st of a month?
Not confirmed. OPM’s chart is by year of birth and its page states no rule for people born on the 1st of a month or on January 1. Social Security has such a rule for its own ages, but it is not applied to the MRA here because OPM does not say so. This page shows your birth date plus the MRA, with the row of the calendar year you were born. Ask your agency’s benefits officer for the exact date.
Is the MRA the same as Social Security’s full retirement age?
No. They are two different programs with two different tables. The MRA comes from OPM and runs from 55 to 57; Social Security’s full retirement age runs from 65 to 67. Age 62, full retirement age, Medicare at 65 and age 70 are on the home page timeline.
Who does this page cover?
The general FERS basic benefit plan eligibility chart on OPM’s page. Rules for special groups of employees are not covered here and were not confirmed on the page we read. For an annuity estimate, OPM has its own calculators, including the Federal Ball Park Estimator.
Questions about fers minimum retirement age
What is the FERS MRA for someone born in 1965?
56 and 2 months. OPM’s chart adds 2 months a year after 1964: 56 and 4 months for 1966, 56 and 6 months for 1967, 56 and 8 months for 1968 and 56 and 10 months for 1969.
What is the FERS MRA for someone born in 1970?
57. OPM’s chart says 57 for births in 1970 and after.
Does the MRA depend on my years of service?
No. The MRA depends on your year of birth only. Your years of service decide which benefit you are entitled to at that age, for example the MRA with 10 years or the MRA with 30 years.
How big is the reduction at 57?
With the MRA at 57 and 10 to under 30 years of service, OPM’s rule of 5 percent for each year under 62 means 5 years under 62, so 5 percent times 5, which is 25 percent. Part of a year is not covered on the page we read, so ask your agency for your exact date and figure.
Does this page show my annuity?
No. It shows no dollar amount. OPM publishes calculators, including the Federal Ball Park Estimator, and your agency’s benefits officer can give you an estimate.
Where does the date on this page come from?
It is your date of birth plus the MRA in years and months, with the day clamped to the end of a short month. OPM gives the age, not the day, so confirm the date with your agency.
Related tools
More ways to check your federal retirement ages.
Retirement age timeline
Your ages 62, full retirement age, 65 and 70, month by month.Full retirement age chart
Social Security full retirement age by year of birth, with months.Medicare eligibility age
Your 7-month sign-up window and when coverage starts.Early vs delayed retirement
Percent of your benefit if you start early or wait, never dollars.
Sources: what this page states and where we read it
| What the page says | Official page and where on it | Opened |
|---|---|---|
| The FERS Minimum Retirement Age is 55 for births before 1948, rises 2 months a year to 55 and 10 months for 1952, is 56 for 1953-1964, rises 2 months a year to 56 and 10 months for 1969 and is 57 for 1970 and after. | OPM: FERS eligibilityTable “Eligibility Information”, If you were born / Your MRA is | |
| An immediate FERS retirement benefit needs age 62 with 5 years of service, age 60 with 20 years, the MRA with 30 years, or the MRA with 10 years. | OPM: FERS eligibilitySection “Immediate Retirement” | |
| Retiring at the MRA with 10 to under 30 years of service reduces the benefit 5 percent a year for each year under 62, unless you have 20 years and the benefit starts at 60 or later. | OPM: FERS eligibilitySection “Immediate Retirement” | |
| Not confirmed. How OPM counts the MRA for someone born on the 1st of a month or on January 1 is NOT CONFIRMED: the OPM page gives the age by year of birth and states no day-of-month rule, so the site shows your birth date plus the MRA and tells you to confirm with your agency. | OPM: FERS eligibilityTable “Eligibility Information” and the notes around it (no day-of-month rule is stated) | |
| OPM has its own retirement calculators, including the Federal Ball Park Estimator. | OPM: Retirement calculatorsPage “Calculators” |
Not confirmed: The day-of-month rule for the MRA, special groups of employees, early retirement after a reorganization, deferred and disability retirement and every annuity amount are not covered or not confirmed here. OPM and your agency decide your case.
General information from official sources, not advice. Rules can change by law, and the agency decides your case. Confirm your dates with the Social Security Administration, Medicare or the Office of Personnel Management before you decide. Nothing you type leaves your browser.