A civilian service deposit concerns a period when retirement deductions were not taken. It is different from repaying a refund of contributions, purchasing military service credit or correcting a retirement coverage error.
For FERS, the dates and legal category of the appointment matter. OPM describes deposit treatment for qualifying nondeduction service before 1989, with exceptions that require an agency review. A temporary appointment after that date is not automatically purchasable simply because you worked for the government.
Identify the service before requesting a bill
| Item | Record to locate |
|---|---|
| Appointment dates | Beginning and ending personnel actions, including breaks |
| Retirement coverage | Coverage codes and deductions for the exact appointment |
| Pay history | Agency-certified earnings for the period |
| Previous action | Any deposit application, payment, refund or correction notice |
| Agency determination | Written creditability and deposit-processing instructions |
Use a separate row for each appointment. Do not combine federal, military, contractor and nonappropriated-fund work into a single total. The agency must determine which category applies before a payment can be connected to retirement credit.
Ask about both kinds of credit
Ask the benefits office how the period affects eligibility and the annuity computation, with and without a completed deposit. Those are distinct questions. A service date displayed in a personnel system does not prove that the necessary payment has been completed.
Request the applicable principal, interest, calculation date and payment instructions through the agency's established process. An old estimate is not a current payoff bill. Keep receipts and a written confirmation identifying the service period credited after payment.
Do not send money based on a calculator, an advertisement or another employee's bill. General FERS pension illustrations cannot establish whether a particular appointment is creditable.
Before relying on the estimate
- Has HR confirmed the appointment category and governing retirement system?
- Is an exception being claimed, and which written authority supports it?
- What changes if the deposit remains unpaid?
- Does the current estimate include a payment that has not cleared?
- Who updates the service record and issues confirmation?
- What deadline applies to your actual processing route?
For a returned contribution balance, use the separate redeposit records guide. For differing dates on forms, use the retirement and leave service-date checklist. Bring unresolved items to the employing agency before planning around additional pension income.
Browse federal benefits, retirement and insurance topics or read how we prepare and check our guides.
Sources
- OPM: Creditable Service (FERS), checked November 4, 2026
- OPM: Service Credit (FERS), checked November 4, 2026
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