CSRS/FERS Handbook

Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) Handbook for Personnel and Payroll Offices

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has Governmentwide responsibility and oversight for the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) and related Federal benefits administration functions. These pages contain the CSRS and FERS Handbook for Personnel and Payroll Offices used to advise Federal agencies about various aspects of benefits administration.

This is the April 1998 version of this handbook, which was made available for downloading from this site on May 15, 1998.

Administrative Chapters

• C001 — Administration and General Provisions (12/2019)
• C002 — Cost-of-Living Adjustments (12/2019)
• C003 — Reconsideration and Appeal (07/2021)
• C004 — Debt Collection (04/1998)
• C005 — Court Orders (04/1998)

Coverage Chapters

• C010 — Coverage (07/2017)
• C011 — Elections of FERS Coverage (10/2022)
• C012 — Special Coverage Rules (04/1998)

Service Credit Chapter

• C020 — Creditable Civilian Service (04/1998)
• C021 — Service Credit Payments for Civilian Service (04/1998)
• C022 — Creditable Military Service (04/1998)
• C023 — Service Credit Payments for Post-56 Military Service (04/1998)

Contributions Chapters

• C030 — Employee Deductions and Agency Contributions (04/1998)
• C031 — Voluntary Contributions (04/1998)
• C032 — Refunds (04/1998)
• C033 — Return of Excess Contributions (04/1998)
• C034 — Designation of Beneficiary (09/2015)

Retirement Eligibility Chapters

• C040 — Planning and Applying for Retirement (04/1998)
• C041 — Voluntary Retirement Based on Age and Service (06/2015)
• C042 — MRA + 10 Retirement (04/1998)
• C043 — Early Voluntary Retirement (04/1998)
• C044 — Discontinued Service Retirement (12/2019)
• C045 — Deferred Retirement (04/1998)
• C046 — Special Retirement Provisions for Law Enforcement Officers, Firefighters, Air Traffic Controllers, and Military Reserve Technicians (04/1998)
  • Important Notice: Enhanced Disability and Survivor Annuity Computations

  Computation of Benefits Chapters

  • C050 — Computation of Annuity Under the General Formula (04/1998)
  • C051 — Retiree Annuity Supplement (03/2022)
  • C052 — Survivor Elections (04/1998)
  • C053 — Alternative Annuity Elections (04/1998)
  • C054 — Special Computation Formulas for Law Enforcement Officers, Firefighters,
    and Air Traffic Controllers (04/1998)
  • C055 — Computation for Part-Time Employees (04/1998)

  Disability Benefits Chapters

  • C060 — Disability Retirement (12/2023)
  • C061 — Computation of Disability Retirement Benefits(04/1998)
    • Important Notice: Enhanced Disability and Survivor Annuity Computations

    Death Benefits Chapters

    • C070 — Spouse Benefits - Death of an Employee(04/1998)
      • Important Notice: Enhanced Disability and Survivor Annuity Computations

      Record Keeping Chapters

      • C080 — Payroll Office Reporting of Deductions and Contributions (04/1998)
      • C081 — Individual Retirement Records and Registers of Separations and Transfers (04/1998)
      • C082 — (Reserved) (04/1998)
      • C083 — Self-Evaluation Guide for Agency Administration of Employee Benefit Programs (04/1998)
      • C084 — Correction of Retirement Records (04/1998)
      • C085 — Headcounts (04/1998)

      Miscellaneous

      • C100 — Reemployed Annuitants (10/2013)
      • C101 — Special Retirement Provisions for Senior Officials (04/1998)
      • C102 — Relationship Between Retirement Annuity and Compensation for Work-Related Injuries and Diseases (10/2013)