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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →A break in federal service does not have one universal “restoration” process. The correct action depends on your retirement system, the dates and type of service, and whether retirement deductions were never withheld or were withheld and later refunded. You may need a deposit for eligible service with no deductions, or a redeposit of deductions that were refunded, plus applicable interest.
This guide covers federal civilian benefits under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), including a CSRS component within a FERS career. State, local, military and private-sector pension rules are different.
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What “restoring” service credit actually means
Leaving a federal job and later returning does not, by itself, erase or automatically restore pension credit. Your record is reviewed period by period. The key questions are whether the work was creditable, whether retirement deductions were taken from pay, and whether you later received a refund of those deductions.
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- Deposit: payment of retirement contributions that should have been withheld for an eligible period but were not.
- Redeposit: repayment of retirement deductions that were withheld and then refunded to you, generally with interest.
Those terms are not interchangeable. A period that qualifies for a deposit may not qualify for a redeposit, and an unpaid redeposit can have a different effect on retirement eligibility than on the amount of your annuity. Your retirement system and the dates of service control the outcome.
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Start with a service-by-service inventory rather than treating your entire career as one block. Ask your agency personnel service center for help locating employment and refund records if you do not have them.
| Record to identify | Why it matters | What to collect |
|---|---|---|
| Retirement coverage | CSRS and FERS use different deposit and redeposit rules. A FERS career can also contain a CSRS component. | Retirement coverage notices, personnel records and prior retirement statements. |
| Exact service dates | Rule thresholds can change the result. For example, January 1, 1989 is important for some FERS deposits, and March 1, 1991 is important for CSRS refunded service. | Appointment and separation dates for each period. |
| Whether deductions were withheld | No deductions generally points to a deposit; withheld deductions that were refunded point to a redeposit. | Leave and earnings statements, payroll records and agency certification. |
| Refund history | The date and amount of a refund, and the system that covered the service, affect eligibility, interest and annuity treatment. | Refund correspondence, payment records and any prior OPM decision. |
| Later federal reemployment | Returning to a covered position can affect how a prior refund and your service rights are treated. | Dates of reemployment and retirement coverage after you returned. |
Do not assume that a gap in employment is itself “purchasable.” Only qualifying service categories can receive a deposit or redeposit, and an official calculation is required.
Deposit and redeposit: the decision in one view
| Your situation | Likely application | Possible effect if unpaid |
|---|---|---|
| Eligible civilian service with no retirement deductions withheld | Deposit | The period may not receive the service credit available after payment. |
| Deductions were withheld and later refunded | Redeposit | Eligibility and annuity-computation credit can diverge, especially under FERS. |
| CSRS refund for service ending before March 1, 1991 | CSRS redeposit analysis | Some cases can receive credit without full payment but with a permanent actuarial reduction. |
| CSRS refund for service ending on or after March 1, 1991 | Generally a full CSRS redeposit for computation credit | Without the required redeposit, the service generally is not included in the annuity computation. |
The table is a screening guide, not a determination. Special categories, disability retirement and mixed CSRS/FERS records can change the result.
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FERS rules
When a FERS deposit may be available
OPM describes FERS deposits for eligible civilian service before 1989 when retirement deductions were not withheld. Certain Peace Corps and VISTA volunteer service can also qualify. In general, FERS does not permit deposits for non-contributory service on or after January 1, 1989, although statutory exceptions exist.
For an eligible period, the deposit is based on a percentage of basic pay for that service plus applicable interest. The percentage and interest calculation depend on the record; do not substitute a single rate or an online estimate for OPM’s bill.
When a FERS redeposit may be available
If you were covered by FERS, had deductions withheld, and received a refund, OPM permits redeposit for applicable service. A historical rule allows certain people covered by FERS on or after October 28, 2009 to redeposit refunded FERS service. That date is not a universal answer for every historical refund, so OPM must review your coverage and refund record.
Why an unpaid FERS redeposit matters
For applicable refunded service, an unpaid redeposit may still allow the period to count toward retirement eligibility while excluding it from the annuity computation. The result can be a smaller monthly annuity and may also reduce a survivor annuity based on that service. The distinction is important: qualifying for a retirement date is not the same as receiving full credit in the benefit calculation.
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CSRS service inside a FERS career
A person who moved from CSRS to FERS may have a CSRS component and a FERS component. Each period is analyzed under the rules that apply to it. Do not file a FERS form for a period that OPM classifies as CSRS service, or assume that one payment automatically restores every segment.
CSRS rules
CSRS deposits
A CSRS deposit addresses eligible service for which retirement deductions were not withheld. The amount and interest depend on the service period and the applicable billing rules. OPM’s calculation, rather than a generic percentage or rate, establishes what you owe.
CSRS refunds before March 1, 1991
Refunded CSRS service that ended before March 1, 1991 may still receive credit in some circumstances without a full redeposit. When that exception applies, OPM can impose a permanent actuarial reduction. The exact result depends on the service and refund history, so the pre-1991 date should trigger a detailed OPM review, not an assumption that payment is unnecessary.
CSRS refunds on or after March 1, 1991
For refunded CSRS service ending on or after March 1, 1991, the general rule is that the deductions and applicable interest must be fully redeposited for the period to be included in the annuity computation. Confirm the date the service ended and the date the refund was paid; they are separate facts in your record.
Disability retirement and other exceptions
Disability retirement can receive different treatment from an immediate or deferred regular retirement. A rule that applies to a regular CSRS annuity should not be assumed to apply to a disability claim. Ask OPM to evaluate the specific retirement type before deciding whether to make a payment.
Former employees: compare a refund with a deferred annuity
When you leave federal service, a refund is not automatically the best choice. OPM describes two broad paths for an eligible former employee:
- Refund of deductions: a lump-sum payment now, subject to the consequences that apply to your system and service.
- Deferred retirement: an eligible former employee with at least five years of creditable service may wait until the applicable retirement age and apply for monthly benefits.
A refund can change later retirement rights, and the effect depends on whether you later return to a covered federal position. Reemployment can alter how the earlier service is treated and whether a redeposit option is available. Before requesting a refund, obtain a written comparison of the deferred-annuity option and the consequences of taking the lump sum.
| Question | Why it affects the choice |
|---|---|
| Do you have at least five years of creditable service? | That threshold can support a deferred monthly benefit at the applicable retirement age. |
| Will you return to federal service? | Later covered employment can change how refunded service and future benefits are coordinated. |
| Was the refund from CSRS or FERS? | The systems differ on eligibility credit, annuity computation and redeposit rules. |
| Do you need a survivor benefit? | Unpaid FERS redeposit service can affect the survivor annuity calculation as well as your own annuity. |
How to apply for a deposit or redeposit
- Assemble your service record. List each period, its retirement coverage, start and end dates, whether deductions were withheld, and whether a refund was paid. Include any later federal reemployment.
- Confirm the correct system and form. OPM directs CSRS applicants to SF 2803, Application to Make Deposit or Redeposit, and FERS applicants to SF 3108, Application to Make Service Credit Deposit or Redeposit. If your record includes both systems, ask which form applies to each period.
- Submit the request before retirement processing is final. If you are within six months of retirement, submit the payment request at the same time as your retirement application. Starting earlier gives OPM time to verify service and calculate the bill.
- Wait for OPM’s official amount due. The bill reflects the system, service category, basic pay information, refund history and applicable interest. Do not calculate a payment from a general rule or an old estimate.
- Review the bill against your records. Check the service dates, coverage, refund amount and interest period. If anything is missing or incorrect, contact your personnel service center or OPM before paying.
- Choose whether to pay under the applicable rules. OPM cannot authorize regular annuity payments until you have made a decision about the billed deposit or redeposit. The financial effect includes eligibility, annuity computation and, where relevant, survivor benefits.
- Use the current payment instructions. OPM identifies Pay.gov as the payment channel. Follow the instructions on your bill and retain the confirmation, receipt and correspondence with your retirement records.
- Report the decision in your retirement application. Keep proof of payment or your written election if you decline. If your retirement case is already pending, send the documentation through the channel OPM or your agency retirement counselor specifies.
How the cost and interest are determined
There is no single “buyback” price. OPM calculates the amount for the specific period. Factors can include:
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- CSRS or FERS coverage, including whether a period is a CSRS component within FERS;
- the type and dates of service;
- basic pay during a period for which deductions were not withheld;
- the amount and date of any refunded deductions;
- the date OPM receives and processes the application; and
- interest under the rules applicable to that service and payment timing.
Interest rules and rates can change by period and circumstance. Interest may continue under the applicable rules until the relevant cutoff or full payment. Because the rate is not uniform across all cases, an old bill or another employee’s amount is not a reliable guide to yours.
How payment changes your eventual benefit
FERS refunded service
Suppose a FERS employee received a refund after leaving and later qualifies to redeposit it. If the employee does not pay, the service may help satisfy an eligibility requirement but may be left out of the annuity computation. Paying can restore computation credit for the period, subject to OPM’s determination, and can preserve the related survivor-annuity credit.
CSRS service ending before March 1, 1991
A CSRS employee with an older refunded period may fall under a rule that permits credit without a full redeposit but imposes a permanent actuarial reduction. The reduction is a lasting benefit adjustment, not a temporary fee, so compare it with the cost of the official redeposit bill.
CSRS service ending on or after March 1, 1991
For a later-ending refunded period, the general requirement is full redeposit for annuity-computation credit. If you are close to retirement, delay can leave insufficient time to resolve a missing record or payment question.
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For an eligible deposit period, payment adds credit that was not created through payroll deductions. FERS service before 1989 and qualifying Peace Corps or VISTA service are examples of categories OPM identifies for review; post-1988 non-contributory service generally is not deposit-eligible unless an exception applies.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Common mistakes and how to correct them
Calling every gap a “buyback”
Problem: A break in employment is not a service category.
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Fix: Separate periods with no deductions from periods whose deductions were refunded, then verify that the underlying work is creditable.
Using the wrong form
Problem: SF 2803 is for CSRS applications, while SF 3108 is for FERS applications.
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Assuming every FERS period can be deposited
Problem: FERS generally excludes non-contributory service on or after January 1, 1989, apart from statutory exceptions.
Fix: Ask OPM to classify the service and identify the exception, if any, before counting on a deposit.
Waiting until the retirement date
Problem: Service verification, refund research and interest calculations can take time.
Fix: Apply early; if retirement is within six months, submit the request with the retirement application.
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Paying an estimate instead of the billed amount
Problem: A payment based on a generic rate may be incomplete or misapplied.
Fix: Use the official OPM bill and current Pay.gov instructions, and keep the confirmation.
Ignoring survivor benefits
Problem: An unpaid FERS redeposit can affect the survivor annuity as well as your own benefit.
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Overlooking later reemployment
Problem: A later federal appointment can change the treatment of refunded service.
Fix: Give OPM the complete employment timeline, not only the job from which you first separated.
Documents to gather and questions to ask
Have these items ready:
- SF 50s or equivalent records showing appointment and separation dates;
- retirement coverage information for each period;
- payroll records showing whether deductions were withheld;
- refund applications, checks, tax records or OPM correspondence;
- records of any Peace Corps or VISTA service;
- dates and coverage for any later federal reemployment; and
- your planned retirement date and retirement type, including whether disability retirement is involved.
Ask the personnel service center or OPM:
- Which periods are CSRS, FERS or a CSRS component within FERS?
- Is each period a deposit, a redeposit or ineligible?
- Will unpaid service count toward eligibility, annuity computation, both or neither?
- Does a pre-March 1, 1991 CSRS rule or another exception apply?
- What interest and payment deadline appear on the official bill?
- How would payment or nonpayment affect a survivor annuity?
Only OPM’s review of your official record can establish your eligibility, exact balance, actuarial reduction or optimal choice. Forms, payment instructions and interest rules can change, so verify the current requirements when you apply.
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