The Beginner’s Guide to Planning Retirement Before 62 With FERS
Retiring before 62 can feel exciting—but for federal employees, it also creates one big question: what happens before Social Security starts? Many FERS employees want to leave government service early, but they are not always clear on how their pension, FERS Special Retirement Supplement, TSP, and Social Security will work together. That gap between retirement and age 62 is where planning matters most. If you understand the rules early, you can avoid income surprises, reduce stress, and build a smoother retirement transition. What Is FERS Retirement Before Age 62? FERS is built from three parts: the Basic Benefit Plan, Social Security, and the Thrift Savings Plan. OPM explains that FERS benefits come from these three sources, and the Social Security and TSP portions may move with you if you leave federal service before retirement. Before 62, the challenge is timing. Your FERS pension may begin if you qualify for immediate retirement, but Social Security retirement benefits generally c...