If you are in the Civil Service Retirement System, you can keep working. But Why?

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Sunday November 30, 2025 · 9:10 PM PST

2025/11/30 · 21:10

The last day to start working for the Federal Government under the old Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) was Dec 31, 1983. When you have worked for 41 years and 11 months, you have earned a retirement annuity equal to 80% of the average of your highest three years of salary. And that’s the highest you can get.

Today, November 30, is the last day for regular employees working under CSRS to add any percentage to their pension.

(There are exceptions for such things as breaks in service and probably other things I’m not remembering.)

You can keep working; if so you still have to contribute to the system. But you will get a refund of those contributions when you leave service. They do not add to your annuity.

I am aware that any of us that retired (or will retire) under CSRS are extremely privileged. I believe that retirement saving, towards a defined-benefit plan, should be part of any full-time compensation.

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