How to Find an Explanation of Retirement Benefits for VA Employees

Find an explanation of VA retirement benefits on the Office of Personnel Management's website.

Veterans Affairs employees receive retirement benefits from the the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) or from the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). Those who became employed by Veterans Affairs before 1987 are covered under the CSRS, while those who became employees after 1987 are covered by FERS. Federal employees are automatically enrolled into one of these retirement programs, meaning that there is no specific paperwork or documentation you need to provide as long as you are a federal employee. The U.S. government has provided a website that allows federal employees to learn about these programs' benefits.

Instructions

1. Visit the website of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (see Resources).

2. Click "CSRS," under "Federal Employees" if you became employed before January 1, 1987.

3. Click "FERS" under "Federal Employees" if you became employed on or after January 1, 1987.

4. Read the information and click the links on the page that opens. All of the links in the body of the page provide explanations of different types of retirement benefits.

References

• Office of Personnel Management: Retirement Information

Resources

• Office of Personnel Management: Retirement Information