(a) These rules apply to employees who had a qualifying retirement coverage error. For all purposes, a qualifying retirement coverage error must have lasted for at least 3 years of Federal service after December 31, 1986, as stated in the definitions section (§ 839.102). It does not matter whether you have left Federal service, retired, or have been reemployed as an annuitant, as long as you had a qualifying retirement coverage error. In addition, the survivor of an employee, separated employee, or retiree who had a qualifying retirement coverage error is also covered by these rules.

(b) An error that lasted less than 3 years of Federal service after December 31, 1986, is not qualifying under the rules in this part.

(c) For errors lasting less than 3 years that involve erroneous placement in FERS during a period that the employee was eligible to elect FERS, see § 846.204(b) of this chapter for guidance.

The FERCCA does not provide an election opportunity in all situations where there was a qualifying retirement coverage error. Even if your error is one that provides an election opportunity under the FERCCA, certain events may disqualify you from making an election under the FERCCA. If you had a qualifying retirement coverage error, your eligibility to choose your retirement plan may be affected by the situations described in the next seven questions.

If your qualifying retirement coverage error was previously corrected to FERS and you then received a refund of your FERS retirement deductions, you are not allowed to elect retirement plan coverage under the FERCCA.

(a) You may not make a retirement coverage election if your qualifying retirement coverage error was previously corrected to FERS, and you later received one of the following TSP withdrawals:

(1) A TSP annuity after separation from service, but before receiving a FERS annuity; or

(2) A single payment or monthly payments after separation from service; or

(3) An age-based in-service withdrawal.

(b) If you received an automatic cashout of your TSP account after you separated (because your account balance was $3,500 or less), or if you received a financial hardship in-service withdrawal, you may make a retirement coverage election.

No, you may make an election of retirement coverage under the FERCCA if you made a TSP withdrawal as a retiree.

You can make a retirement coverage election under the FERCCA if OPM waives repayment of the entire amount under § 839.1202. If OPM does not waive the entire repayment, you must pay back the amount that OPM did not waive.

No, OPM regulations allow certain employees who were put in FERS in error to choose between remaining in FERS or being covered under their automatic retirement coverage. (See § 846.204(b)(2) of this chapter). If you already had this opportunity to choose your retirement coverage; then you may not make an election of retirement coverage based on the same error under these rules.

Yes, but if you want to elect FERS you need your former spouse's consent to the election. If you are subject to a qualifying court order and want to elect FERS, the requirements in § 846.722 of this chapter (Former Spouse's Consent to an Election of FERS Coverage) apply to you.

If the employee dies before making an election of retirement coverage under the FERCCA, all eligible potential survivors, that is, both the current and any former spouses, must consent to an election of FERS coverage. If they do not all consent, the election cannot be made.

If you were in CSRS or CSRS Offset and should have been in FERS or Social Security-Only, or if you were in FERS and should have been in CSRS, CSRS Offset, or Social Security-Only, then you have an election opportunity. This is summarized in the following chart:

You must be in the wrong retirement plan for at least 3 years of Federal service after December 31, 1986. You need not be in the same wrong retirement plan during the entire 3-year period. If you had more than one type of erroneous retirement coverage, then you will have a retirement plan election under these rules if one of the errors is of a type that qualifies you for an election.