ANNISTON ARMY DEPOT, Ala. -- The Army Benefits Center - Civilian provides valuable retirement information for employees. ABC-C counselors can view your records and answer questions or concerns.
One of the most important steps in planning for retirement is requesting an estimate. Employees within five years of retirement eligibility may request an estimate from the ABC-C. An estimate may be requested every three years.
This estimate is a valuable tool in the retirement planning process. It enables employees to determine if their Official Personnel Folder reflects all their service time, if all the service is creditable for retirement or if deposits are needed for periods of service.
Employees can also see how reductions and deductions will impact their annuity. Future salary increases and leave accruals will not be projected. ABC-C uses only the balance showing in payroll at the time the estimate is created.
When an estimate is requested, the ABC-C will review the employee's OPF and each estimate is worked on a first-in, first-out manner.
To request an estimate, call 877-276-9287 and speak with a counselor.
The counselor will ask for the desired date of retirement as well as a few other questions regarding service history.
Remember this is only an estimate. The Office of Personnel Management is the final adjudicator of your annuity. This estimate does not obligate you to retire, nor does it serve as your retirement application.
An estimate is also available via the Employee Benefits Information System website at https://www.ebis.army.mil.
To determine general eligibility requirements, visit the Eligibility Requirement section applicable to your retirement plan on the ABC-C website at https://www.abc.army.mil.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The EBIS estimate utilizes your leave Service Computation Date. This SCD appears on your Leave and Earnings Statement as well as your SF-50 Notification of Personnel Action.
This SCD may include service which is not creditable for retirement purposes. It is important employees understand this when accessing the estimate.
If you have complicated service (part-time, intermittent, refunded or temporary service, Tennessee Valley Authority, Non-Appropriated Fund, Foreign Service), it is strongly recommended you contact the ABC-C for your estimate rather than utilize the EBIS calculator as the estimate will not be accurate for retirement purposes. EBIS is just a quick, basic estimated retirement calculation.
Also, if you are a CSRS employee with unpaid deposit or redeposit service, the EBIS estimate will not show any applicable reductions to your annuity. Once you have received an estimate from the ABC-C however, you will be able to manipulate the EBIS estimate by changing your salary, SCD or by using the appropriate deposit/redeposit reductions to the EBIS calculation.
APPLY ONLINE FOR RETIREMENT
The Army Benefits Center-Civilian offers an eRetirement web application, located in the Employee Benefits Information System for Army-serviced employees who are within one year of retirement.
This tool allows employees to fill out their retirement application on ABC-C's secure website.
To use the eRetirement application, log on to the website at https://www.abc.army.mil with your Common Access Card and select the EBIS icon or web link. Your Social Security Number and Personal Identification Number will also be utilized to gain access to your information.
Once an employee has accessed the EBIS website and clicked the eRetirement button, they should complete all the forms listed on the site. Once the forms are completed, print off each form individually, review them and sign the applicable documents.
Completed forms need to be mailed to the ABC-C at 301 Marshall Avenue, Fort Riley, Kan. 66442. The ABC-C will review the employee's application and send a letter acknowledging its receipt.
Employees are encouraged to contact ABC-C regarding any benefit-related questions, such as retirement, annuity calculations, buying back military time, buying back temporary or redeposit service and for questions regarding health insurance and life insurance. You may contact a benefits counselor at 877-276-9287 from 6 a.m.-6 p.m. Central time.
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