Fillable Printable SF 2804
Fillable Printable SF 2804
SF 2804
APPLICATION TO MAKE VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS
(1) Type or print in ink.
Civil Service Retirement System
(2) Answer all the questions.
Civil Service
Retirement System
1. Name (Last, first, middle) 2. Date of birth (mm/dd/yyyy) 3. Social Security Number
4. Address (Number, street, city, state, and ZIP code)
5. List all other names you have used (Include maiden name, if applicable.)
6a. Do you have any civilian government service during
which no Civil Service Retirement deductions were
taken from your salary?
Yes
No
6b. Have you made a deposit to the Civil Service Retirement and
Disability Fund to cover this non-deduction service?
Yes
No
7a. Do you have any service during which Civil Service
Retirement deductions were taken from your salary and
later refunded to you?
Yes
No
7b. Have you made a redeposit to the Civil Service Retirement and
Disability Fund of the amount refunded to you?
Yes
No
8a. Have you ever made voluntary contributions and later
received a refund of them?
Yes
No
8b. Have you since been separated from the government service for a
period of more than 3 calendar days?
Yes
No
If your answer to question 6b, 7b, or 8b is "No", do not file this application.
See the attached information.
Agency Certification
I certify that the applicant is an employee of the agency shown below, is in a
position subject to the Civil Service Retirement System,
and has answered question 6a correctly.
I hereby apply to make voluntary contributions to the Civil Service Retirement and
Disability Fund. I am employed in a position subject to the Civil Service Retirement
System or I am an applicant for retirement under the Civil Service Retirement
System. I have read the information on the attached page.
Agency address Signature
Official title
Applicant's signature (Do not print) Date
( )
Telephone number Date
Privacy Act Statement
Title 5, U.S. Code, Chapter 83, Civil Service Retirement authorizes the solicitation of this information. The data you furnish will be used to identify records properly associated with this application, to
obtain additional information if necessary, and to determine if you are eligible to make voluntary contributions to the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund. This information may be shared and is
subject to verification, via paper, electronic media, or through the use of computer matching programs, with national, state, local or other charitable or social security administrative agencies to determine
and issue benefits under their programs or to report income for tax purposes. It may also be shared and verified, as noted above, with law enforcement agencies when they are investigating a violation or
potential violation of civil or criminal law. Executive Order 9397 (November 22, 1943) authorizes use of the Social Security Number. Failure to supply all of the requested information may delay or
prevent approval of your application.
You need to read the attached information so that you understand the effect of making voluntary contributions. Ask your personnel office if you are employed and need more information. If a personnel
office is not available, contact the Office of Personnel Management at the address given or call 1-888-767-6738 (TDD: 1-800-878-5707).
U.S. Office of Personnel Management
See the Attached Information Sheet
SF 2804
CSRS and FERS Handbook for Personnel and Payroll Offices
Revised July 2006
The July 1999 edition is usable. All other previous editions are unusable.
NSN 7540-00-634-4253 2804-110
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Information Regarding Voluntary Contributions
Civil Service Retirement System
Filing Your Application
If you are an employee, you must submit the completed
form to your agency personnel office. They will complete
the agency certification box and forward your application to
the Office of Personnel Management. If you are already
separated for retirement and are waiting for your retirement
application to be approved, no agency certification is
needed. Send your application to:
U.S. Office of Personnel Management
Retirement Operations Center
PO Box 45
Boyers, PA 16017-0045
Do not send any payment with this application; if you do, it
will be returned. OPM will send full instructions on how to
make contributions once your application is accepted.
Definition
Voluntary contributions are optional payments made to the
Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund for the pur-
chase of additional annuity at retirement.
Who May Make Voluntary Contributions
Active employees covered under the Civil Service Retire-
ment System (CSRS) or retired employees whose applica-
tions for CSRS retirement are being adjudicated may make
voluntary contributions, provided the Application to Make
Voluntary Contributions, SF 2804, has been approved by
OPM. No monies will be accepted until the SF 2804 is
approved. OPM will not approve an application from any-
one who, although otherwise eligible, (1) has not deposited
amounts covering all civilian service performed by the
applicant or (2) has previously received a refund of volun-
tary contributions, unless the applicant was separated for
more than 3 calendar days and was again employed in a
position subject to the CSRS after the refund was paid. Note
that employees covered by or retiring under the Federal
Employees Retirement System (FERS) are not eligible to
make voluntary contributions. An employee who transfers
from CSRS to FERS may not make additional contributions
to an existing voluntary contributions account. However, the
account will continue to earn interest as explained below.
How to Make Voluntary Contributions
As long as you are eligible, you may make voluntary contri-
butions at regular intervals or whenever you wish. They
cannot be deducted from your salary. However, after your
account is established, OPM will send you information
about how to have payments deducted from your account at
a bank or credit union. Each payment must be in multiples
of $25 (i.e., $50, $75, $100, etc). Once your application is
accepted, you will be assigned an account number and OPM
will provide you with instructions for making payments.
You may make voluntary contributions at any time after
OPM notifies you that you have an account and before you
apply for a refund or notify OPM that you want to purchase
additional annuity.
Limit on Contributions
Your total contributions cannot be more than 10 percent of
the total of your basic civilian salary received as of the date
any contribution is made. You cannot make contributions
based on anticipated future earnings. OPM will compute
your limitation when you retire or close out your account.
We will accept the contributions you make; however, when
you retire or close out your account, any amount found to
be in excess of your limit will be refunded, without interest.
Refund of Contributions
You may apply for and be paid a refund of all (not just a
part) of your voluntary contributions plus earned interest at
any time before you retire and receive additional annuity.
Please note that you will not receive interest on the amount
of your deposits that exceed the 10 percent limitation. If
you are paid such a refund, your account is closed. You
cannot open another account or again make voluntary
contributions unless you are separated for more than 3
calendar days and are then reemployed in a position subject
to CSRS.
Interest
Your voluntary contributions account earns interest at a
rate of 3 percent a year through December 31, 1984. There-
after, your account earns interest at a rate equal to the aver-
age yield earned by new investments purchased by the
Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund during the
preceding fiscal year. Interest begins to accrue on the date
your voluntary contributions are deposited in your account.
Interest is compounded annually on December 31 of each
year. This interest is not subject to Federal income tax until
it is paid to you.
As a general rule, your voluntary contributions stop earning
interest on the earliest of the following dates: (1) the date
OPM authorizes payment of a refund of your voluntary
contributions; (2) the date you separate from Federal
service; or (3) the date you transfer to a position not subject
to CSRS (or FERS). Sole exception: if you separate from
Federal service with entitlement to a deferred annuity
commencing at age 62 and do not elect a refund of volun-
tary contributions, interest will continue to accrue to your
annuity commencing date (62nd birthday) or your death,
whichever is earlier. (Note: In the case of a separated
employee with title to a deferred annuity who receives a
refund of voluntary contributions — either before or after
reaching age 62 — the general rule applies and no interest
is payable for the time beyond the date of his or her
separation from service.)
If You Die While You Are a Federal Employee
In this event, your voluntary contributions and accrued
interest are payable immediately in a lump sum. The money
cannot be used to buy additional survivor annuity for your
widow(er) or children. No interest accrues after your death.
SF 2804
Revised July 2006
At Retirement
You may elect a refund of your voluntary contributions,
plus interest, or you may purchase additional annuity. The
amount of additional annuity purchased with your voluntary
contributions and interest depends upon your age at the time
you retire and, once fixed, it does not change as you grow
older. If you retire at age 55 or younger and do not elect a
survivor's voluntary contributions annuity benefit, each
$100 to your credit will purchase $7 a year of additional
annuity. This additional annuity increases by 20 cents for
each full year you are over 55 when you retire. Thus if you
retire at age 60, each $100 will purchase $8 a year of addi-
tional annuity; at age 62, $8.40 a year; and at age 70, $10 a
year. The additional annuity is payable for as long as you
stay retired. Cost-of-living adjustments are not applied to
the additional annuity.
When you retire and elect to purchase additional annuity,
you may elect to share your additional annuity with your
spouse or any other person. If you do, your own additional
annuity will be reduced and, at your death, the person you
named will be paid half your additional annuity for the rest
of his or her life. The reduction in your additional annuity
will depend on the difference in ages between you and the
person you name.
Death After Retirement
Any voluntary contributions or interest not paid in the form
of additional annuity to you or to your named survivor will
be refunded in a lump sum.
Federal Taxation of Voluntary Contributions
If you take a refund of voluntary contributions, any
accrued interest is taxable in the year you receive payment,
unless you roll it over into an IRA or other qualified retire
-
ment plan. Also, if you receive the refund before you attain
age 59½, the interest portion of the refund is subject to an
additional 10 percent early distribution tax. However, the
following situations are exceptions to this 10 percent tax:
1. payments on account of disability (as defined by the
Internal Revenue Service Code);
2. monthly additional annuity payments elected at the
time of retirement (rather than a lump sum payment of
the Voluntary Contributions account);
3. payments after separation from service during or after
the year in which you attain age 55.
To determine whether the 10 percent tax applies, you
should get Form 5329 (and instructions) from your local
Internal Revenue Service office. The interest portion of the
refund would be eligible for rollover treatment if you elect
a refund at retirement. If you elect to receive an additional
annuity as a result of your voluntary contributions, it will
be taxed under the “General Rule.” Please refer to IRS
Publication 721, “Tax Guide to U.S. Civil Service
Benefits” for further information. Payments to survivors
are not subject to the 10 percent tax.
Detach This Information Sheet and Keep It for Future Reference.
Reverse of SF 2804
Revised July 2006
