Information for 2025 Postal VERA (early out)

VERA Has Been Announced

Last Updated: January 16, 2025

The United States Postal Service has announced a voluntary early-out (VERA) for certain USPS employees. Currently it is being offered to Mail Handlers, Clerks, and a few other crafts that qualify with certain limitations. We will continue to update our page as we hear more information and details.

This VERA for both Mail Handlers and APWU crafts like Clerks comes with a $15,000 VSIP which is a tax-deferred payment, paid out in two installments. $10,000 will be paid this August and $5,000 in August of 2026. All Mail Handlers wanting to take advantage of this VERA must declare by 03/07/2025 and then retire on 04/30/2025 (unless you submitted your retirement paperwork prior to 01/13/2025 with an earlier retirement date listed on the paperwork).

Look below for VERA FAQs

Use #TeamFEFA as Your VERA Resource

It is very important that you talk to someone who understands retiring with a VERA from all angles. EVEN THOSE WHO ARE NOT THINKING ABOUT TAKING IT, but are eligible for it, should talk to someone. In 2018, we talked to many people that were not considering the VERA until they were shown all the various information and strategy. And of course those that are taking it, or considering it, should talk to us. There are many implications and strategies that are imperative to understand. We have helped countless feds with past VERAs and are happy to be of assistance to you at no cost.

Learn everything you need to know about VERAs:

  • How to access the TSP without a 10% penalty
  • What your pension will be
  • What your supplement will be
  • When the supplement starts
  • Rules for working elsewhere after retiring
  • Sick leave balance to target so that nothing goes wasted
  • Annual leave strategy
  • Changes to your life insurance
  • Changes to your health insurance
  • Survivor benefit strategy
  • How to prevent any excess taxes on future investment distributions

VERA FAQs

Click on the questions below to see the answers.

VERAs give you the ability to retire without a reduction to your pension or benefits without having the normal age and service requirements. A VSIP is the payment that sometimes accompanies a VERA.
To be eligible for a VERA, your craft must be chosen for it and then you need to meet one of two qualifiers. You are eligible for the VERA if you have 25 years in, regardless of your age OR if you are at least 50 years old, you are eligible as long as you have 20 years of service.
You will get the Supplement if you take the VERA. The timing and amount of your FERS Supplement depends on your specific situation. We can help you figure out both.
Yes! Regardless of your age, THERE IS A WAY to access your TSP without a penalty BUT HOW TO DO SO IS DIFFERENT BASED on the age you retired so PLEASE, DON'T access it before 59.5 without knowing exactly how to do so!
The age and service requirements are lower under VER than under optional retirement. Early retirement may carry a penalty in the annuity computation.
If you are a FERS Covered Employee without a CSRS Component, there is no reduction in your annuity if you take the VER offer. If you are CSRS/CSRS Offset or FERS with a Frozen CSRS Component, there may be a reduction.
Yes, provided your birthday is within the VER offer window. For retirement purposes, an employee legally meets the age requirement on the day before a birthday. For example, an employee meeting the service requirement who will be 50 years old on October 1 would be eligible to retire if the last date of the VER offer is September 30.
Yes, an application for disability retirement may be withdrawn at any time prior to its approval from OPM. Applications may also be submitted for more than one retirement for which you qualify (discontinued service, MRA, etc.), and OPM will review each application separately.
No, neither your annual nor your sick leave balance can be used to meet eligibility requirements.
In terms of Social Security, taking a VER is the same as Optional Retirement. If you qualify for Social Security, you may apply to receive actuarially reduced benefits as early as age 62. You can visit www.ssa.gov to view your individual Social Security benefits statement, which will provide the age at which you are eligible to receive full benefits.
There are no differences in TSP provisions for retirement under VER versus separation or optional retirement. You will have the same withdrawal choices and tax consequences as any other separated or retired employee with the same separation or retirement date and age.

Anything else you want to know? Contact us using the form above and we will let you know!