The Foreign Service Journal, September 2022

76 SEPTEMBER 2022 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL RETIREMENT SUPPLEMENT obtain retirement credit for that service if you want to increase your Foreign Service pension and advance your retirement eligibility date. To get credit for military or Peace Corps service, youmust make a deposit into the Foreign Service pension fund to cover the employee retirement contributions (plus interest) that were not made originally. To get credit for Civil Service time, youmust initiate the process to transfer to the Foreign Service pension fund the Civil Service pension fund contri- butions that youmade during that earlier job. To start any of these processes, State Department employees should contact HRSC@state.gov, while employees at other Foreign Service agencies should contact their agency’s human resources office. If You Divorce. The Foreign Service Act of 1980 has unique provisions regarding the impact of divorce on retirement benefits. A State Department summary of the rules is contained in a May 2019 cable posted in the Retirement Services section of the AFSA website under “Getting Ready for Retirement.” For example, Foreign Service spouses enjoy a default statutory entitle- ment to benefits if they meet certain requirements. The default entitlements can be altered through a court order or spousal agreement. To be valid, however, the order or agreement must specifically refer to Foreign Service benefits. Prior to retirement, divorced Foreign Service employees from all agencies must submit relevant divorce documentation to the State Department for review. For mailing instructions, email HRSC@state.gov . Consider Buying Real Estate. If you anticipate serving additional overseas assignments and do not own a house or apartment, you should