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When did the retirement age change from 50 to 55?: A Look at Federal Employee Pensions

The notion of a retirement age of 50 or 55 is often associated with early government service, but that standard has shifted over time. A mandatory retirement age of 70 for most federal employees was initially set in 1920, but modern-era retirement eligibility standards, including the minimum age of 55 for those with 30 years of service, originated in 1942. The specific change from 50 to 55, however, was tied to the evolution of federal retirement systems and specific job classifications.