What pension and Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) rules apply to ICE agents hired after 2013?
Executive summary
ICE recruits hired after 2013 generally enter the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) with law‑enforcement special retirement provisions—meaning earlier retirement eligibility (for example, after 20 years of qualified law‑enforcement service or at age 50 with 20 years), a FERS basic annuity calculated on the highest three‑year average pay, and access to the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) as the defined‑contribution component of FERS (ICE career pages describe the FERS basic annuity formula and special law‑enforcement provisions) [1]. Recent reporting and agency materials show ICE is also using incentives (signing bonuses, dual‑compensation waivers) to recruit former retirees back while preserving pension/TSP payments in some cases [2] [3] [4].
1. How retirement coverage typically applies to ICE hires after 2013
Federal ICE law‑enforcement hires are covered by FERS unless a specific exception applies; FERS combines a basic defined‑benefit annuity, Social Security, and the TSP defined‑contribution plan. ICE career information states the FERS basic annuity is “a percentage of your highest average basic pay you earned during any 3 consecutive years of service,” and ICE refers to the “FERS Basic Annuity under special provisions” for law‑enforcement staff [1]. Available sources do not provide a line‑by‑line statutory summary for hires “after 2013,” but ICE’s own career pages explain the core FERS structure and law‑enforcement retirement enhancements [1].
2. Special law‑enforcement retirement rules that matter for ICE agents
ICE positions that qualify as law‑enforcement carry “special” FERS provisions: earlier retirement eligibility and different annuity factors tied to law‑enforcement service and years on the job. ICE materials emphasize that with sufficient law‑enforcement service (commonly 20 years) agents become eligible for the enhanced FERS basic annuity—key for ICE agents hired in or after 2013 who perform qualifying duties [1]. Sources do not list the specific statutory ages or exact multiplier tables in full, so readers should consult OPM or the agency for precise calculations; those details are not found in the current reporting (not found in current reporting).
3. Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) access and role
Under FERS, employees participate in the TSP as the defined‑contribution element; ICE career pages and broader federal descriptions link ICE law‑enforcement hires to the FERS package that includes both the annuity and the TSP [1]. The TSP functions as a portable retirement account for federal employees; ICE materials reference FERS and imply TSP participation as part of the standard benefits mix for ICE careers [1]. Sources do not spell out ICE‑specific employer matching percentages or vesting schedules in the included reporting (not found in current reporting).
4. Returning retirees, dual compensation waivers, and how that affects pensions/TSP
The 2025 recruitment push includes incentives that affect how pensions and TSP interact with new or returning ICE hires. Multiple outlets and ICE communications report sign‑on bonuses up to $50,000 to bring retired officers back and describe a “dual compensation waiver” that allows returning retirees to keep their pension while receiving salary again, and to get the bonus on top of pension payments [2] [3] [4]. Snopes and regional reporting emphasize that bonuses would come on top of listed salaries and existing pension payments for retirees returning to duty [3] [4]. That creates a practical outcome where some returning hires can draw pension/TSP distributions while again accruing pay and potentially further TSP contributions—subject to waiver and agency rules [4].
5. Policy disputes, hidden incentives and public context
The push to hire (and rehire) thousands has attracted scrutiny: outlets flag concerns that waivers and incentives could allow retirees to simultaneously collect full pensions and salaries, and question whether hastened hiring compromises training and oversight [5] [6] [7]. Local reporting and watchdog commentary show political and operational motivations—rebuilding ICE capacity quickly—while critics warn of risks from fast‑tracked hiring and dual‑compensation policies [5] [7]. ICE’s own pages and DHS statements promote the recruitment package as an operational necessity; independent coverage frames the same policies as controversial tradeoffs [2] [4] [7].
6. What sources say you should do next to confirm specifics
For precise eligibility ages, annuity multipliers, TSP matching, and how dual‑compensation waivers would apply to an individual hired after 2013, consult OPM and ICE benefits/retiree pages and request the agency’s current written waiver policy; ICE career and retiree pages describe the FERS basic annuity and recruitment incentives but do not provide full statutory tables or waiver text in the reporting reviewed [1] [8]. Coverage in Snopes and regional outlets documents the practical effects of the bonus/waiver policies but does not replace the formal legal schedule at OPM [3] [4].
Limitations: reporting and ICE web pages cited explain the FERS structure, law‑enforcement special provisions, and recruitment incentives, but the provided sources do not include full statutory formulas, exact TSP employer match figures, or the formal text of dual‑compensation waivers—those specifics are “not found in current reporting” here [1] [3] [4].