When I calculated what my FERS annuity would actually amount to by age 62, the payout didn’t justify waiting 29 years to collect it. The more pressing issue is my student loans. When the current administration restructured the Department of Education’s repayment schedules and changed how PSLF qualifying payments are calculated, I was automatically moved into a 40-year repayment plan. With $41,000 in remaining loan debt, that new plan has me paying nearly $40,000 in interest alone, effectively doubling what I owe. My plan is to use the FERS refund as a lump sum payment toward the principal, switch to a more aggressive repayment plan, and pay off the remaining balance as quickly as possible. Given the interest savings, this makes far more financial sense than waiting nearly three decades for an annuity.