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Title 22, Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-110

§4071b Participants

Title 22 › CHAPTER 52 — FOREIGN SERVICE › SUBCHAPTER VIII — FOREIGN SERVICE RETIREMENT AND DISABILITY › Part II — Foreign Service Pension System › § 4071b

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Most Foreign Service members whose work after December 31, 1983 counts for Social Security must be put into the Foreign Service Pension System instead of the older Retirement and Disability plan. There are three main exceptions. If someone was already in the old Retirement and Disability System on or before December 31, 1983 and has not had a break in service longer than one year since then, they stay in the old system. If a person joined the Service after already having at least 5 years of certain federal civilian service that counts toward retirement, they are not put into the Pension System unless they later choose to switch under title III of the Federal Employees’ Retirement System Act of 1986. Finally, the Secretary may exclude members whose jobs are temporary or intermittent, except for those with part-time career appointments or career candidate appointments under section 3946.

Full Legal Text

Title 22, §4071b

Foreign Relations and Intercourse, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Covered members
Except for persons excluded by subsection (b), (c), or (d), all members of the Foreign Service, any of whose service after December 31, 1983, is employment for the purpose of title II of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 401 et seq.] and chapter 21 of title 26, who would, but for this section, be participants in the Foreign Service Retirement and Disability System pursuant to section 4043 of this title shall instead be participants in the Foreign Service Pension System.
(b)Exclusion of participants in Foreign Service Retirement and Disability System
Members of the Service who were participants in the Foreign Service Retirement and Disability System on or before December 31, 1983, and who have not had a break in service in excess of one year since that date, are not made participants in the System by this section, without regard to whether they are subject to title II of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 401 et seq.].
(c)Exclusion of individuals with certain creditable civilian service
Individuals who become members of the Service after having completed at least 5 years of civilian service creditable under part I of this subchapter, subchapter III of chapter 83 of title 5 (the Civil Service Retirement System), or title II of the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement Act (50 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) (determined without regard to any deposit or redeposit requirement under any such part, subchapter, or title, any requirement that the individual become subject to such part, subchapter, or title after performing the service involved, or any requirement that the individual give notice in writing to the official by whom such individual is paid of such individual’s desire to become subject to such part, subchapter, or title) are not participants in the System, except to the extent provided for under title III of the Federal Employees’ Retirement System Act of 1986 pursuant to an election under such title to become subject to this part (under regulations issued by the Secretary of State pursuant to section 4071i of this title).
(d)Exclusion of temporary or intermittent employees
The Secretary may exclude from the operation of this part any member of the Foreign Service, or group of members, whose employment is temporary or intermittent, except a member whose employment is part-time career appointment or career candidate appointment under section 3946 of this title.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Social Security Act, referred to in subsecs. (a) and (b), is act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, 49 Stat. 620. Title II of the Social Security Act is classified generally to subchapter II (§ 401 et seq.) of chapter 7 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 1305 of Title 42 and Tables. The Central Intelligence Agency Retirement Act, referred to in subsec. (c), is Pub. L. 88–643, as revised generally by Pub. L. 102–496, title VIII, § 802, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 3196. Title II of the Act is classified generally to subchapter II (§ 2011 et seq.) of chapter 38 of Title 50, War and National Defense. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 2001 of Title 50 and Tables. The Federal Employees’ Retirement System Act of 1986, referred to in subsec. (c), is Pub. L. 99–335, June 6, 1986, 100 Stat. 514. Title III of the Federal Employees’ Retirement System Act of 1986 amended section 3121 and 6103 of Title 26, Internal Revenue Code, section 1005 of Title 39, Postal Service, and section 410 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, enacted provisions set out as notes under section 8331, 8401, 8432, and 8472 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, and section 6103 of Title 26, and amended provisions set out as a note under section 8331 of Title 5. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 8401 of Title 5 and Tables.

Amendments

1993—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 103–178 substituted “the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement Act (50 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.)” for “the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement Act of 1964 for Certain Employees”. 1986—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 99–514 substituted “Internal Revenue Code of 1986” for “Internal Revenue Code of 1954”, which for purposes of codification was translated as “title 26” thus requiring no change in text.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

22 U.S.C. § 4071b

Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110