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Discharging

What You need to do when discharging

What you need to do when discharging will depend on what type of discharge you are taking.

If you are discharging/resigning with less than 20 years effective service you will need to complete a D1 Application for DFRDB Refund and Gratuity and Superannuation Productivity Benefit (including MSB scheme Ancillary Benefit).

If you are discharging/resigning with less than 20 years effective service and you wish to preserve your superannuation rights you will need to complete a D60 Election for Preservation of DFRDB rights and Superannuation Productivity Benefit (including MSB scheme Ancillary Benefit).

If you are discharging/resigning with 20 or more years of effective service you will need to complete a D20 Application for DFRDB Retirement Pay, Commutation and Superannuation Productivity (including MSB Ancillary Benefit).

If you are discharging/resigning with at least 15 years but less than 20 years effective service AND you have reached your retiring age for rank you will need to complete a D20 Application for DFRDB Retirement Pay, Commutation and Superannuation Productivity (including MSB Ancillary Benefit).

If you are being discharged on medical grounds you will need to complete the D40 Application for Invalidity Benefits and Superannuation Productivity (including MSB scheme Ancillary Benefit)

Use this form if you are a member of the Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits Scheme (DFRDB) and you are being discharged from the Australian Defence Force (ADF) with an entitlement to Retirement Pay.

Do not use this form if you are being discharged and then joining another arm of the ADF without a break in full-time service— you are not entitled to DFRDB benefits.

Forms must not be completed earlier than three months before discharge. Before completing this benefit application form, it is recommended that you read the DFRDB Book and relevant scheme leaflets.

Retiring before reaching notional retiring age?

You are entitled to retirement pay, even if you retire before you reach your notional retiring age for rank, as long as you have completed 20 years of effective service. However, if you do so, your retirement pay will be reduced by 3% for every year that your actual retiring age is less than your notional retiring age.

The notional retiring age provisions of the DFRDB Act exist to encourage officers to serve until they reach a certain age. This age varies according to the rank that officers hold at the time they retire. The notional retiring ages for the different ranks of officers are outlined below in

Notional retiring age (NRA)
Rank - Navy Rank - Army Rank - Air Force Notional retiring age - years
Admiral
Vice Admiral		 General
Lieutenant General		 Air Chief Marshal
Air Marshal		 55
Rear Admiral Major General Air Vice Marshal 52
Commodore
Captain		 Brigadier
Colonel		 Air Commodore
Group Captain
Group Officer		 50
Commander
Chief Officer (WRANS)
Matron (RANNS)
Superintendent
(Naval Police)		 Lieutenant Colonel Wing Commander
Wing Officer		 45
Lower rank Lower rank Lower rank 42

More Information

Customer Service Centre

For information about your superannuation entitlement, the payment of your benefit or about any other superannuation related matter, see the Customer Service Centre.

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