As a public safety employee retiring at 48yo. Even thou I won't receive my pension until 50yo, does "separating from service" at 48 disqualify me from the tax exception?

[lmv]

The information reads:

Tax on Early Distributions: Additional exceptions for qualified retirement plans. 

The tax doesn’t apply to distributions that are: From a qualified retirement plan (other than an IRA) after your separation from service in or after the year you reached age 55 (age 50 for qualified public safety employees).

[dmertz · Accepted solution]

Separating from service from the company providing the plan before the year you reach age 50 will disqualify you from using the age-50 exception for distributions from this plan (unless you return to service and leave again in or after the year you reach age 50).  You'll have to wait until you reach age 59½ to be able to take distributions from the plan that are not subject to early-distribution penalty.