Can you use the moeny you spend on the buyback as a tax write off?

I've allways used H&R block for my taxes but this year I am gonna do them myself with Turbo Tax.

I am having the moeny taken out fo each paycheck to buy back retirement time from other departments.

Bump for the AM crew.

I bought back eight years from another department two years ago.  The cash out of pocket was substantial.

I asked around and finally talked to IRS, they told me that I could not deduct the buy back money, but I could have it deducted as a percentage from my pension earnings, when the pension paid out.  Good luck with that.

I was still worth every penny, even with the tax bite.  I'm retired now, and glad I invested the money.

Thanks!

Just to be clear, are we talking about buying retirement credits, or cashing them out?

Buying back prior years of service.