Q: I am 46 and have 25½ years of service with the U.S. Postal Service. If I take the offer of an early retirement, do I have to wait until I am 55 years to start receiving my annuity, and will I get my annual leave hours included on my last pay check? A: Because you have at least 25 years of service, you can retire at any age if offered early retirement. You’d begin receiving your annuity immediately after you retire. However, you wouldn’t receive the special retirement supplement until you reached your minimum retirement age. The SRS approximates…

Q: I see that Social Security announced its cost-of-living adjustment for 2009, has this been determined for Civil Service Retirement System retirees? Also, has the Office of Personnel Management announced any change for the upcoming open season for retiree health benefits, such as separating current workers and retirees in health plans? A: The Social Security COLA and the CSRS COLA are the same. There are no plans to separate current workers from retirees, nor could there be without a change in the law. However, OPM has been exploring the possibility of offering different options for Medicare-eligible retirees. — Reg Jones

Q: How can I obtain a copy of my work record from the Social Security Administration? A: If the reason for your request is to obtain information about your Social Security-covered employment, W-2s from previous years will be provided to you at no additional cost. However, if you want them for tax purposes, it will cost you $30 for each year. To request copies fill out a copy of IRS Form 4506, available at www.irs.gov and send it to: Social Security Administration, Office of Central Operations, Division of Earnings Records Operations, P.O. Box 33003, Baltimore, MD 21290-3003. Be sure to…

Q: I spent four years (1976-80) in the Navy and have been working civil service since 1981 in the Civil Service Retirement System. I made a deposit to cover my military time so it would count toward retirement, about $6,000, based on advice I got from our personnel office. I have recently been told by several coworkers that there was no reason to make the deposit since I will never be eligible for Social Security. What are the rules on this? Can I get my deposit back? A: No, you can’t get your deposit back. — Reg Jones

Q: I have 28½ years in as a federal employee under the Civil Service Retirement System. I have more than 2,400 hours of sick leave built up. I turned 61 years old in May. I have enough credits working in the private sector to qualify for Social Security when I turn 62 in 2009. Will the sick time apply toward my 30 years, and if I decide to draw Social Security at 62, how much will it affect my CSRS annuity or the deductions from my Social Security? If I decide to retire and decide to get a part time…

Q: With the end of the group policy long term care insurance this year, it is my understanding that the Office of Personnel Management will replace the group policy with another. I have had this insurance for a number of years at a fixed rate. When the new group policy takes effect, will I still pay the same amount with the same benefits or is this an opportunity for my premium rates to change? This concerns me, I really don’t need my rates to go up at this time, however, it would be beneficial if they went down or stayed…

Q: I am a Federal Employees Retirement System employee with the Prison Bureau (mandatory retirement at 57). My husband and I own ranch/farmland as an investment. After I retire, will the income from these operations be considered applicable for the Social Security earnings limit ($13,560 in 2008)? We have almost always shown a net loss on this operation in income tax reporting. A: The Social Security earnings limit only applies to earning from wages or self-employment. If you report the income on your federal taxes and Social Security taxes are deducted from any of it, that portion would be counted…

Q: I am a retired civil service employee. If I choose to seek employment with the Transportation Security Administration, what will the effect be on my current retirement annuity? What will the effect be if I become employed by TSA and later choose to retire again? A: What happened would depend on the position into which you were rehired. If it was a regular position, your salary would be reduced by the amount of your annuity. If you made a deposit to the retirement fund, you’d be able to receive a supplemental annuity if you were employed for at least…

Q: I work for the U.S. Postal Service, which has always had substantial overtime available. I have been told that overtime worked does not contribute to my retirement annuity. Why does it not contribute toward my retirement annuity as other civil service jobs do? It appears that the same amount is still taken out in taxes, so where does the money go? Do I theoretically get it back at the end of the year in my tax return? A: By law, federal annuities are calculated using basic pay, and retirement deductions are only taken out of that amount. They aren’t…

Q; I am a Civil Service Retirement System retiree. In view of the recent economic crisis, should I be concerned about my pension? A: No, you shouldn’t be concerned. — Reg Jones