Q: I have 37 years of service under the CSRS and I am thinking about retiring in 2011 when I am 59 years old. I have more than 40 quarters of work completed with Social Security. Can I receive a Social Security benefit when I retire at 59, and how much will it be for a GS-13/10?
A: No, you can’t. The earliest age you could receive a Social Security benefit would be 62. When applying for a Social Security benefit, there are two points to keep in mind. First, that benefit will be a reduced one if you are under your full Social Security retirement age, which ranges between 65 and 67, depending on your year of birth. Second, as a CSRS retiree, your Social Security benefit will be affected by the windfall elimination provision. The WEP reduces the benefit of anyone who is receiving an annuity from a retirement system where he didn’t pay Social Security taxes and has fewer than 30 years of substantial earnings under Social Security.
