Q: I am 65 years old and will be 66 in January. I am contemplating retirement from the federal government. I worked in the private sector for more than 20 years and switched over to the government in 1985. I am under the Civil Service Retirement system. I was informed by a co-worker that my Social Security benefits, which I am counting on heavily to support my family, will be reduced substantially because I am under CSRS. Is this true?
A: Your Social Security benefit would only be affected if you have fewer than 30 years of Social Security-covered employment. If that’s the case, your Social Security benefit would be reduced, but not eliminated. To better understand how the windfall elimination provision works, read the Social Security Administration’s fact sheet.
