Q: I worked for the federal government under the Civil Service Retirement System from 1967 until my retirement in 2001. About to turn 65 in December 2010, I applied for Medicare Part A and Part B, and was told that I do not qualify because I have only 18 quarters of the required 40 quarters. It was my understanding, which I admit could be faulty, that Medicare deductions were taken out of my paycheck since 1983 until I retired in 2001. Is there a mistake, or am I totally out to lunch? I guess I’m not too concerned because I’m…
Monthly Archives: November, 2010
Q: I am a firefighter and I spent 4.5 years as GS-7 —at least three of that in a primary position. I have resigned to move to another state with my spouse. If I get back into an 0081 position, does the three years start over and have to be completed again before entering into a secondary position to remain in the special retirement? A: No, it doesn’t. You would be able to pick up where you left off.
Q: I spent five years on active duty and 15 years on reserve duty in the Army. I started receiving my military pension when I turned 60 in October 2007. I am a FERS employee for the Justice Department and I completed the military buyback in August 2006. I want to retire in January and the HR department cannot give me an answer about waiving my military pay. I read in the FERS Handbook that military pay would have to be waived unless the employee is “receiving military retired pay under provisions of 10 U.S.C. 12731-12739 (retired pay under Chapter…
Q: Do I get credit for months and days when my annuity is calculated? As of Jan. 1, I will have 30years, six months and 27 days. A: Your annuity computation will only include years and full months. Any days that don’t add up to a month will be dropped.
Q: I have a military pension that just began Nov. 1 for my 20 years in the National Guard. How will this pension affect my CSRS pension from the U.S. Postal Service after 33 years of service? A: It won’t affect your CSRS annuity in any way unless your retired pay from the National Guard includes any periods of active-duty service for which you haven’t made a deposit to the civilian retirement system. If it does, those years of active duty service for which you haven’t paid a deposit will be eliminated at age 62 , if you are retired,…
Q: I am 56 years of age with 21 years of service under FERS with the Department of Defense Education Activity. I took voluntary early retirement in June What are the restrictions for taking another full-time permanent federal position with a different agency? Also, how will it affect my benefits/annuity? A: Your annuity will stop and you’ll be treated like any other employee. You wouldn’t be able to retire again on an immediate annuity until you met the age and service requirements. Of course. you could retire under the MRA+10 provision; however, your annuity would be reduced by 5 percent for every year you…
Q: I’m a single FERS. My MRA is 56 with 23 ½ years of service. I’d like to defer retirement until 60, which would be this December. I’d like to confirm the MRA +10. In essence I’d really be resigning from the government. My human resources department says they would complete a PAI and SF-50 with the reason for resignation, then I would file my papers directly to OPM in 2014, 60 to 90 days before I’d like my benefits to start. I could wait longer than 2014 if I had outside employment. My main question is, if I don’t…
Q: In Alaska we are transitioning to locality pay from COLA. The transition began in January 2010 and will be fully in effect in 2012 for high-3 calculations. Because of this move from COLA, we are in the process of gaining a substantial amount of high-3 earnings for our retirement calculations. How does OPM handle the average if one retires at the end of June 2012, just two and a half years into the transition period? I can see that one would use all of 2010 and then all of 2011, but that last 12-month period is the question. A…
Q: I am a National Guard Technician with eight years as a GS employee. Can I apply any of those years toward a “6c” retirement (such as a Special Agent position within DEA or customs)? I turn 37 in January and would like to apply for a Special Agent position but I will be older than their mandatory hiring age limit unless those National Guard years apply (I won’t be able to have 20 years of service before the mandatory retirement age of 57). A: No, your years as a National Guard Technician cannot be counted toward retirement as a…
Q: I am 58 years old and a CSRS employee with 33 years of service. During the past 30 years I have paid and accumulated 14 years of “substantial” earning under to Social Security. If I am still working when I am 62, can I apply for Social Security benefits without the WEP decreasing my payments? Is it correct that WEP only takes effect once the individual retires from federal service? A: While the windfall elimination provision doesn’t apply until you retire, if you apply for a Social Security benefit at age 62, you will be subject to the Social…