Q: I worked for the Department of Defense for 37 years and have more than 40 quarters. If I were to collect Social Security today I would get a little less than $350. If I wait until I am 65 years old, I could collect more than $700 in Social Security. I was married for 14 years. My former husband receives Social Security disability as well as VA 100 percent disability. I am remarried and my new husband receives twice as much as my former husband in Social Security. Which would be the best route to take here? If I…
Monthly Archives: February, 2011
Q: I worked in Canada until 1997. I moved to the U.S. in 1997 and became a citizen in 2007. I have been receiving pensions from the Canadian government (Canada Pension Plan). The pension is based on what I contributed through my paychecks in Canada. I am also including that amount in tax returns for the U.S. I applied for my Social Security benefits from the U.S. and they are considering my Canadian pensions as windfall income. I feel that the rule is being applied to me unjustly. Is there any way I can appeal? A: The windfall elimination provision…
Q: I have been hearing stories of OPM falling behind in the disbursement of full retirement checks. Is it backlogged on both CSRS and FERS or just FERS? I’m planning on retiring this year (CSRS) with 39 years, but I don’t want to have to drain my savings because they can’t get it right. A: All retirement applications were affected equally. While OPM has made significant strides in speeding up the process, and in providing a greater percentage of a retiree’s annuity in its interim payments, there is no way to know when things will be back to normal.
Q: Below is a question and answer from your web page. I am confused by your reply. I have asked a similar question of several people including my benefits counselor and OPM and have not received a firm answer. I thought I had found the answer I was looking for on your web pages but what I saw before is not what I see now. I am contemplating applying for retirement on Dec. 31, 2012, at which time I will have 19 years, 10 months and nine days of service. I will have an accumulated balance of 689.5 hours of…
Q: I am a federal employee GS 1811-14 step 10 with the ATF. I am also a member of the Army Reserve. For the last several years I have performed extensive military service in LWOP status from my civilian position with ATF. I am now approaching retirement and being told that my high-3 is based upon “actual” pay received and not my grade and step at the time. In that the LWOP I used to perform military duty significantly reduces the pay I would have received for my grade/steps/25 percent LEAP, I am significantly penalized for my military service. As…
Q: On Dec. 16 I applied for a job as a criminal investigator with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. I had to submit a qualification form to verify my age to make sure I meet the age requirements of being hired by the time I’m 36. I was denied further consideration because I was too old for the position. I’m 37 and will be 38 on Feb. 25. I’ve been in the federal law enforcement system in 6C covered positions for 12 years now, three years with Secret Service Uniformed Division and nine years with the Air Marshal Service. As…
As if federal employees don’t have enough to worry about with their pay-scale raises frozen for two years, now there’s talk about a retiring employee’s annuity being calculated with the highest five years of salary instead of the current highest three. The change is one of the recommendations of the chairmen of the White House-appointed bipartisan deficit commission. Although the full commission rejected the recommendations, lawmakers might still introduce them as cost-savings measures. If a high-five were used in annuity calculations, what would it mean for you? The short answer is a reduced annuity. Before we get into why that…
Q: I am a retired federal employee under CSRS. My wife is designated to receive a full retirement annuity upon my death (55 percent). We have two adult daughters. If my wife predeceases me, can I designate one or both of my daughters to receive the annuity that my wife would have received? A: No, you cannot. Only a current or former spouse would be eligible for a survivor annuity. However, if there are any retirement contributions you made that have not been returned to you in your annuity, they would be distributed either to those you designated as your…
Q: I am contemplating retiring on Dec. 31, 2011. My SCD is Jan. 18, 1982 with a transfer date of Dec. 20, 1988. At the time of transfer I had 480 hours of sick leave. On Dec. 31, 2011, I could have 1,610 hours of sick leave. With this data, I have five yrs, 11 months, two days of CSRS credit with 2 months and 23 days of CSRS sick leave credit. I have 24 years and 12 days of FERS service time. The 1,610-480 = 1,130 hours of FERS time would be halved and give me a FERS sick…
Q: My husband has been working a contract position for the past year. The position is converting to a government position GS-14. He is a 70 percent disabled vet ,with two masters’ degrees and is working on his Ph.D. He is a retired LTC after 26 years in the Army. He has also worked in the private sector for the past eight years. He has had top job performance ratings in his position. However he was not picked up for this position. He was told his 70 percent disability didn’t matter when it came to hiring for this position. I…