Q: I have 31 years of federal service with a retirement SCD of Oct. 12, 1980. I am 57 and I have been working part time this year (20 hours per week). Because of my part-time schedule, I have had to pick up 50 percent of the government contribution of my health insurance (from $199.20 per pay period to $401.99 per period). I would like to retire in June. How much will I be charged for my health benefits? Do I get the same deduction as a full-time employee, or do I have to pay 50 percent of the government contribution until a reach Medicare?
A: Once you retire, your premiums will be the same amount as they were when you were a full-time employee. Note: Retirees from the U.S. Postal Service are an exception to that rule. Because union negotiations resulted in the postal service paying a larger share of its employees’ premiums, when postal workers retire, they pay the same premiums as all other full-time employees and retirees.
