Q. I lost my reserve position because of medical problems through no fault of mine on Aug 27, 2010. They have given me one year to find another job. I will be 54 with 19½ years of time in August. What type of retirement would I be allowed? A. Disability.
Monthly Archives: July, 2011
Q. I have been an employee for 22-plus years in the FERS retirement system. I have been “PCS’d” overseas to five countries during my career for a total of 15 years and six months. I was recently told I accrue years at an accelerated rate when assigned (PCS) overseas. Is that correct? At what rate do I accrue years towards retirement (i.e. 1 year overseas = 1.2 years, etc)? Does the accelerated rate apply to extended overseas TDYs, such as my current situation of serving 179 days in Iraq? Thank you for your assistance. I can’t find this topic addressed…
Q. I will retire soon and will chose a lifetime annuity not to include my husband with survivor benefits. Can I still carry him on my FEHB coverage? A. You can continue to include him under the self and family option of your FEHB plan. However, if you were to change to self only or die, he would lose that coverage unless he is a federal employee or retiree who would be eligible to continue that coverage on his own.
Q. Do my nine years of honorable Air Force active-duty time that I bought back count towards computing my FERS retirement date from the Postal Service or do they only count towards my retirement pay percentage? I thought when I bought my military time back, it counted towards my retirement eligibility date. A. Since you made a deposit for your active-duty service, it will be used in determining your length of civilian service, which will affect your annuity computation date and your annual leave category, and in your annuity computation when you retire.
Q. I served as an Air National Guard full-time WG-12 technician from March 1993 until January 2003 when I was found to be no longer medically eligible to serve in the military capacity that is a prerequisite to holding a job as a civil service technician. I performed the same duties when doing military time as I did as a FERS employee but was given an OPM disability retirement because I lost my military status. I learned today that there is a special retirement supplement to disability payments for law enforcement and military reserve technicians that is intended to bridge…
Q. I have been a federal employee for 32 years, CSRS Offset, and this is the first I have heard of this program. Can you please explain the program? A.The Voluntary Contributions Program is open to CSRS and CSRS Offset employees. It allows them to make contributions to the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund and earn tax-deferred interest. They have the option at any time of asking for a refund of all contributions and interest or, at retirement, using the money to buy additional annuity. For more information go to www.opm.gov/retire/pubs/pamphlets/forms/RI83-10.pdf.
Q. I currently have Medicare, Tricare and Blue Cross/Blue Shield coverage and was told that I should drop my BCBS and would have the same coverage without the extra expense. What do you think? A. While I’m not in a position to advise you, I can tell you that many retirees with Tricare and Medicare Parts A & B have suspended — not dropped — their FEHB coverage and are satisfied with the results. By suspending your coverage, you protect your right to re-enroll if you lose Tricare coverage.
Q. Can I be charged offsets on both Social Security & CSRS? A. Yes. Your CSRS annuity will be offset by the amount of Social Security benefit you earned while employed under CSRS Offset. Your Social Security benefit will be reduced if you have fewer that 30 years of substantial earnings under Social Security.
Q. I am a federal employee with 29 years and two months of service to date. I am 56 years old and I am under CSRS. If offered I will take the early-out in December; at that time I will have 29 years and eight months of service. My question is what will happen to my sick leave? A. Any unused sick leave hours will be added to any hours of actual work that don’t add up to a full month. Any additional months created will be added to your actual service and used in the computation of your annuity. For retirement…
Q. My wife is 50 and is covered by CSRS. She has 28 years of service and wants to retire early. Is she eligible and what is the penalty? A. She isn’t eligible for early retirement unless her agency offers her that opportunity. And it can’t do that unless OPM has authorized it under the Voluntary Early Retirement Authority. Even if VERA approval was granted, early retirement offers would only be available to units, occupations, grade levels and/or geographic locations where a reduction in staff is needed. If, by chance, she received such an offer and accepted it, her annuity would be reduced by…