Q. I started my federal government career in September 1986 in a non-law enforcement position. In November 1989, I became an 1811 and have remained in the job series to the present. In September, I will have 25 years of federal service (three non law enforcement and 22 law enforcement). I will be 48 in October. Am I eligible to retire this year with 25 years of government service, or do I have to wait until 2013 when I am 50? I am getting conflicting information from my agency and OPM, and then from retirement planning instructors working for the…
Monthly Archives: August, 2011
Q. You mentioned Dec 31 as a good retirement date. On the CSRS retirement application, Section B, Block 2, the date of final separation is Friday, Dec 30, 2011. Some people confuse separation date and retirement date when they fill out the application. That could cause them to lose all their excess leave if they put Dec 31, 2011, in the final separation date. Right? A: You are making hard work out of a simple matter. You separate at the end of the workday on which you elect to retire. For most employees, this year their pay period will end…
Q. I am a FERS employee with 25 years of service. I am 47 years old. I will have 25 years in law enforcement in January. Will I be eligible for the buyouts if they are offered? I am told they will want buyouts off the books by November. A. The fact that you would be eligible to retire doesn’t affect your ability to accept a buyout if one is offered to you.
Q. I was medically retired from the National Guard with 20 years of service. I was a federal technician in a dual-status position at the time and am currently receiving an annuity. I am considering applying for a position in the U.S. Citizens and Immigration Services and I was asked me if I wanted the veterans preference. Do I qualify for that and if so, for how many points? Also, are there any other issues I should be aware of? A. To find out if you are eligible for veterans preference and, if so, how much, go to www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/index.aspx
Q. I retired on Jan 1 and have been living on approximately half pay since then. I was advised about two weeks ago that the Office of Personnel Management had the file as of June and were completing the file and could expect my back pay owed before September. Also, does the possibility of the “high 5” as opposed to the “high 3” affect my pay status, since the effective date of my retirement was January 2011? Would this decision be retroactive? A. When your retirement is finalized, you’ll receive any underpayments you are entitled to while you were on…
Q. My husband worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs for 12 years and went out on disability retirement at age 55. He recently passed away at age 60. As he did not reach the age of 62, he was never converted to a regular Federal Employees Retirement System retirement. I am told I may be eligible for a lump-sum benefit/refund of any monies paid into FERS. Is this worth applying for, or were his FERS contributions used to pay his disability retirement for the past five years? A. Assuming that you were married to him for at least 18 months…
Q. The Office of Personnel Management website is unclear to a couple of us potential Civil Service Retirement System retirees as to whether a nonfederal spouse, not covered by a Federal Employees Health Benefits policy, can receive coverage by the federal annuitant changing from single coverage to a family plan during an open season after the federal spouse retires. For example, assume a federal employee currently covered by an FEHB Kaiser Permanente plan has a nonfederally employed wife (currently covered by a Kaiser Permanente single-only health plan though her employer). The federal employee retires Sept. 3, 2011. After he retires, can…
Q. I am a 59-year-old with 26 years with the federal government. I am a 20/20/20 former spouse also (not remarried). I have not been enrolled in a Federal Employees Health Benefits plan because I am covered under Tricare. I planning on retiring in December 2012 at age 61, with 27 years in federal service. I would like to enroll in an FEHB plan this year during open season. I would like to have the option to use Tricare until I am 65 and then be able to use my FEHB plan rather than use Tricare for Life. When I renew my…
Q. I plan on retiring in January 2012. If the proposal passes to make a five-year average to create my monthly retirement funds, what date would I have to retire to keep the three-year average? Sept. 30, 2011? Dec. 31, 2011? A. You are asking for a prediction, which, the way things stand, would be no better than guess work. You’ll just have to hang on until the legislative picture becomes clearer.
Q. I will have 30 years of service under the Federal Employees Retirement System in three years and am 46 old. If I were to retire at that time, would I have to take a penalty for not having the MRA+10? A. You wouldn’t be eligible to retire. Even though you have 30 years of service, you’d still have to have reached your minimum retirement age to do that. The only exception would be if your agency was granted authority to offer early retirements and your position was one that was included. Then you could retire without an age penalty.