Q. I am a Defense Department employee with close to 32 years of service. I am 51 ½ years old. I fall under CSRS. They are talking about offering voluntary early retirement with a $25,000 bonus. If I had a firm offer, I would love to negotiate a trade of the $25,000 for some or all of the 2 percent per year reduction I will need to take if I accept the VERA. Have you ever heard of this being done?
A. No, because it can’t be done. The law doesn’t permit it.
