Q. I am under the FERS program. I’m 45 years old with 25 years of federal service. If I quit now to take care of my mother, will I receive a pension, how much, and when will it begin? A. You would be eligible for a deferred annuity at age 60. It would be based on your creditable service and high-3 on the day you left. Here’s the formula: 0.01 x your high-3 x your years and full months of service.
Monthly Archives: October, 2011
Q. As part-time flexible postal workers, we were not able to recover unused vacation time going into the next year over 440 hours. As a newly designated nontraditional full-time employee, has this changed? A. Only Executive Administrative Schedule employees are able to carry over a greater amount of unused annual leave. In their case it’s 560 hours.
Q. I have a small email newsletter to mostly federal administrative law judges. Your recent article on Dec. 31 being the best day to retire drew the following alternate theory and we would love to hear your response: “I have to disagree, especially in the case of high earning ALJs who presumably have some assets. Without taking the time to do a long-term analysis, I would suggest that it is better to carry forward the 240 hours of leave, enjoy the use or lose leave by Dec. 31, and continue working until March or April before retiring. You give up…
Q. I entered active duty Jan.1, 1981, and exited July 15, 1983. I have 10 months of previous active duty. I worked up until Dec. 29, 1986, when I resigned and went to the private sector. I re-entered government service Sept, 29, 1988, and have been in the government since. I have bought back and paid for 40 months of my military service. How can I determine myservice computation date so I may prepare for retirement in July 2012. My HR support seems to be a bit clueless on this. A. Round up any records you have, go to your…
Q. I have five years’ previous service as a customs inspector from 1992 to 1997. In 1997. I was hired into my current 6 (C) law enforcement covered position as an 1811 special agent. In 2012, I will be 50 years old with a total of 28 years of federal service, eight military that I bought back, five as a customs inspector, and 15 as a special agent. Is there any provision for a buyback of law enforcement time for my previous five years of customs inspector time that would allow me to have 20 years of law enforcement time…
Q. I have been told that Social Security looks at your federal retirement at age 62 only and only once. Is this true and does it look at it on your birthday to determine if you are eligible for benefits. At 62, I will fall short of being eligible by six quarters. If it only looks at my file on my birthday, I would wait a few months and go back to work. A. Let’s begin at the beginning for those who may not know what you’re asking about. Any employee who is covered by a retirement system where…
Q. I represent an employee who retired with more than 42 years of service. At one point, this employee was a WG-11. He was severely injured on the job and went under Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs. It paid his wages for a period of time. At a later date the facility created a “light duty position” around his permanent disability. The position was set at a GS-4. This employee held this job for more than five years. Prior to his accepting this position, the facility coordinated with OWCP for it to continue to pay the “wage loss,” which was…
Q. I have just short of five years of service as a part-time substitute rural carrier, beginning in 1979 and ending in 1984, followed by full time service as a regular rural carrier from 1984 to the present with no break in service. I am being told that my part-time years are nondeduction service and that I must make a deposit for if I want full credit for retirement. Payments for Social Security were deducted from my paychecks as a part-time employee. I must pay 7 percent of my salary for that period for Social Security. This looks like paying…
Q. I receive 25 percent administratively uncontrollable overtime as an 1801. Can you please define specifically who or what positions are covered and who would get their AUO counted as stated below: “All federal annuities are computed using an employee’s basic pay. …With the exception of administratively uncontrollable overtime paid to certain law enforcement officers.” A. You’ll find the official answer at www.opm.gov/oca/compmemo/html/cpm97-5a.htm.
Q. I know that after serving 20 years as a law enforcement officer, I can change to any other agency and work until age 50 and retire as a LEO. After 20 years in a LEO position, I can retire as a LEO. I could also work 25 years of service and retire as a LEO. My question is: I have 20 years as a LEO. I also have six years of military service that I bought back. I am 46 years old. Can I retire now or does the 25-year rule have to all be in a LEO position?…