Q. I am a 54-year-old postal worker in CSRS with 28.5 years in and a retirement date of April 2013. I still lack approximately 3.5 years to get my quarters in for Social Security. When I worked before the post office, I probably averaged about $3 an hour for the quarters I have in. I heard about the penalty involving Social Security because of me being CSRS, but do not quite understand. Would it be worth it for me to go back to work after I retire somewhere else just to get my quarters?
A. While the windfall elimination provision would reduce your Social Security benefit, it wouldn’t eliminate it. The decision is yours to make.
