Q. My husband served eight years active in the Navy and stayed in the Guard for 20 years. He just turned 60 and is receiving his Navy retirement check. He is also employed under FERS and has already paid back his military time. Our question is: Can he draw his military retirement check along with his retirement check from civil service, which will be figured using buyback military time? If he has to choose and keeps his retirement check, will they give him back his buyback amount?
A. He will receive both retirement checks, with no reduction in either. As you noted, his civilian annuity will include the years of active-duty service for which he made a deposit.