Q: My husband died after 35 years of federal service. I receive a survivor benefit. He had been on workers compensation for about 15 years, so he did not retire per se. When he died they took him off workers compensation and restore him as an employee, so I receive 55 percent of his salary. When I turn 65 will I also be able to receive Social Security. I was not a government employee, but I paid into Social Security. I have heard that because I am receiving a survivors annuity, I will not be able to receive my Social…
Yearly Archives: 2011
Q: I’m a federal employee under FERS, I was a state of Florida employee for nine years until 1998. Can I transfer my years of service from the state of Florida to FERS? A: No, you can’t.
Q: I retired early as my command relocated more than 50 miles outside my commute area. I subsequently sold my home and moved. Are any of my expenses such as buyer assisted closing cost and move expense tax deductible? A: No.
Q: I am a postal inspector by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and recently received a step increase, from GS/EAS 15, step 7 (119554) to step 8 (122875) based on time in grade. The step increase was reflected in my pay stub beginning with pay period two, but did not impact my take-home pay. This is likely due to the LEP and SPA that I receive as an 1811, which has kept my total compensation at level 4 of the executive pay grade (155500) for the last two years. I also noticed that my LEP was reduced, probably to absorb…
Q: My father has been a retired Department of Defense Civil Service employee since 1989. He received a pay cut of $48 for the first time this month with no explanation. We can find no evidence that a federal pay cut was implemented. Do you have any information regarding this? A: According to the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association: While all of the attention recently was on Congress extending the Bush-era tax cuts — which happened — a lesser-known federal tax credit for employees and retirees that was part of the 2009 stimulus law was allowed to expire.…
Q: I am receiving a CSRS annuity and Social Security. The social security was reduced by WEP. I am now eligible for a supplemental annuity because I worked as a re-employed annuitant for over three years. I will need to pay the deposit in order to get the supplemental annuity. Will the supplemental annuity further reduce my Social Security? If yes, how can I calculate the reduction? I need to know if it will pay me to accept the supplemental annuity. A: No, it will not further reduce your Social Security benefit. That benefit is based solely on your years…
Q: I will retire in 2014 under FERS with about 12.5 years of service. My high-3 will be approximately $62,000 and I know I will get a lump sum for any annual leave, but I’m a bit confused on the sick leave. I will have about 1,100 hours of sick leave accrued and the online calculator I used to determine how much that will add to my retirement says it will give me $8 per month more by using that sick leave. I thought the whole idea behind allowing FERS employees to use their sick leave toward retirement was that…
Q: I am divorced and the divorce decree left my CSRS pension intact (and her state pension was also left intact, so that neither of us will be drawing on each other’s pension). If I retire in the coming year, and remain single, and elect No Survivor Benefit, and retire in 2011, but then in 2012 or 2013, I remarry, can my new wife be provided a Survivor Benefit so that she gets (1) part of my pension upon my death and also (2) qualifies (while I am alive) for FEHB? If I can do that, how would I initiate…
Q: How can I get proof that I did buy back my four years of military service so I can ensure my FERS retirement date is accurate? I bought back four years of active duty years ago but never got any documentation indicating so. I have a dollar figure on my LES that indicates a deposit was made, and the military deposit worksheets showing I made an application for a deposit. I’m getting the runaround from state HRO, personnel and finance. They all claim the other office takes care of it, but no one knows who really is in control…
Q: I’m a CSRS employee. I am 70 and I have 44 years of federal service. I also have 39 quarters toward Social Security. When I retire, will I receive retirement funds paid in after 41 years, 11 months? Also, if I get another job to get the 40th quarter will my wife and I receive Social Security? A: When you retire, you will be given the option of receiving a refund of any retirement contributions you made after you had 41 years and 11 months of service or of using that money to buy additional annuity that isn’t subject…