Q. I have worked at a number of federal agencies over the past 35 years. My current leave and earnings statement only reflects my earnings and CSRS contributions at my current agency. How do I get the true total earnings I have had over my entire federal career? Is there a form or office I can contact. What is the correct procedure? I am planning to retire at the end of this calendar year. A. I checked with the Office of Personnel Management, and here is what they had to say: “First, the employee must have all of their SF-50s from…
Monthly Archives: June, 2012
Q. I am currently retired from Verizon but need to get back to work. I’m trying to find a federal job in the information technology field, and I have a couple questions. First, the applications ask if I am a former federal employee. I worked for the Postal Service for 3½ years from 1973 to 1976, and also worked for another nine months full-time permanent in 1986, so I have over four years of service. I am hoping that I can put down that I am a former federal employee, but not sure if I should. I found a website…
Q. I was hired by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in 1994 and resigned in 2000 to relocate across the country. Four months later, I found a new position and have been continuously employed with the federal government since. My position in the U.S. Senate will expire at the end of the year (the senator I work for is retiring). If it takes, hypothetically, two or three months after that to find another federal position, what will that break in service do to my retirement benefits/years in service? And what about the first break in service of four months back in…
Q. I am a FERS employee who will have approximately 100 hours of sick leave by the time I plan to leave my federal position (March 1, 2013) under the MRA+10 policy. I plan to defer my pension disbursement as I will be 52 when I leave federal service. How will my unused sick time figure into my deferred annuity calculation? A. It will be added to your actual service time and used in the computation of your annuity. However, your annuity will only be increased if your leftover hours of actual service and sick leave hours add up to…
Q. I am a postal worker who started my 25th year of service in May. I am buying back my military time of six years and will have it paid at the end of this year. I will be 49 this year. Since my minimum retirement age is 56, is there any chance of receiving the Social Security supplement between 50 and 55 if I retired under a Voluntary Early Retirement Authority? Must I be 56 regardless of the number of years of service to receive it? When I pay off my military time later this year, how is the…
Q. I am retired and have medical family plan 105 Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance. My husband turns 65 in December and will be on Medicare. I understand I can keep his coverage under my health insurance along with his Medicare Plan. If I should die, is he still covered under this insurance? A. Yes, but only if you have elected a survivor annuity for him.
Q. I claimed veterans’ preference? What are the rules and regulations? A. You’ll find what you are looking for at www.opm.gov/StaffingPortal/vetguide.asp.
Q. I am 44 years old, and I am covered under FERS with a scheduled leave date of November 1985 but did not start working full time until August 1989. I recently enrolled in the Federal Employees Health Benefits plan, as my wife’s insurance coverage was better than FEHB. If offered, would I be eligible for a VERA/VSIP without any penalty? A. Yes. Although you worked part time for several years, your service computation date shows that you were given full-time credit for those years of service. The only effect of having worked part time is that your annuity will…
Q. I resigned from federal service with 21 years of service: 20 in FERS, one in CSRS. At the time I resigned, I was not yet at my minimum retirement age. I now meet the MRA+10 rules and am ineligible for any CSRS refunds. Can I wait until age 60 and qualify for an unreduced annuity under the age 60 with 20 years of service provision? Is it better to take the reduced annuity today? A. Yes, you can wait until age 60 and receive an unreduced annuity. Whether it’s better to take the reduced annuity now or wait until…
Q. Can you receive a lump-sum payment from FERS? I am receiving $750 per month. I would like to pay a Chapter 13 so that I can move ahead. My spouse is employed and will work an additional 12 years. We have the means to continue with very little difficulty. A. No, you can’t.