Q. If my spouse and I both agree to terminate our full survivor election, can we do this or does it only end when one of us dies? A. Once a survivor annuity is elected, it can’t be revoked. However, if the spouse for whom it was elected dies first, the retiree’s annuity will be prospectively restored to the amount it would have been had he not elected a survivor annuity.
Monthly Archives: July, 2012
Q. I started my federal law enforcement career in 2002. I was activated under executive order for Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2005 to 2007. How does this time affect law enforcement retirement? I have bought back all of my military time. A. As long as you left from a covered position and returned to a covered position, that period of active-duty service would be counted when determining your eligibility to retire under the special provision for law enforcement officers.
Q. If my agency offered an early retirement package, and I wanted to accept (under FERS — age 56, which is my minimum retirement age, with 18 years service), how would not having the 20 years of service affect me. Am I still a candidate, and would I have to accept penalties? Or do I have to wait until I have the full 20 years? A. You wouldn’t meet the age and service requirements for early retirement. If you still wanted to leave, you could do so under the MRA+10 provision (minimum retirement age with between 10 and 29 years of service).…
Q. I am 61 years old. I have 38 years and eight months in CSRS. I worked for the Department of the Air Force, Department of the Navy and Postal Service. I have 28 quarters of Social Security. I plan to retire no later than Dec. 3. I get updates on my annuity for CSRS. I have no updates on my Social Security. Will I be able to receive a Social Security check at a reduced amount because I only have 28 quarters? Or will I have to get my 40 quarters and then have it reduced? A. You aren’t…
Q. I am an Air Reserve technician with 32 years civil service. I will turn 55 on July 10. I resigned from my civil service position effective the pay period ending July 14. I have, however, vacated the position effective June 22 and used various leave statuses to get me through July 14. Per FERS rules, I was planning to submit my request for federal civil service retirement 60 days prior to my 56th birthday in July 2013. In addition, I submitted my military retirement for Dec. 31, 2012 (I was required to submit a date six months in advance…
Q. I am a FERS employee, age 54½, and I will have 20 years of service as an Army civilian later this month. My local human resources office sees no possibility of a Voluntary Early Retirement Authority. Once I hit 20 years of service, is my future annuity protected even if I leave service prior to my minimum retirement age of 56? What I’d prefer to do, if possible, is leave service and not begin collecting an annuity until I turn 60. Will that prevent me from having my annuity reduced as someone who would be under 62? And what…
Q. Both my spouse and I are federal employees and our Federal Employees Health Benefits coverage is under my name (self and family). If my spouse is approved for a Voluntary Early Retirement Authority, can we switch to have coverage under her name? She will have had coverage under my policy for five years, but it is not specifically under her name. I ask since that would give me the option to leave federal service at some point in the future and still have FEHB coverage under her policy? A. You could do that during the annual open season.
Q. I have 44 years of civilian service under CSRS and 2,400 hours of unused sick leave. Will the year of sick leave be added to my years of service and give me 82 percent annuity or just 80 percent annuity? A. Sick leave isn’t subject to the 80 percent annuity limit, which applies to any retiree who has reached 41 years and 11 months of service. Your unused sick leave will be added to your actual service and used to increase the amount of your annuity. Therefore, your 2,400 hours would add one year and one month to your earned annuity…
Q. I am 63 and plan to retire this year. I was covered for 13 years by CSRS and left the government. When I came back a year later, I was covered by CSRS Offset. After listening to the Office of Personnel Management retirement seminars online, I learned that when you retire at 62, your CSRS check would be reduced based on Social Security. I had planned to wait until I was 66 to file for Social Security. How does this work? Does my CSRS check reduce at 62 regardless of when I start to draw Social Security? Will I…
Q. I finished buying my military time back in 2001. I even received a Form 50 with my retirement date changed. Now, human resources for the Postal Service has notified me that they have made a error regarding my IAD date. They notified me I owe them $570 plus interest. This brings the total to $899. I agreed to pay the $570 but not the interest because it was not my error. They refused, and have already changed my retirement comp date. Why should I pay 10 years of interest due to their mistake? A. Unfortunately, you’ll have to pay…