Monthly Archives: August, 2012

Q. I was active-duty military (Title 10) from 1988 to 1999. I joined the National Guard soon after I ended my time in service from active duty, and in February, I retired as a member of the active guard reserve (Title 32). In April, I became a federal civilian employee. I plan to retire at age 56 from FERS. This coincides with my federal MRA+10 (age 56). Can I collect a FERS retirement and a military retirement? I intend to buy back those 10 years of active duty. Next question: Will my creditable military service (active duty title 10) time…

Q. I, perhaps incorrectly, understood that a person can “declare” retiring at a time earlier than MRA and 30 years’ service, with reduced benefits (reduced pension). I’m in FERS; is this true? A. Not exactly. You can retire at age 62 with five years of service, age 60 with 20, at your MRA with 30 or at your MRA with at least 10 but fewer than 30. In the last case, your annuity would be reduced by 5 percent for every year you were younger than 62. However, if you have at least five years of service and don’t take…

Q. My wife and I are federal employees under FERS. I will be retiring with 25-plus years of service as a federal law enforcement officer this year. I have been enrolled in self and family coverage under the FEHBP during my entire career, and my wife has been covered under my benefit plan during this period. My wife has been employed with the government for a little more than a year in a non-LEO position and plans to remain in her job at least until she reaches MRA, which will give her right at 10 years of service. I do…

Q. I’m under a federal employee retirement system with a mandatory retirement age of 57 as a law enforcement officer. Additionally, I already bought back approximately four years of active military service. I’m also eligible for a military reserve retirement when I turn 60 after completing 20 years of military reserve service. Would I be eligible to draw retirement benefits under FERS and the military reserve even though I have already bought back my active-duty time? A. Yes.

Q. In April, I will have completed 20 years of federal employment. I will be only 55 and will not have met the MRA, 56. I was told at a retirement seminar that I could still separate (at 55) and wait to apply for the postponed retirement when I reach MRA. Is this correct, or would this be a deferred retirement and would I lose my ability to renew my health and life benefits options when I reach 60? A. Because you have at least 20 years of service, if you left before being eligible to retire, you could apply…

Q. This question concerns the computation for an annuity under FERS. The high-3 method requires computing the three consecutive highest-earning years for computing the annuity payments. What effect does leave without pay (LWOP) have on that method? If you had four months of leave without pay during one of the high-3 years, is the base pay used in the computation or are the actual earnings (accounting for the leave) used in the computation? A. Because you had fewer than six months of leave without pay, your base pay will be used, not your actual earnings.

Q. I worked from 1970 to 1984, then from 2005 to present (and still working) in the private sector. I worked for the Postal Service from July 1982 to December 2004, taking an early out with a reduced retirement annuity. I have worked 22 years for the Postal Service and 23 years in the private sector. I want to know what I will face when I begin to draw Social Security, which I hope to do in December 2015, when I’m 62. At this point, I will have worked only 26 years in the private sector. Am I correct in…

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