Q. I am a CSRS Offset employee with 30-plus years’ service. My marriage to my same-sex partner is recognized by my state of residence but not by the federal government due to the Defense of Marriage Act. Because of DOMA, I cannot provide for a spousal survivor annuity, but I believe I could qualify (legally and in terms of health status) to provide an insurable interest annuity for him should I die first. Since there is less than three years’ difference in our ages, this seems like a close substitute for a surviving spouse annuity. What are the differences between the two? Will…
Monthly Archives: August, 2012
Q. I retired Dec. 3 on disability retirement after 13½ years’ service with the USPS. I am receiving 60 percent of high-3 the first year and 40 percent of high-3 the second year until age 62, which will be in July 2014. In applying for disability retirement, I cited 5 Department of Labor-accepted, on-the-job injuries to feet, two torn biceps and shoulder surgeries, as well as intercostal chondritis. I also cited worsening back condition and other conditions I am receiving VA compensation for. My high-3 is approximately $54,000, and I receive $2,708 from OPM under FERS disability retirement. I was…
Q. I worked for customs for 13 months and resigned about 10 years ago. I did not my accrued sick leave, nor did I transfer it when I left. I was recently hired by the Department of Homeland Security/Transportation Security Administration part time. 1. How do I get the unused sick leave I had when I resigned credited back to me? 2. Can I start to contribute to TSP right away, along with receiving the agency’s matching contributions, or do I have to wait like all new employees? 3. Is there a formula for calculating FERS retirement for part-time service;…
Q. I have 14 years’ federal civilian service and my minimum retirement age is 56. I retired from the U.S. military with 22 years’ active-duty service. I have already purchased my military time back and I have paid my deposit in full. I intend to waive my military retired pay and retire under FERS this year when I reach my MRA. Will my annuity be reduced 5 percent for each year that I am younger than 62? A. No, because you will be retiring at your MRA with more than 30 combined years of service.
Q. At the time of the last offering to change to FERS, HR encouraged me to switch from CSRS to FERS because I am a widow and my widow’s pension would be severely reduced if I stayed in CSRS. I now have 35 years of service and am 61, and I want to retire from the VA and do something else for a while. I am a GS-15 equivalent, with my average high-3 earnings at $135,500. HR ran the numbers, which came out as $4,376 for CSRS and then a $1,571 FERS annuity, totaling $71,364. HR is telling me if…
Q. Under CSRS Offset, I worked for the federal government from 1973 to 1987 and withdrew my retirement. I then worked for private industry, paying Social Security from 1988 to 2007. Finally, in 2007, I returned to work for the federal government and stayed with the CSRS Offset retirement. When I retire, how will my Social Security versus CSRS Offset be paid? Since I have contributed to Social Security for approximately 20 years, will this not be a normal CSRS Offset situation? A. Yes. If you were already retired, at age 62 your CSRS annuity would be offset only by…
Q. As a retired Air Force reservist, I (and my wife) went under Tricare Prime when I turned 60 on Nov. 28, 2010. Before that date, we were covered under Blue Cross Blue Shield federal health insurance as our primary provider. When I retired from federal service after 40 years of service Jan. 1, 2011, I suspended our Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance and made Tricare Prime our primary health insurance provider. Because of problems we have encountered with Tricare Prime, I would like to reinstate Blue Cross Blue Shield as our primary health care insurance and drop my Tricare…
Q. I am 58 and have 24 years in the post office. Can I retire if they offer an early out? A. Yes, because you are at least 50 and have at least 20 years of service.
Q. I worked for the Postal Service as a clerk from 1985 until 1997. When and how much of a pension am I entitled to? A. If you left your contributions in the retirement fund when you left, you’ll be eligible for an annuity at age 62. The amount will be calculated using this formula: 0.01 x your highest three consecutive years of average salary (your high-3) x all years and full months of service.
Q. I separated from the Air Force in 2008 as a major with 13½ years of service and received a lump-sum voluntary separation payment. I’m employed as a government civilian and would like to buy back my military time. Do I have to repay the entire lump sum I was paid when I separated to do this? A. Whether you are required to pay back some or all of your VSP is a matter between you and your branch of service. It has nothing to do with your ability to make a deposit to get credit for you active-duty service.…