Q. I submitted my application for retirement at the Postal Service, accepting the early-out. While waiting for my returned papers, I received a letter from Postal headquarters stating I was put in the wrong retirement. As I had more than five years of prior service, I should have been put in CSRS Offset instead of FERS, so it says to be patient and Washington will send me a new retirement package. With my Jan. 31 retirement date approaching, what can I do?
A. If you had five years of CSRS service before Jan. 1, 1987, you should have remained in CSRS. If you had five years of CSRS service but left for at least a year and returned after Dec. 31, 1983, you should have been placed in CSRS Offset. Once you are off the Postal Service rolls and the Office of Personnel Management has your paperwork, they will let you know what your options are. You can find out more about the Federal Erroneous Retirement Coverage Corrections Act at www.opm.gov/retire/pre/fercca.
