Q. My husband entered military service June 14, 1988, and has 24 years and 23 days of active-duty service, according to his DD 214. He retired as of Jan. 1, 2012. He worked as a Defense Department civilian from May 14, 2012, to Aug. 7, 2012. How much time does he get added to his service computation date for his 24 years of military service? A. He won’t receive any credit toward his service computation date unless he makes a deposit to the civilian retirement system. The deposit would be a small percentage of his basic pay while on active…
Monthly Archives: February, 2013
Q. I left Veterans Affairs Department service and withdrew my money from CSRS. When I came back after less than a year, I asked human resources to make sure I was under the same retirement system but only part time since I was in school. He told me not to come back part time, changed me to intermittent and said that since I came back after less than a year, it would not change anything. I found out that it threw me into the offset. I became eligible for retirement June 25, 2012, but have some ongoing medical issues and…
Q. My husband worked for a Veterans Affairs Medical Center for seven years, then left federal employment. He is 63 and eligible for a deferred annuity. He may be returning to his previous job. Is there a certain amount of time he must be re-employed so as to be able to retire and carry his health benefits into retirement? A. If he was enrolled in the Federal Employees Health Benefits program on the day he left, re-enrolls on the day he is re-employed by the federal government, and has been enrolled for five years, he would be able to carry…
Q. I am getting ready to retire under CSRS. As you know, I do not have Social Security taxes taken out of my pay. Will they start taking Social Security out of my annuity? A. No.
Q. Due to the increase expense of health insurance, what options do federal employees have who are not also service-connected veterans? Can we pay a co-pay to the Veterans Affairs Department to be seen? A. No.
Q. I am retired under CSRS with survivor benefits for my spouse. I have Medicare Part A and Federal Employees Health Benefits Blue Cross/Blue Shield family plan. My spouse has just become Medicare eligible. Since there is a penalty (140 percent) for me to pick up Part B, we are contemplating continuing with the Medicare Part A and FEHB. The adviser at Social Security questioned our health insurance coverage after I die, noting the penalty in picking up Part B later. I assume that FEHB coverage will continue with the survivor benefits. Also, will the cost of the FEHB become…
Q. I am eligible for retirement in July. I started under CSRS and transferred to FERS. I know that after Jan. 1, 2014, I will get time of service for all of my sick leave. How is that figured? Do 2,080 hours add one year of service? A. No, 2,087 hours equals one year. Therefore, a month of additional credit is roughly 174 hours. Be aware that unused sick leave isn’t treated separately. It’s added to any hours that weren’t used in the computation of your annuity. There are usually some hours left over because your annuity is based on…
Q. I am a permanent, full-time, nonconditional federal employee (GS-7) under the FERS retirement program. I am 64 years old and will have five years of service Sept. 14. Am I eligible for any of the early retirement programs even though I do not have more than 20 years of service? A. Until you reach age 62, you aren’t eligible to retire. However, when you turn age 62, you can retire on an immediate annuity. That opportunity is open to any employee who is at least age 62 and has five years of service.
Q. Do you receive your special retirement supplement in your first check after retirement? I am retiring with my minimum retirement age and 31 years of service? A. No, you won’t receive the special retirement supplement until your annuity is finalized. Then you’ll receive a retroactive payment for the SRS you should have received and any additional annuity that you are owed for the time you were receiving interim pay.
Q. I am considering getting married before I retire. Is there a time frame you have to be married for your spouse to receive survivor benefits? A. Not if you marry before you retire. However, if you marry after retiring, there is a nine-month waiting period before the election of a survivor annuity is effective.