Q. I retired from the military after serving 21 years, am receiving retirement pay and also received a 20 percent disability rating from the Veterans Affairs Department and get payment from VA. I work for a school district paying into the California Public Employees’ Retirement System. If I take a position with the federal government, what happens to my military retirement? What can be done with the 13+ years I have paid in to CALPERS?
A. If you went to work for the federal government, you would be able to continue receiving your military retired pay and VA benefits. You wouldn’t receive any credit for your CALPERS service in determining your years of federal service or in your annuity computation. What would happen to your CALPERS contributions is something you’ll have to ask your former employer.
