Q. I started my employment as a CC military spouse in Germany in 1981 (no military service myself), then resigned (as we were directed) just before we returned to the U.S. in late 1983. I got picked up into a fed position in September 1984, which set the dates for leave and retirement as 1982. I had been told I was FERS at that time, and I have been contributing and planning toward that, along with attending the FERS retirement classes. However, when I received an estimate for retirement last year, I was told that I was CSRS Offset, with four years and 10 months of creditable service before being picked up in the U.S. I emailed with HR to make sure of that, and the HR person said that I was CSRS offset.
I now have 31 years of federal employment, and thought I had figured out my retirement numbers, until I received the CSRS offset news.
Since I haven’t firmly fixed a date to retire, I hadn’t really looked into it, but now I am wondering what that means exactly with regard to my retirement numbers.
A. If you had five years of creditable service before Jan. 1, 1987, you should have been placed in CSRS Offset. Your agency is responsible for assisting you by explaining the options available to you under Federal Erroneous Retirement Coverage Corrections Act.
