Q. I am 63 (as of March) and I worked for the Veterans Affairs Department for 13 years (1993-2005); I now work for a private university medical center. I was under FERS. Can I “retire” from VA now, and receive the FERS benefits even though I am employed full time? Should I contact the human resources department at my former VA hospital?
A. If you left your contributions in the retirement fund when you left government, you can apply for a deferred annuity now. Go to www.opm.gov, click on Forms, download a copy of OPM Form 1496A, then fill it out and send it to the Office of Personnel Management. You can receive an annuity even if you are working in the private sector.
