Q. I resigned from the Postal Service after 10-plus years on July 31, 2012, at age 54 and received half of the $20,000 separation bonus in December 2012 and am expecting the other half this December. Do I qualify at age 62 for FERS? My husband also works for the Postal Service but is not planning to retire until age 62.
If he should die before me (and vice versa), will I, as his wife, receive his FERS annuity and mine? How is this determined? Or will the surviving spouse only receive a portion of the deceased spouse’s monthly annuity?
A. If you didn’t receive a refund of your retirement contributions, you’d be entitled to a deferred annuity at age 62. If your husband were to die, you would be entitled to 50 percent of his unreduced annuity.
