Q. My wife in the 1980s, for about two years, worked full time as a registered nurse at the VA in West Haven, Connecticut. My understanding is that she may be entitled to some sort of retirement-related benefit (albeit small) as a result of working there. She shared with me that some tax was deferred to another federal mechanism — for lack of a better term. Any thoughts on where to start looking?
A. Your wife wouldn’t be entitled to a retirement benefit. For that to happen, she would have had to work full time (or its part time equivalent) for five years. However, if she didn’t receive a refund of her retirement contributions when she left, she’d be entitled to that money, plus accrued interest. The same is true if she didn’t receive a refund of any contributions she made to the Thrift Saving Plan.
To find out about retirement contributions, write to the following address:
U.S. OPM
Retirement Services and Management Group
P.O. Box 45
Boyers, PA 16017-0045
To find out about contributions to the TSP, write to:
Thrift Savings Plan
P.O. Box 385021
Birmingham, AL 35238
