Q. I retired a year-and-a-half ago. When my wife died, I informed OPM and sent them the paperwork needed to eliminate the reduction in my annuity to provide a survivor benefit for her. OPM recomputed my annuity and increased it, but only for the months between when she died and the present. Shouldn’t I have received a payment that was retroactive to the date I retired?
A. No. Because the law doesn’t provide for retroactive payments, OPM could only increase your annuity prospectively beginning with the month in which your wife died.
8 Comments
I just turn 61 and I am getting my pension at 62 do they start giving interim checks at 62 and 8 months until they finalize how much I will be entitled to.
Since you are already on the annuity roll, any changes to the amount you receive will be made automatically.
If you are not getting an annuity now, you may be referring to claiming a Deferred Retirement annuity. You will have to file the appropriate form with OPM in order to get that. CSRS is OPM Form 1496-A, FERS is Form RI 92-19. Both are available on the OPM website. https://www.opm.gov/forms/
I am 72 years old and I am receiving my pension as a Government Retiree. I worked for 30 years as Civil Service Federal Government Employee. I was married for 16 years to a military , got divorced. He passed away in 2001. If congress approved the Windfall elimination provision will I be entitle to collect SS on his account?.
You may be thinking of the government pension offset provision. The GPO reduces or eliminates the Social Security benefit of anyone who is receiving an annuity from a retirement system where they didn’t pay Social Security taxes. Unfortunately. Congress has shown little interest in eliminating that provision.
Hello. I retired from a government position and my last day of work was 4/8/20. I was informed that I would start receiving the pension amount calculated in apx 2-3 months. When I do receive the first payment. will this be retro active pay back to 4/8/20.
Thank you
Kevin Whitney
No, it won’t be retroactive to April 8. Because you retired after March 31 (FERS) or April 3 (CSRS), your first month’s annuity began to accrue on May 1 and would first be payable on June 1.
I am expecting a substantial retroactive payment from OPM that goes back to February 2018. Am I entitled to interest on this retro payment? A reference with your response would be great.