Q. I have worked for the U.S. Postal Service for 43 years. I retired in 2011 with a CSRS pension. Prior to USPS, and afterwards, I worked under Social Security. I believe I have the required 40 quarters. Will the Windfall Elimination Program affect my getting Social Security and how will it affect my pension?
A. While the Windfall Elimination Provision will have no affect on your CSRS annuity, your Social Security benefit will be affected by it. The WEP reduces the Social Security benefit of anyone who is receiving an annuity from a retirement system – like CSRS – where they didn’t pay Social Security taxes and has fewer than thirty years of substantial earnings under Social Security. To see how the WEP will affect you, go to https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10045.pdf.
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Isn’t Ronald Reagan responsible for that? Doesn’t this also affect fers?
The WEP doesn’t apply to FERS workers who were first hired after December 31, 1983.
I retired from the military with 21 years of service. I have been with USPS for 15 years. I am currently 62 . Does my military service have any weight on my USPS retirement eligibility.
No, it doesn’t unless you make a deposit to get credit for that time and, when you retire, waive your military retired pay.
No, your military service doesn’t carry any weight on your retirement eligibility. The only way you could get credit for that time in determining your years of civilian service would be to make a deposit to the civilian retirement system and, at retirement, waive your military retired pay.
I was a federal worker first hired after December 31, 1983, The WEP exceptions, was it also applies to CSRS Offset ?
Yes, the WEP applies if you have fewer than 30 years of substantial earnings under Social Security. For more information about the WEP, go to https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10045.pdf