Q. Does the WEP start when you sign up for Social Security or when you retire from your non-SS job? A. First things first: Unless you have reached your full Social Security retirement age and are still working, any Social Security benefit you are entitled to would be reduced by $1 for every $2 you earn above the Social Security earning limit. In 2019 that limit is $17,640. Full Social Security retirement ages range from 65 to 67, depending on your year of birth. After you retire, the windfall elimination provision would apply. The amount of Social Security benefit you’d…
Author Reg Jones
Reg Jones
Reg Jones was head of retirement and insurance policy at the Office of Personnel Management. Email your retirement-related questions to fedexperts@federaltimes.com.
Q. I plan on retiring Aug. 3, 2019. I’m a CSRS employee. Will I be entitled to any COLA in 2020? A. In January 2020, you will be entitled to 1/3 of any COLA amount, rounded to the nearest 1/10th of 1 percent.
Q. I retired and my present benefit is $3,002 per month. What is the survivor benefit? A. The answer depends on your retirement system. If you are covered by CSRS, your survivor spouse would be entitled to 55 percent of what your current annuity would be if you hadn’t elected a survivor annuity. If you are covered by FERS, it would be 50 percent of what your current annuity would be if you hadn’t elected a survivor annuity.
Q. I am a widow for two years and I am receiving a federal pension and also my Social Security. I’m 67 years old. If in the future I get married again, can I lose my federal pension? A. No, if you are referring to a federal annuity based on your own work record. You could remarry at any age without it having any affect of that benefit. However, if you are referring to a federal survivor annuity, surviving spouses only lose that benefit if they remarry before age 55.
Q. I’m planning to file for disability retirement. I need direct questions for my doctor to turn in to the Office of Personnel Management. Where can I find them? A. You’ll find out what information is required from your doctor at http://www.opm.gov/retirement-services/publications-forms/csrsfers-handbook/c060.pdf. Just scroll to Section 60 A1.1-2J.
Q. I have worked for the government in two different agencies. I worked for the U.S. Postal Service for 12 years under CSRS, which was followed by time in the U.S. Department of Commerce for the remainder. This includes four years of military service. There was a break of more than a year between the two. I was classified as being Offset CSRS in the Department of Commerce, but I have always paid into Social Security both in the Postal Service and Commerce. Shouldn’t I be exempt from WEP? A. Because you had a period of service under CSRS –…
Q. I’m a FERS employee who will be retiring soon. Will I be entitled to the special retirement supplement? A. The special retirement supplement is payable immediately to those who retire at age 60 with 20 years of service or at their minimum retirement age with 30. If you retire under an early retirement authority, it’s payable at your MRA. No paperwork is needed to receive the SRS. Three things to keep in mind: 1) The SRS is never payable to those who retire under the MRA+10 provision or who leave government and apply for a deferred annuity. 2) The…
Q. If a person retires voluntarily at age 60 and is receiving the regular FERS annuity plus the special retirement supplement, will that person also be able to collect Social Security Disability (if approved) at the same time? A. Yes.
Q. I was an air traffic controller for 19 years 9 months and am now on a FERS disability annuity. If I am reading BAL 10-105 correctly, my annuity should be computed at 1.7 percent instead of the 1.0 or 1.1 percent I am currently receiving. Is that correct? Also, at age 62 what will happen? At that age I would have 41 years of service. I also question MRAs and the age of 62 for calculations for air traffic controllers. I was eligible for a full FERS retirement at 46 (25 years service). The maximum age to work as…
Q. I am planning to retire ASAP but am working out a few issues. I do not want the early retirement penalty (5/12 percent per month) to impact my retirement compensation so understanding how my military time rolls toward my retirement will dictate when I can retire. I will have 27 years of FERS service and four years of paid military time. I will have met my MRA of 57.6 yrs. Does my military credit count toward the 30 years required service time or does my military time only count toward my annuity computation? If it only counts toward the…