Q. I am 50 years of age with 26 years of experience under FERS with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. I’ve been offered a job that far exceeds the one I’m currently at but would have to leave the agency. Is that possible with my time in and age limit? Can I file for retirement now? I’ve been told I could, but is resignation another option? From reading, doesn’t look good. If there is a better option, I’m all ears. Just want to be educated and not go in the wrong direction.
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. This is my last year receiving Supplemental Social Security (retired from the U.S. Postal Service as FERS in April 2016). I was born in the middle of the month of January. Will this supplement end in December of this year or will it include January 2018 – the month I turn 62 – and stop in February?
Q. The only service computation date on the leave and earnings statement is for leave computation; where can I find my SCD for retirement?
Q. I resigned from the United States Postal Service in 1999 after 12 years of service and received a refund of my retirement contributions. If I get hired on to the USPS again, will I be able to buy back my time like the military candidates? I haven’t been able to find any information regarding this situation, only what pertains to the military.
Q. Doesn’t it make sense once you hit your retirement date to use your sick leave instead of applying it to your retirement? You get paid your full salary while off, get credit for the time and time applies to the FERS annuity supplement.
Q. I served 21 years and six months in the military, paying Social Security all the time. I also paid a little Social Security prior to going into the military. I went into civil service under CSRS in 1985. All of my Social Security was paid into prior to going to work under CSRS, so why should I have an offset after retiring from civil service after 20 years? I paid in the CSRS program and all my Social Security was paid under a different system that shouldn’t have anything to do with civil service and my Social Security.
Q. I am 47 years old and have 22 years of federal service at the Department of Veterans Affairs. I am thinking about leaving the VA to pursue other career options. I want to defer my retirement and annuity until I am 62 years old. Will there be any penalty, and am I entitled to full retirement? Will I still be eligible for health insurance?
Q. I am a CSRS employee who has well over 41 years and 10 months of service. Will the excess retirement contributions that are refunded to me be tax-free?
Q. I worked in Saudi Arabia as an Army civil servant from 2012-2016. I now work in the U.S. at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton where I receive locality pay. If I work here for two years, how is my retirement pay under FERS (42 years of service) computed? What if I spend one year overseas (no locality pay) and two years stateside (with locality pay) — do I get the average of the three years?
Q. I am 52 years old with 30 years of federal service under FERS. How can I retire?