Q. My mother retired from the U.S. Postal Service in 1997 or 1998. She came in under CSRS and later FERS; however, I guess she did not pay into Social Security at the time, unknowingly. But she worked for years with the state prior to that and was not given credit for it. She receives the bare minimum from Supplemental Security Income. Is there anything that I can do to help her? She has worked more than 50 years to only receive $250 per month.
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 am a widow of a U.S. Postal Service worker and am receiving a survivor annuity. If I remarry after 55, will I be able to continue my annuity and my federal employee health benefits coverage?
Q. I am under FERS disability retirement with 23 years of service at age 49. I was told by the Office of Personnel Management that at age 62, my 23 years would be bumped up to 32 years — the difference between when I left and when I turn 62. So would it bump up my FERS retirement at age 62? Is this correct that it would be reconfigured at a higher annuity?
Q. I’m a FERS employee. I thought I had read somewhere that when you leave government early and apply for a deferred retirement, you have to wait until you are 62 to receive your annuity. Is that not true? Would you be eligible for the FERS supplement in this case?
Q. I received my first FERS retirement check, but it did not include the supplement. How long does it take to receive this? Is it a separate check or included with the FERS retirement check?
Q. I resigned from the U.S. Postal Service in 2005 with 490 hours of sick leave. I started working for the Department of Homeland Security in 2013. I have tried to contact the Office of Personnel Management to see if I could get my sick leave back. Is the Post Office different whereas my sick leave can’t be restored?
Q. I retired in 1995 and included a small survivor benefit for my spouse. In 2014, we divorced, and I have since remarried. I would like to leave a survivor benefit for my new wife. Does the Office of Personnel Management permit me to provide a survivor benefit to my second wife? If yes, what is the correct way to proceed?
Q. Because of medical reasons, I’m considering retiring early. My age is 58, and I have 28 years of federal employment, non-military. I know that I will deduct 5 percent for every year until I reach 60 for my pension. Would I receive the special retirement supplement if I retire now? I have reached my minimum retirement age.
Q. I’m a FERS employee with the U.S. Postal Service. I have been with USPS for 28½ years and have two years and four months of time in the military. Can I retire now and still receive my special retirement supplement, or do I have to wait until I get 30 years with USPS?
Q. Why wouldn’t the Office of Personnel Management give you an option to have taxes withheld if a survivor annuity is taxable? What a huge shock to find out that I owe $6,000!