Q: I am a substantial contributor to Social Security through the military reserves, and I worked six years as a teacher. I also have 26 years of CSRS service and five years of CSRS OFFSET for a total of 31 years of service. My high three is $107,800. I am 61 years old and could retire now. I understand how the security portion of the offset will be calculated but I do not understand how the substantial contribution portion will be handled through the military and as a teacher. A: Substantial earnings under Social Security are substantial earnings, no matter…
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 was involuntarily retired from the Air Force because of an injury received while at work. It was a gradual process. I was injured (torn ACL in my left leg) in 1998. I was then returned to work. The ACL repair wasn’t successful, so I underwent a second surgery in 2001. I started rehabilitation but did not complete it. I was then moved into a supply position. I underwent a third surgery in 2003. I started rehabilitation and I completed it according to the rehabilitation specialist’s instruction. However, he (DOL) insisted that I pay for everything and assured me…
Q: I am aware that there is some support to propose legislation this year to pay federal employees for unused sick leave by depositing the money into one’s TSP. Is there any further support for this and has anything been proposed in this arena? I believe Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-Mass., had said that he would introduce legislation to pay federal employees for unused sick and annual pay at retirement by having it deposited to your TSP. Do you have any current information in reference to this matter? A: I have found no evidence that Lynch did anything more than talk…
Q: I will be covered by the Civil Service Retirement System. I have been offered a position for which locality pay is in effect. Will this locality pay be incorporated in my annuity? A: Locality pay is considered to be a part of basic pay and will be used in the calculation of your annuity.
Q: I received a medical retirement from active duty in the Army after serving 15 years. I am working as a YA-02 (GS-11 equivalent) and I was wondering if I could buy back my military time. I am no longer receiving retirement pay because my VA compensation is more than my retirement pay. I have been a civil servant (FERS) for almost 2 years and my probationary period is just about over. Would it be beneficial for me to buy back my military time? A: To get credit for you period of active duty service, you would need to make…
Q: Can you tell me how many years I have of Creditable Service? I am a FERS employee. I have also paid back about eight years of active duty Air Force. A: Write down the amount of time you have worked under FERS. Then write down the amount of active duty service for which you made a deposit. Add the two figures together and you’ll have the total amount of your creditable service.
Q. I will be fully eligible to retire in 2012. I am under CSRS. I also receive Social Security notices about how much SSN I will receive at Social Security age. Will I be able to receive both? A. You will receive your full CSRS annuity. However, the amount of Social Security benefit you’ll get will be affected by the windfall elimination provision of law. The WEP reduces the Social Security benefit of anyone who receives an annuity from a retirement system where he or she didn’t pay Social Security taxes, such as CSRS, and has fewer than 30 years…
Q. Thank you for the informative article on “Making Sense of 2 Types of Annuities.” I am a CSRS employee planning to retire in 2011 (at 57/32+). Our Self & Family FEHBP is and has been under my name since 1980 with out-of-pocket medical bills reimbursed via our FSA. My wife, born in 1956, is a FERS employee planning to retire in 2014 (at 58/10) under the MRA+10 provision. We wish to continue to utilize our FSA when I retire by moving our Self & Family FEHBP coverage under my wife’s name until she retires. But as I understand from…
Q. I know that federal employees under FERS who have 30+ years of service at the minimum retirement age (MRA) are eligible to retire and receive an immediate annuity as well as the Social Security supplement until they reach eligibility for Social Security under normal circumstances. My question is: Who is actually paying this supplement? A. The purpose of the special retirement supplement is to provide a bridge between retirement and when a retiree first becomes eligible for a Social Security benefit. The SRS is paid out of the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund. The amount needed to cover…
Q. I retired from the Air Force after 23 years and have been receiving retired pay since 1996. I’ve been working under FERS now since January 1999 and hope to retire at age 59 in 2014 under the MRA+10 provision. Someone recently told me I would have the option to somehow combine the two retirements into one. He stated that for some people it means more money and for some less, so it has to be weighted individually. Are you aware of any such option and are their any issues to be wary about? A. You can get credit for…