Author Reg Jones

Q: I am considering leaving my federal position and had a couple of questions about how this would affect my Federal Employees Retirement System. I have been a federal employee for a little over four years and am nowhere near my minimum retirement age (not eligible for an immediate retirement benefit). I understand that because I do not have five years of creditable service I am not eligible for a deferred annuity under FERS and that I have the option to request a refund of my FERS retirement. Since I am not eligible for a deferred annuity, is it mandatory…

Q: I am a retired teacher affected by windfall elimination provision/government pension offset in California. My question is specific and related to substantial earnings and the WEP/GPO formula. Over my working lifetime (1963-2005) I amassed twice the minimum amount required total earnings for substantial earnings, however, I did not have 30 individual years above the minimum standard. I made substantially more than the requirement in many years thereby doubling the total of the formula, if you added it year by year. I have substantial earnings; does the formula take this into consideration or is the number of years the only…

Q: I am considering employment with the Veterans Affairs hospital. I am already 52 years old. How many years do I have to work to be vested and receive a monthly income based on $56,000 per year if I retire at 60? Also, I have one year and nine months of full-time, permanent employment with the VA from 1992-94. I took the money from the retirement. Can I buy this time back, and will it be added to the vested time for this period if I brought back? A: You would have to be employed for five years to be…

Q: I am under the Federal Employees Retirement System and have worked for the Veterans Affairs Administration for 25 years. How long can I be gone from VA (in consecutive months) and then come back to still have all of my benefits in place? A: While your spouse could be covered within 31 days of her loss of coverage under a non-federal health plan while you are still employed, that is not as clearly an option if you are retired. However, you could add her to your plan during any annual open season. There is no requirement that your spouse…

Q: I am a U.S. Postal Service employee with almost 25 years of service. I worked nearly two years part time at a post office station doing clerical work, such as sorting and boxing mail and other related duties for two or more hours a day. Am I also eligible for those part-time years of service and, if so, who do I ask since our human resource office is under shared services now? A: Whether that time is creditable depends on the type of appointment you had. Since it may well be, you should make the effort to get in…

Q: I am a postal carrier being offered an early out. Will I be able to carry my health insurance if I have only been enrolled for three consecutive years? I have been a carrier for 31 years. I was enrolled in Federal Employees Health Benefit Plan for the first 19 years. I opted out and was covered by my husband’s plan for the next nine years. I then reinstated three years ago at age 50 to qualify for the five-year requirement for health insurance. A: Yes, you will. Because you were enrolled in the FEHB program before your agency’s…

Q: I’ve been on the rolls of Office of Workers Compensation Program for a few years. Before I was accepted on OWCP, I received disability retirements benefits from the Office of Personnel Management (for about four months) because my disability retirement was approved from the U.S. Postal Service before it was from OWCP. Being on OWCP is a neverending nightmare. I’ve had the inspector general harass me saying I could be indicted for making false statements on my 1032 that needs to be filled out each year. Three years ago two of the doctors I see stated I could or…

Q: I am wondering what the pay scale for a WG-10, Step 3 mechanic is in the Puget Sound Shipyard? A: Wage schedules are published by the Department of Defense. To find the one you are interested in, go to www.cpms.osd.mil/wage/wage.html.

Q: I am a CSRS Offset employee and will be eligible to retire in 2014, age 55 with 37 years of service. I have always heard that CSRS Offset is the cream of the crop for retirement systems, but I truly do not understand why it is better than just the Civil Service Retirement System. I understand that I will be collecting my CSRS pension from age 55-62 (when I am eligible to receive Social Security benefits), and at that time my CSRS will be offset by the Social Security benefits. My understanding is I will continue to receive the…

Q: I have been employed by the U.S. Postal Service for 30-31 years. I am thinking about retiring soon, but I am concerned because I worked in the private sector prior to the Postal Service and paid into Social Security. What happens to this money since I am under the old system and don’t pay into it? A: If you are eligible for a Social Security benefit and apply for one, that benefit will be affected by the windfall elimination provision. It reduces the Social Security benefit of anyone who receives an annuity from a retirement system where he didn’t…