Q. I’m a federal employee under FERS. I have 26 years of service, and I’m looking into a Voluntary Early Retirement Authority offering. I had federal health coverage for 24 years (1987-2011) and then used my husband (outside the federal program 2012) and just started a year after (2013). Will they take that into consideration for me to take the federal health plan into retirement, or will I still will need four more years. Is there any way to waive the five continuous years needed as I had it for 24 years before?
Browsing: Creditable service: FERS
Q. My office has requested the Voluntary Early Retirement Authority/Voluntary Separation Incentive Pay. With the government shutdown, there has been a delay in the approval process. My position is one within the organization that has been approved for VSIP once the authority is received. I am a FERS employee, over 50, with 26 years of creditable service. I plan to exercise the early-out authority once received, after Jan. 1, 2014, so that I will receive 100 percent sick leave credit toward my annuity. In the meantime, I applied for and have been offered a position in the private sector. They…
Q. I was employed as a primary law enforcement (6(c) covered position) for 14 years. I paid 1.7 percent into FERS during that time. I left that position and went to a noncovered position, which is a regular FERS retirement 1 percent. When I spoke to human resources, nobody could give me an answer to what happens to the 0.7 percent, which was taken out for 14 years. Granted, I was told that the 0.7 percent would be held until retirement in case I decided to go back to 6(c) covered position, and I would be credited the time and…
Q. I retired under FERS from the Bureau of Prisons with 22 years of service. I just turned 55 and have been hired by a private company for a job I am really looking forward to. When I turn 57 in September 2015, will I be required to reduce hours to stay below a specified salary threshold?
Q. I have a friend on a full disability retirement through FERS. He has become eligible for Medicaid and told me he wants to drop his Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance. 1. Is this a good idea? 2. If it is OK for him to drop it, what number does he call at the Office of Personnel Management to make that happen?
Q. I will have 10 hours of annual leave, effective with the pay period ending Nov. 16. My FERS retirement date is Nov. 30. I want to clear station Nov. 26, take annual leave Nov. 27 and 29 and have holiday excused on Nov. 28. Is there any problem with this and with using my annual leave the same pay period I earn it?
Q. I am looking at retiring in about a year. At that time, I will be 53 with 26 years of 6(c) coverage under FERS. I know I can retire right now, but will I be penalized for not waiting until I am 57 (mandatory retirement age)? Also, I understand I can earn as much as I can after retirement, but until what age? I had an officer tell me it was 57 and another said it was 62, the age when regular Social Security benefits are paid. I also believe that the Social Security benefits at 62 would be…
Q. My wife and I are both FERS employees, and I’ve always carried the family plan of Federal Employees Health Benefits. I am eligible to retire and will retire in May. My wife has two more years before she can retire. We also have two children under 26, and we will both switch to single once the youngest turns 26 in three years. Should my wife pick up the FEHB insurance during this open season, or do I have to carry it into retirement and then make the switch?
Q. If a FERS employee were going to retire on Dec. 31, when would that retiree receive his first retirement annuity check from the Office of Personnel Management? Would it be any different if the FERS employee were to wait another year?
Q. I am a 53-year-old FERS employee who will have 16 years of service (including nine years of military buyback) at age 56. I will meet the requirements of MRA+10 at age 56 and will have been in the Federal Employees Health Benefits plan for more than five years by then. I am trying to understand if it is possible for me to retire at or after age 56 and defer the receipt of my annuity to reduce or avoid the age penalty, then re-enroll in FEHB when I begin receiving the annuity. I have read all the previously answered…