Q. I’m a federal firefighter required to retire from my job after 34 years. I’m 57 years old and under FERS. I will receive the special retirement supplement along with my annuity. What is the dollar threshold amount where they start reducing the supplement?
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Q. I have 20 years service and am 60 years old. I’m a U.S. Postal Service employee, who is retiring soon. I have contacted Social Security, and they told me my Social Security amount at age 62 would be $1,120. I also worked for a Santa Fe railroad organization from 1977-1990 and have contacted them; my retirement would be $1,657. I am confused as to what to use to calculate my FERS special benefit. Could you please shed some light on this?
Q. I am a FERS employee wanting to retire on Dec. 31, 2017, with 35 years of service and 425 hours of annual leave with which to take as a lump-sum payout. Since the pay period ends in and the actual pay date is in January 2018, will my payout be counted as income for 2017 or 2018?
Q. Can I elect a survivor benefit in any amount, or does it have to be the 100 percent or 50 percent that is always talked about?
Q. I am FERS and eligible to keep my medical insurance after retirement. Do I need to enroll my husband before retirement in order for him to qualify, or can I enroll him at an open season after retirement if insurance is needed? By the same token, if he is enrolled before I retire, can I take him off my plan at open season after retirement if he no longer needs insurance?
Q. I think I joined the federal workforce way too early. According to my service computation date, I will have reached 30 years on Aug. 8, 2018 — mere days after I turn 49 — and I’m guessing my earliest possible retirement date will be Dec. 31, 2018. Of course, this is all information I have gleaned from my research. My somewhat pessimistic guess is something will change that retirement date between now and then and kick it down the road beyond Dec. 31, 2018. What do you think?
Q. Can post-56 military time that is paid back count toward retirement eligibility under FERS? I know it counts as retirement credit, but I heard that paid-back military time does not count for eligibility. For example, a FERS employee has 15 years of military service that was paid back and has 13 years FERS service and is 55 years old. That person does not qualify for an immediate annuity in two years (30 years total) because 15 years was in the military. That person must wait until age 60 to qualify for an immediate annuity under FERS.
Q. I’m a FERS employee. Will active-duty time in the military be included when computing my annuity and used in determining the amount of my special retirement supplement?
Q. Employees are advised to select at least a minimal survivor benefit when selecting retirement options. I understand the base for the survivor annuity can be as low as 1 percent of the overall annuity. The cost of that survivor benefit could be as little as a few dollars a month, as its cost would be based on the 2.5 percent rather than the 10 percent portion of the formula. For example, if the full annuity was calculated as $40,000, 1 percent would be $400; the annual cost of that would be just $10. What are your thoughts?
Q. I retired in 2008 serving 30 years in the Air Force. I am now a five-year GS employee and have heard about buying back my military service. What are the advantages or disadvantages? I plan on retiring with 10 years under FERS.