Q. I transferred from the Department of Homeland Security, where my high-3 salary was met as a GS-14 in a covered position, to a Defense Department position where I earn substantially less as a GS-13. Will my high-3 from DHS be used to compute my FERS annuity or the high-3 from DoD? Two different pay systems, USDA and DFAS. Does the Office of Personnel Management access each to determine high-3?
Browsing: PAY
Q. I retired from the Postal Service last year and, when I received my CSA 1099R, it has my FERS annuity and my special retirement supplement taxable amount combined. If the supplement is taxed like Social Security, which is different from my FERS annuity, why are they combined on my CSA 1099R, and how do I separate the two on my tax Form 1040A? My gross income will be over $44,000 and, from what I have been reading, at that amount, I should only be taxed on 85 percent of my supplement. Is this correct?
Q. Due to the conversion from the National Security Personnel System back to GS, I was converted to a GS-2210-12, Step 00. I am working overseas and am above the GS-12 limit ($86,191). For the 2014 pay raise, I didn’t get a 1 percent pay raise; I only got 0.49 percent. Could you explain why that is and, if possible, give me the reference/regulation that applies to this? A couple of my work colleagues were also affected in this way.
Q. Would I be penalized if I am a FERS employee, 49 years old with 26 years of government service. I just got a GS-11 job, so I do not have a high-3 at that level. My high-3 is at the GS-7. My job is offering the Voluntary Early Retirement Authority/Voluntary Separation Incentive Pay. Can I go out with no penalties?
Q. When I was hired into civil service on May 8, 1989, human resources calculated my service computation date as Aug. 6, 1971, based upon some military time. (I was in the Air Force, serving from Dec. 3, 1969, until Sept. 4, 1987, receiving an honorable discharge.) Now that I am approaching FERS retirement, I need to accurately calculate an accurate service time. My current salary (high-3) is approximately $89,450. I know that FERS retirement benefits are only one part (of three) that I will be eligible for — the others being Social Security and the Thrift Savings Plan, but…
Q. I am nearing 41 years and 10 months of CSRS service. I plan to continue working for another six years. I have been told that no service beyond 41-10 will count toward my high-3. If that is correct, it seems unfair, especially given zero raises in the past three years.
Q. I worked with the state as a wildland firefighter for 13 years. I am now considering a secondary position. From my understanding, this would not be a 20-year position for me. What would the retirement time be? 25/30?
Q. When I retire under CSRS, I will not have state taxes taken out of my check. How do I know how much to pay the state? Do I pay quarterly or yearly? Where do I find the information?
Q. I am covered by FERS. At my minimum retirement age of 56, I will have 28 years of federal service and approximately one year’s worth of unused sick leave. My understanding is that if I retire at that point, my annuity will be reduced by 35 percent – 5 percent for every year I am under 62. Is there any way I can avoid this age reduction to my annuity other than: 1. Continuing in federal service until I am 58, at which point I will have 30 years of service without counting any unused sick leave, or 2.…
Q. I am a dual status military technician. I was hired as a GS-13 in October 2009. I began an active-duty military tour in January 2012 and will return to GS-13 in July. Provided I buy back the time while on leave without pay for military duty on this tour (as well as buy back five years of active-duty time served prior to GS-13 employment), will I be eligible for any GS retirement benefits if I leave the GS-13 job in January 2015? I have contributed 10 percent into my civilian Thrift Savings Plan and received a 5 percent employer…