Browsing: substantial earnings

 Q. I retired as a FERS employee. I worked for the federal government for 32 years. The last 12 years, I switched to FERS and paid Social Security. I was under the impression that I would receive my full Social Security once I applied for it, without the windfall elimination provision. Is this correct?

Q. I am a CSRS employee who started with the Postal Service in 1981. However, I worked in a supermarket before the USPS and worked for the union for the past six years. For both of those other jobs, I have paid and still am paying Social Security. I have heard the expression of “having enough quarters” for Social Security retirement. What does that mean, and how many quarters are needed?

Q. I was in CSRS for nine years (1965-1974) before having a 15-year break in service. When I returned to work for the government (1989), I was placed in CSRS Offset until my retirement in January 2013. I am receiving Social Security benefits, as well as my reduced CSRS Offset government pension. During one of my calls to Social Security regarding my benefits, I was told that I have paid into Social Security for 29 years and that, if I could get one more years earnings paid into Social Security, that the amount of the CSRS Offset reduction would not…

Q. In the Dec. 2 article titled “Don’t let these 5 mistakes disrupt your plans,” in mistake number 4, you wrote “If you are covered by CSRS (or FERS and will have a CSRS component in your annuity) and will also be eligible for a Social Security benefit, you’ll be subject to the windfall elimination provision. The WEP reduces the Social Security benefit of anyone receiving an annuity — in whole or part — from a retirement system where he didn’t pay Social Security taxes and has fewer than 30 years of substantial earnings under Social Security.” A co-worker said…

Q. I worked in CSRS from 1972 to 1988 and returned in May 1990 as a CSRS Offset. I was a reservist on active duty from March 1991 to March 1992 during Desert Storm. I also have been drawing Social Security since May 2006. My husband passed away in September 2008, and I am receiving the survivor benefit. I want to retire this year, and I have no idea what I will receive. I think my total Social Security is about 27 or 28 years for paying.

Q. Will I be able to draw Social Security if my husband is retired military and retired CSRS? I have work for more than 30 years paying Social Security tax and have been told I can’t draw. Will my husband be able to draw because he has paid Social Security tax as a self-employed contractor?

Q. I am a CSRS Offset retiree. I attended more than one pre-retirement seminar and was given examples of my retirement situation, along with reassurances that my retirement would closely follow the examples and that I was very fortunate to be CSRS Offset, and would be very happy. I was told to check with Social Security to find out about my offset. Neither the Office of Personnel Management nor Social Security could know the exact amounts until I retired. Following my retirement, everything, except Social Security, was in disorder for six months. OPM explained that they had to check with…