Q. I retired from civil service in 2011 at age 62. In November, I turn 65. I get a retirement annuity from civil service (33 years), along with a reduced railroad retirement annuity (10½ years). My insurance is with GEHA, which we have kept. Last month, I received a Medicare card from the railroad retirement board, but so far nothing from the government. I cannot figure if I have to apply for the one from civil service or rely on the railroad card. I assume they would have the same Medicare number. Should I be concerned the government has not…
Browsing: SURVIVOR BENEFITS
Q. Is the 10 percent FERS survivor benefit reduction pretax or post-tax? In other words, if your FERS benefit is $50,000 and the spouse reduction is $5,000, is your pension income reported to the Internal Revenue Service as $50,000 or $45,000?
Q. My fiance is a retired federal government employee under CSRS. We are getting married this month, and he would like to add me as his wife to his insurance. However, when we called and asked about the monthly cost of adding me (I have never worked for the federal government), we were told his premiums would jump from approximately $155 a month to $450 per month because I have never worked for the government. Is it correct that what we pay for insurance can climb by a huge amount because I never worked for the government, or would the…
Q. When I retired in 1985, I elected to take the survivor benefit. My wife died in September 2006. I then elected to take my full annuity at about $69,000. My current annuity is about $78,000. I remarried one year ago. I am 86, and my wife is 71. How much will it cost me to renew the survivor benefit for my current wife? Can it be paid in a lump sum, or is it subtracted from my annuity? Can you please give me a form number to download?
Q. My late wife and I were 30-year federal employees covered under CSRS. When we retired, we both elected no survivor benefits. I am age 60 and have been retired with CSRS for five years. My wife passed in 2010. I remarried in 2012 and would like to place my wife into the survivor benefit program. I understand the calculations for determining a full survivor annuity, but should my current wife predecease me, will I be able to stop the survivor benefits deductions from my monthly annuity?
Q. I retired from the Postal Service on Jan. 31. I will reach my minimum retirement age next year. I am also a widow. Will my special retirement supplement be based on my deceased husband’s Social Security? I will not be drawing off of mine.
Q. I retired from the military after 22 years and, upon retirement, we declined survivor benefits. After 10 years of working in the civilian corporate sector and drawing my military pension, I was hired and now work for the Department of Homeland Security. I will retire at age 64 (in four years) with eight years of federal service. I am considering a military buyback. I know how the buyback works (i.e. fees, interest, etc.), but I cannot find a reference to my particular scenario or how or if allowed to purchase survivor benefits for the combined time in retirement. Can…
Q. My husband has a Blue Cross/Blue Shield policy that covers both of us. He is three years older than me, so when he turns 65, do I lose the BC/BS policy coverage and have to self-insure? In case of premature death, do I also lose my BC/BS policy and have to self-insure?
Q. In CSRS retirement, can a survivor benefit be reinstated (it was waived at retirement) if a retired employee changes his mind and decides to give his spouse a survivor benefit? He understands there would be a payback penalty associated with it. Or is the only option to divorce and remarry?
Q. My husband retired 14 years ago, and our secondary insurance is Blue Cross/Blue Shield Federal. Can I stay on his policy?