Q. I presently have both Blue Cross/Blue Shield (Family Plan) and Tricare medical coverage. I’m retired military and a full-time Defense Department employee. I’m turning 65 this month and am thoroughly confused about mandatory Part A/Part B enrollment and how this will affect by 62-year-old wife’s coverage. When I went to sign up, I chose Part A only as I thought my BCBS coverage was my assurance that she would continue to have both insurances. Today, it was brought to my attention that my Tricare coverage will phase out on my birthday, and I will not have a secondary insurance…
Browsing: SURVIVOR BENEFITS
Q. We are a gay couple of 18 years trying to decide if it makes practical sense to get married: Partner 1: CSRS, will max out with 40 years of federal service in two years. Partner 2: eight years of federal service under FERS; military reservist recalled to active duty in 2001, still on active duty. In two years, will be eligible for military pension (total reserve and active time will equal about 3/4 of an active-duty O-5 pension); will then return to federal service, put a military deposit on active-duty time and work four years to a minimum retirement…
Q. I am a retired CSRS federal employee. I understand that my Social Security benefits will be reduced under the windfall elimination provision. But will my spouse (who never worked and will get Social Security only because of me) have her amount reduced, too? In other words, if my Social Security monthly benefits would be $1,500 a month, but this is reduced to $1,200 a month, will my spouse’s Social Security benefits be $750 or $600?
Q. If my marital status changes after I retire, is my new spouse covered by my health benefits?
Q. Under CSRS Offset rules, if the survivor/widow’s Social Security benefit is based on her own earnings and not her deceased spouse’s, then OPM does not adjust Social Security to CSRS and she gets 55 percent of regular CSRS, with no Social Security adjustment. That’s pretty straightforward in the OPM booklets discussing CSRS Offset. It gets tricky for planning if the widow’s Social Security is based on the deceased’s Social Security. In other words, my CSRS Offset husband will get a higher Social Security benefit than I. If he dies first, I will then receive a Social Security survivor benefit…
Q. I’m under CSRS. Will I stop paying in to my survivor annuity at age 65?
Q. I am a federal employee with 30 years of service under CSRS. If I die while still working, can my husband still receive survivor and health benefits?
Q. I am planning to retire under CSRS next year with 38 years’ service. My husband retired from private industry and receives Social Security. If my husband predeceases me, will I receive his survivor annuity, or will it be subject to the windfall elimination provision and be drastically reduced?
Q. I was married to a civil service employee for 35 years. He retired while we were married and took the survivor annuity option. When we divorced, the court order specified I would receive this benefit when he died. I retired several years ago and receive my own Social Security. My ex-husband passed away recently. Will I receive the full survivor annuity and the full Social Security benefits I have earned, or will one or the other be reduced?
Q. I am a widow of a retired federal government employee who was with the General Services Administration. I want to know if my current Federal Employees Health Benefits insurance plan with Blue Cross/Blue Shield will not be an option for me as my primary insurance once Obamacare takes effect?