Q: My husband passed away Jan. 25, 2009, and I’m receiving his Social Security benefits, as well as benefits from the U.S. Postal Service. If I remarry, will I lose the benefits from the USPS? I know I will still collect his Social Security. A: Unless you were to remarry before age 55, your survivor annuity wouldn’t be affected. If you did remarry before age 55, that annuity would be suspended. It could only be restarted is the marriage were ended by annulment, divorce or the death of the new spouse.
Browsing: SURVIVOR BENEFITS
Q: My mother started with the U.S. Postal Service in 1974. Due to health issues, she retired on disability (not based on age or years of service) with her annuity commencing in September 1992. Her husband died in March and was receiving Social Security. When she applied for survivor benefits, it took almost three months for the Office of Personnel Managment to get back to Social Security and we were told even at that point they did not provide the information originally requested. Social Security made the decision that the survivor benefits fell under the windfall elimination provision. We are…
Q: My spouse is a civil service employee and is planning to retire within the next eight months. He is 64 years old and will be 65 in March. He could have retired at age 55 but did not because of personal reasons. His health is beginning to fail him now, and he cannot continue to work in his current capacity. He worked more than 10 years at other companies before joining the civil service. He can receive full retirement benefits from the Civil Service Retirement System, but he is also eligible for a very small Social Security check, they…
Q: I am helping with my sister’s income taxes. On her 1099-R, Box 2A, the taxable amount is unknown. I don’t know how to report whether her survival annuity is taxable or nontaxable. A: While most of her annuity will be taxable, a portion will not. To find out how much of it will be tax-free, download a copy of IRS Publication 721, Tax Guide to U.S. Civil Service Retirement Benefits.
Q: My husband recently began receiving Social Security in addition to his military retirement. I will be retiring under the Federal Employees Retirement System within the next couple of years and want to know whether there is a limit to what a “family” can receive in Social Security, or will both of us be allowed our benefits without regard to what the other is receiving? If my husband passes away, will I receive a portion of his Social Security in addition to my own? A: Both of you will be able to receive the Social Security benefit you earned based…
Q: I understand that because I am a Civil Service Retirement System retiree, if my spouse should die I cannot get any of his Social Security. At one time I heard there was a law Congress was trying to pass to reverse this. Can you please explain this to me and let me know if there is anything being done about this law? A: Because you will be receiving an annuity from a retirement system in which you didn’t pay Social Security taxes, you will be subject to the government pension offset provision of law. The GPO will reduce any…
Q: My wife and I are both 30-year Civil Service Retirement System employees. We have attended several retirement seminars and hear differing views as to whether we should both choose full survivor benefits at time of retirement. Is there a general rule of thumb, or does it depend on what the surviving spouse feels they could live with? A: Let’s begin at the beginning. Both of you are required by law to provide a full survivor annuity to your spouse unless you agree in writing to provide less than that (or nothing at all). As you suspected, there is no…
Q: I am trying to help my dad find answers to a letter he received from the Social Security Administration which states that it is stopping his widower’s benefits after 13 years. He receives a government pension. He is given the option to appeal; does he have grounds, or is this a change in law that he must accept? A: Because you haven’t given me much to go on, I’m going to have to guess that your father’s Social Security survivor benefit was affected by the government pension offset provision of law. The GPO reduces that benefit for anyone who…
Q: I am 53 years old with 30 years of service under the Civil Service Retirement System. If I were to die before I reach age 55, what would happen to the money I have contributed to CSRS? My wife has been a homemaker with no retirement plan, and I plan on having the spousal support when I do retire. A: If you were to die while still employed, your wife would be entitled to a survivor annuity equal to 55 percent of the annuity you would have received had you retired. There would be no age-based reduction if you…
Q: My wife died 13 years ago. How do I assign my survivor benefits to my common-law wife? A: You can submit new designation-of-beneficiary forms: SF 2823 for Federal Employees Group Life Insurance; SF 2808 for the Civil Service Retirement System or SF 3102 for the Federal Employees Retirement System survivor annuity; and TSP-3 for your Thrift Savings Plan investments (available on the TSP website). Some of these benefits may only be available in a state that recognizes common-law marriages. Check with an attorney to make sure that your state is one of them.