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?
Browsing: spouse benefits
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?
Q. I took the Voluntary Early Retirement Authority on Jan. 31 at my minimum retirement age. I had 26 years at the Postal Service under FERS. After 16 years of marriage, I became a widow. The only income I have is my annuity and the special retirement supplement from the Office of Personnel Management. Will I be eligible to receive Social Security benefits from husband at 60, and will they end at 62? When I turn 62, my supplement will end. I have $190,000 in the L2020 fund. Would it be beneficial to me to start receiving money from my…
Q. Can you give me an address where I can check to see if I am eligible for any type of benefits through my deceased spouse? He worked for about 10 years with the Postal Service and several years with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. I do not remember his grade level. He passed away in 2009 and I have been told there are probably benefits that I can draw from, but I do not know whom to contact.
Q. My wife wants to retire from the Postal Service, under FERS, with 30 years service but she’ll only be 50. Am I correct in understanding that she will be eligible for a deferred retirement at her minimum retirement age of 56 without any reduction to her annuity? What about the special retirement supplement? I’m assuming she won’t be eligible for that. She’s been on my Federal Employees Health Benefits plan for the past 25 years. I’m also a postal worker. So can she get her own individual plan, or must she stay on my family plan? I was told…
Q. I have prior CSRS service with a break in employment. I am now CSRS Offset. I did not get health insurance when I returned to service because I was covered by the Veterans Affairs Department. I picked it up during open season the following year. I can retire in two years at age 62. I will need one more year to have my five years to carry my health insurance into retirement for my disabled husband. The trouble is, I have terminal cancer. My life expectancy is two years. I hope to make it to retirement but worry beyond…