Q. I receive military retirement pay for 21 years of service in the Air Force. I started working a job as a federal civilian employee (GS-9, Step 1) two months ago. I have not bought back my military time yet. I am 41. If I continue to work as a federal civilian for another 20 years and buy back my military service, it would give me 40 years. Does my combined retirement/annuity add up to more than if I wouldn’t buy back my military time, keeping my separate military retirement check and my separate FERS annuity check?
Q. I am a postal employee who was hired under CSRS in 1983 but switched to FERS when it was offered in 1987. At that time, I was refunded the money I had put into CSRS between 1983 and 1987. How does that affect how my FERS annuity is computed? Can I buy back those four years, to make my annuity higher when I retire?
Q. I retired with a disability CSRS retirement at age 52 with 33.3 years of service. I was on workers’ compensation for a bit, switched to a disability retirement and went back to school and started a new career. At age 56, I became earnings restored and was sent paperwork to apply for an immediate retirement. I did and my gross monthly annuity was reduced by $150 per month. The only answer I can get from the Office of Personnel Management is that they are calculated differently. Am I being penalized for retiring early on disability? Should it be calculated…
Q. I am a 52-year-old widow of an employee who died while employed. He was 55 years old with 25 years under FERS. Am I now entitled to the special retirement supplement until age 60 if my earned wages are under the Social Security limit?
Q. As a Federal Aviation Administration air traffic controller, if I am medically retired with 18 (good) years but did not get to the required 20, when I reach age 62, will my 18 years be paid at 1.7 percent and not 1 percent?
Q. My husband (65) is retired after over 30 years with the Postal Service. He recently went to apply for Social Security benefits and was denied because he was told that he was minus a few quarters and would have to go back to work to earn those quarters because he worked under civil service all those years. Is this true? Will he have to find a job at his age?
Q. I am hoping to retire under CSRS Offset soon with about 33 years of service. I am 59 years old. However, I will need to continue working full time in the private sector. I have been told that I will receive my full pension until I turn 62 years of age, at which time I will have my pension decreased by the amount I would receive from Social Security. However, I will be working full time outside of the government probably for the rest of my life. Since I will be working under the Social Security system after I…
Q. I worked second shift for 18 years and was forced on day shift a little over a year ago. I understand my high-3 will be determined when I worked swing shift. How do they arrive at the swing shift high-3 figures when I’m working day shift at the present time? I had a lot of overtime pay, as well, so how does the Office of Personnel Management separate the overtime from the second-shift wages?
Q. I retired from CSRS in 2002. I applied for Social Security at age 62 with the windfall elimination provision. I am 65 and would like to work a nongovernment job. Will WEP have an effect on any future earnings and my small Social Security benefit?
Q. Can you tell me if I would get a full 48 percent when I retire at age 57 from 6(c)? I started working with the federal government as a non-law enforcement officer under FERS in 1997 and continued for 12 years (12 percent). In 2009, I was hired into a position that is 6(c) and plan on retiring at 57 with 36 percent. When I retire from my 6(c) position, will be able to draw on the fed 12 percent, or do I have to wait?