Q. I took my retirement money out in 1990. Can I use Voluntary Separation Incentive Pay money to pay that back? The Office of Personnel Management told me I would have the opportunity to buy back refunded money or time before final annuity payments were calculated, but I worried that if I retired, they would not count that time into my annuity before I had time to pay it back. A. What OPM told you is correct. And, since you will have your VSIP long before your annuity is finalized, you’ll be able to make the redeposit with time to…
Q. Benefits Administration Letter 10-105 made changes to how accrued sick leave is used. As a federal employee participating in the FERS (27 years and age 57), I was approved for disability retirement. My reviews and subsequent understanding for the use of accrued sick leave is, if the disability retirement was approved, I could stay on the payroll and use up my sick leave and subsequently start retirement. So far, I have received a lump-sum payment of my accrued annual leave and was told by my human resources group that the accrued sick leave was used to add time to…
Q. I was employed under CSRS from 1970 to 1983. I had a break in service from 1983 to 1985. In 1985, I returned to government service and was placed in the regular CSRS. After retiring in 2005, the Office of Personnel Management apparently discovered that for many years, I was placed in the wrong retirement system. It then classified me as a CSRS Offset retiree. I received correspondence from OPM indicating they are reducing my annuity for Social Security benefits received. Since I never paid any Social Security during my civil service employment, is it right that I be…
Q. I retired in 1997 at age 62 under both CSRS and FERS and accumulated 40 credits with private sector and FERS. I was eligible to receive a small benefit from Social Security and a small amount of my husband’s Social Security benefits. If my husband dies before me, will I continue to receive that small benefit from his Social Security, or will the offset wipe it out? A. If he were to die, you would get the larger of your own Social Security benefit or the survivor benefit. Since you have already reached full Social Security retirement age, your…
Q. I am applying for FERS disability. My agency will approve a part-time schedule while this action is pending. However, when I visited Social Security to pick up an application for SSDI, I was told I might not qualify for benefits based on my income. If I am denied by Social Security for this reason, will I be denied FERS disability retirement? How can anyone qualify for Social Security if their disability retirement exceeds the income test? I am very confused. A. The rules governing FERS disability retirement aren’t as stringent as those for Social Security. For the former, you…
Q. I have been a federal agent under FERS for nine years. When I joined the agency, I purchased my 13 years of military service. I am considering completing my military service in the Reserve so I can retire from the military and from federal service. 1. Will having purchased my military time for federal employee retirement credit affect my time in service for the military? 2. Is it applied to both or one or the other? A. The deposit you made to get civilian credit for your active duty service will have no affect on any military retirement benefits…
Q. Can you please tell me rules on working while on Social Security and disability for 2012? A. The earnings limit for disability retirees from the federal government hasn’t changed. The limit is always 80 percent of the current salary of the position you held when you retired on disability. To find out the current limit for Social Security disability beneficiaries, type the following into your browser and click on Go: Social Security disability earnings limit.
Q. I am on Title 32 with the Army National Guard approaching my 38th year. I have more than 16 years of active duty during this time, as indicated on my DD 214. I also work for the federal government (Army) as a helicopter flight instructor at Fort Rucker,Ala., and not the National Guard in this capacity, with almost 23 years at this position. I am not a technician, as both jobs are separated. I am also pending more Medical Evaluation Boards resulting from injuries sustained while deployed to Iraq in 2006-2007. Of course, I have my 20-year letter for…
Q. I am 60 and planned on working until 72, but I developed a serious spinal disease that has disabled me. I have applied for and will receive disability (I just learned today); am I required to apply for Medicare even though I am covered by my wife’s Blue Cross plan (she is a teacher and will be for about five more years)? If, on the other hand, I have an option to retain my plan or apply for Medicare, what should I do? A. Since you have already paid for Medicare Part A coverage through payroll deductions while employed,…
Q. On Oct. 1, 2014, I will have reached my MRA with 32 years and 11 months of total service credit, of which 27 years and two months are under FERS, the rest under CSRS. I am subject to Windfall Elimination Provision. To avoid WEP, I must have 30 years of substantial earnings per the Social Security Administration. Am I correct in assuming that I must work until approximately Aug. 30, 2017, to attain the 30 years of substantial earnings to avoid WEP? I believe there was one year in the 1970 in which my earnings exceeded the substantial earnings…