Q. I am retiring at age 56 under FERS with a CSRS component. I plan to continue working part time, paying into Social Security and will make approximately $10,000 per year. I plan to collect Social Security at age 62 when my FERS supplement ends. Will my Social Security benefit be affected by my CSRS component? A. Yes, if you have fewer than 30 years of substantial earnings under Social Security. Then your Social Security benefit will be affected by the windfall elimination provision.
Q. I have two questions that pertain to FERS retirement and sick leave. First, if I understand this correctly when I retire, I assume it will be in 2014 or later, and I’ve met the requirements of MRA and number of years of service. Assume the day I retire that I have 37 years of service (34 government and three years military) and two months, 13 days left over. Let’s also assume that I have 11 months, 20 days of accrued sick leave. The two would be combined to give me a total of 38 years, two months, three days.…
Q. I am a 58 year old CSRS employee with 34 years’ service. I need to retire due to health problems but my agency (USPS) says that I must take optional retirement instead of disability retirement. If I retire, can I apply for Social Security disability?” I have 54 quarters of coverage from other jobs and my SSA statement says I am eligible for disability payments if I qualify as disabled. Also, will this effect my civil service annuity? A. Your agency is mistaken. You have the option of applying for disability or optional retirement. However, there is no financial advantage…
Q. I retired from the Post Office in 1996 after 31 years. My retirement was under CSRS. My wife was covered all that time under the Survivors Benefit Program. She passed away in 2006. I suspended her SBP coverage in January 2007. I remarried in 2009. I have been trying to enroll my wife in the SBP since July 2010. Recently, I received a letter from OPM saying that would have to pay around $45,000 in penalties to enroll her. I believe they are wrong. Can you help? A. You didn’t “suspend” your late wife’s eligibility for a survivor annuity.…
Q. I’m currently in a secondary 1811 position and will be transferring to a new position within the same organization that is not secondary, but primary in classification. I have no previous primary service. I would like to change to primary to receive the higher retirement multiple. Can this be done? A. First go to www.opm.gov/retire/pubs/handbook/C046.pdf and read Subpart 46B3.2; then, after talking with your supervisor, visit your personnel office.
Q. I am a federal employee retiree with Blue Cross Blue Shield basic insurance coverage and have purchased the survivor’s annuity. My question is, if I die before my wife, will the Blue Cross Blue Shield coverage continue with the premium being taken out of her annuity? A. Yes, as long as you were enrolled in the self and family option of your plan when you died.
Q. The WEP law will negatively affect me and a lot of people I know. Please, can you give those of us affected an update on any repeal actions now in Congress? I know there were bills put forward, but I don’t know the status, any recent activity or the likelyhood of this repeal ever being realized. Many conservatives are promoting class warfare and pit nongovernment workers against public service employees. We are not the problem. Please update us on the viability of this repeal going forward, and, if you will, how those affected can push the repeal. Who to write,…
Q. I am a CSRS employee who is about to retire and want to leave my spouse with an annuity after my death. I expect to receive $30,000 a year in annuity payments for myself. What is the least amount I can designate so can maintain health insurance after my death. The formula given by the federal government doesn’t give a minimum amount. The lowest the examples show is $12,000. I need to know how low I can go with this amount. Please help me so that I can finalize my retirement & my wishes. A. You are required by law…
Q. I am a former employee at Mare Island Shipyard, Calif. Due to a reduction in force, I lost my job in 1996. I pulled out all of my retirement money to become a registered nurse and I work at a private company now. Is all the time I worked with the shipyard no longer considered for retirement because I withdrew my retirement money? If I returned to a federal job, could I buy back the time for a later retirement? A. You would only be eligible for a benefit if you returned to work for the federal government in a…
Q. Does a COLA get added to your current salary or starting salary? I’m working in San Diego and they have been adding it to my starting salary, then adjusting. Is that the correct way to adjust? A. You haven’t received a cost-of-living adjustment. Only retirees receive COLAs. If you received a pay increase, it was an adjustment to your current rate of pay.