Q: I am in FERS and work full time in the Veterans Affairs Department. In 1991, I bought back my four years of active-duty time. In 1995, I joined the Army National Guard. In 2009, I retired from the military and I currently receive military retirement. I plan to retire from VA in 2013 with 23 years of service. I know that I cannot add the four years of military time that I bought back in 1991 to my VA time. But is there a procedure to get back the money I deposited in 1991? Is there someone or a…
Q: I am a 57-year-old FERS employee. For the last 20 or so years of my 27-year career, I have carried a private life insurer (WAEPA) instead of FEGLI. Would it be beneficial to me to switch back to FEGLI, which I believe now has lower premiums? Also, how long would I have to carry FEGLI before I could retire? A: I have no idea if it would be beneficial for you to switch. However, if you do, you would need to be enrolled in FEGLI for five consecutive years before you retire to carry that coverage into retirement.
Q: Can I apply for an annuitant position while I’m still a regular CSRS employee? What does management have to do to open a job to allow an annuitant to apply? A: There is no such thing as an annuitant position. If an agency needs to fill a position, it may do so with an annuitant if there is a match between the job’s requirements and the annuitant’s skills. However, there is no requirement that it do so. FYI: In most cases, the salary of a re-employed annuitant will be offset by the amount of his annuity.
Q: I am a federal law enforcement officer covered under FERS. When I retire, I will be eligible to receive the SRS payment. I understand that it will be subject to an earnings test once I reach age 57 (mandatory retirement). I also understand that at age 62 the supplement will end, as I will then be eligible for Social Security. My question is, if I continue to work once I retire from law enforcement and I make enough money annually to eliminate any SRS payment, is that money forfeited forever? Can I get back those “lost SRS payments” when…
Q: I worked for the U.S. Postal Service for 13 years, from November 1986 to November 1999 as a FERS employee. When I left the service, I did not pull any funds from my FERS account. I was rehired by the federal government in September 2010. I was born in 1963, and I’m currently 47 years old. My question is, what is my earliest eligible retirement age and will all of my government service be considered when I do retire? I’d like to work another seven years, but no more than 12 years. A: Because you didn’t take a refund…
Q: I retired as a federal law enforcement officer (Series 1811, Treasury IRS Criminal Investigations) during 2010, and accepted a federal excepted service, law enforcement position with Department of Defense’s Inspector General the very next day. Do I have to worry about cashing out my annual leave (approximately 350 hours) with Treasury? Do I need a break in service equal to the annual leave time before I begin/began work with DoD, before the annual leave is cashed out? Both HR departments did not mention any such treatment of annual leave. An employee in my similar situation advised that I may…
Q: I served for 27 years in the Navy and so earned retirement annuity. After a few years in the private sector, I was hired under the National Security Personnel System on August 4, 2008. At the time of my hire they awarded me partial credit for military service and gave me the service commencement date of July 4, 1992. In was born in 1955. The FERS retirement calculator says that I would therefore be retirement eligible as soon as July 4, 2012. Should I elect to retire at his point or a date after that, will I earn both…
Q: I have been affected by the National Reassessment Process by the Postal Service. I was sent home and told there is no longer work available for me within my restrictions after being accommodated for the past 11 years. Would I be eligible for discontinued service retirement, and how would I go about getting it? By the way, I am two months from turning 56 years old and I have 25+ years of service as a FERS employee. A: You would only be eligible for discontinued service retirement if your agency sends you an official notice of intent to separate…
Q: I will be retiring under CSRS and plan on returning as a rehired annuitant under the National Defense Authorization Act hiring authority for the part-time re-employment of civilian retirees. What is the minimum break in service necessary to obtain a payout for unused annual leave? A: You misunderstand how the process works. When you retire, your unused annual leave will be projected forward as if you were still on the payroll. When you return to work for the government, you will have to repay any part of the lump-sum annual leave payment that overlaps with your period of re-employment. For example,…
Q: I am the surviving spouse of a federal employee and have been receiving an annuity since the death of my husband in 1993. My question is whether my annuity will continue if I marry again. I am well over the age of 55. I cannot seem to find the answer to this on the official website. A: Because you are age 55 or older, if you remarry your annuity will continue.