Q: Sir, I will be retiring from active duty as of 2013 with 30 years of service, at which time I will have 28 years in FERS. I have only bought back about five years of active-duty time. I have not been able to find anyone to assist me with my following questions: A) What can I do to avoid rolling my military retirement into my FERS retirement? B) In my situation is there a disadvantage or advantage in making payments for my military service? C) MRA+10 – would that assist me if I retired before I was 60 years…
Q: I could not find the answer to this question in your online FAQ. I am a retiree from the federal government receiving an annuity. My husband and I are currently enrolled in the family option of BlueCross/Blue Shield. My husband has the option of free health coverage through his current employer (an association in the private sector). Our question is: Can I take him off my BCBS plan and go to self only option while he enrolls with his employer? But, at a later date, re-elect the family option so he can be covered again by my plan? We…
Q: I switched from CSRS to FERS right at the end of 1987. I had six years under FERS. I would like to retire at the end of 2014 when I turn 62. I have two years of substantial earnings in the early ’80s. My question is whether years of substantial earnings that I earned before I was 21 count toward the 30 years of substantial earnings that I need to avoid any reduction? A: Years of substantial earnings under Social Security count no matter when, where or at what age they are earned.
Q: I am a retired Postal worker and I carry my wife on my National Association of Letter Carriers health plan. We are thinking of having her insure herself at work and having me switch to “self – only.” When she retires, will I be able to then go back to “self and family” and include her once again? A: Yes.
Q: I worked for the federal government under the Civil Service Retirement System from 1967 until my retirement in 2001. About to turn 65 in December 2010, I applied for Medicare Part A and Part B, and was told that I do not qualify because I have only 18 quarters of the required 40 quarters. It was my understanding, which I admit could be faulty, that Medicare deductions were taken out of my paycheck since 1983 until I retired in 2001. Is there a mistake, or am I totally out to lunch? I guess I’m not too concerned because I’m…
Q: I am a firefighter and I spent 4.5 years as GS-7 —at least three of that in a primary position. I have resigned to move to another state with my spouse. If I get back into an 0081 position, does the three years start over and have to be completed again before entering into a secondary position to remain in the special retirement? A: No, it doesn’t. You would be able to pick up where you left off.
Q: I spent five years on active duty and 15 years on reserve duty in the Army. I started receiving my military pension when I turned 60 in October 2007. I am a FERS employee for the Justice Department and I completed the military buyback in August 2006. I want to retire in January and the HR department cannot give me an answer about waiving my military pay. I read in the FERS Handbook that military pay would have to be waived unless the employee is “receiving military retired pay under provisions of 10 U.S.C. 12731-12739 (retired pay under Chapter…
Q: Do I get credit for months and days when my annuity is calculated? As of Jan. 1, I will have 30years, six months and 27 days. A: Your annuity computation will only include years and full months. Any days that don’t add up to a month will be dropped.
Q: I have a military pension that just began Nov. 1 for my 20 years in the National Guard. How will this pension affect my CSRS pension from the U.S. Postal Service after 33 years of service? A: It won’t affect your CSRS annuity in any way unless your retired pay from the National Guard includes any periods of active-duty service for which you haven’t made a deposit to the civilian retirement system. If it does, those years of active duty service for which you haven’t paid a deposit will be eliminated at age 62 , if you are retired,…
Q: I am 56 years of age with 21 years of service under FERS with the Department of Defense Education Activity. I took voluntary early retirement in June What are the restrictions for taking another full-time permanent federal position with a different agency? Also, how will it affect my benefits/annuity? A: Your annuity will stop and you’ll be treated like any other employee. You wouldn’t be able to retire again on an immediate annuity until you met the age and service requirements. Of course. you could retire under the MRA+10 provision; however, your annuity would be reduced by 5 percent for every year you…