Q: I served in the military from 1978 to 1989 and was medically retired, receiving military pay. I started working for the federal government in 1992 and am set to retire in 2012 under the Federal Employees Retirement System. I didn’t pay back my military time. Is it true that I will be able to retire in 2012, and what benefit would I have if I paid back my military time? A: With 20 years of FERS service, you would only be able to retire on an immediate, unreduced annuity if you were age 60 or older. If you had…
Q: Does a break of 55 days of federal service constitute losing 27 years of Federal Employees Health Benefits plan coverage before retiring? In other words, someone resigns from federal service. Then, he is hired 55 days later in a TERM position, achiveing permanent status seven months later. The TERM position allowed for full benefits, such as sick leave, annual leave, and FEHB election and coverage on the first day of hire. A: If you were enrolled in an FEHB plan on the day you left government and on returning to work for the government re-enrolled at your earliest opportunity,…
Q: I am a Federal Employees Retirement System employee. I’m planning to retire in 2011 with 12 years of service at the age of 60 years, 4 months. I would like to know if I am eligible for a special supplement from Social Security. Also, am I subject to a penalty of five percent? A: No, you won’t be eligible for the special retirement supplement. No one who retires under the Minimum Retirement Age+10 provision is eligible for the SRS. Yes, your annuity will be reduced by five percent for every year (5/12 percent per month) that you are under…
Q: My wife has been a Civil Service Retirement System employee for almost 36 years; I am new to the Federal Employees Retirement System, having been employed under it for approximately 1.5 years. I have been under my wife’s Federal Employees Health Benefits plan since March 2008. I am 56 years old. If we elect to each go single coverage during the open season, will I get credit for the two years toward the five that I need for retirement purposes? A: Yes, you will.
Q: I retired from the Army after 24 years, then went to work for the Postal Service for 24 years before I retired from there. After retirement, I put in for disability from the Army, and was awarded 20 percent. They take this 20 percent out of my pay and give me another check for the 20 percent that they took out, which is tax-free. My question is, should I also be getting that 20 percent from my Postal Service retirement check? And what about 20 percent from Social Security? A: No and no. You didn’t retire on disability from…
Q: Is the provision in the new health care law for children 26 years old or younger to be on their parents’ health plan to be delayed until Jan. 1, 2011 for those in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, rather than the quoted six months after signature by the president? A: To quote the Office of Personnel Management, “The effective date of this provision is the first day of the plan year that is six months following enactment of the law. For the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, that means January 1, 2011.”
Q: I have gone to two retirement seminars and both of the contract speakers told me that my retirement computation formula is the same as for firefighters and law enforcement. Is that true? A: Yes, that’s true.
Q: I read your Q&As and found the answer I was looking for, but with one variable missing. I see that active-duty years cannot count toward the 25-year retirement from federal firefighting without being called to active duty while in a covered position. What if all of your active-duty years were as a firefighter — does that make a difference? My question comes from the fact that my Total Workforce Management System early retirement date would only be possible if my active years counted. I have bought back my years. A: No, it doesn’t make a difference. Your active-duty time…
Q: I worked for the Postal Service for 15 years and resigned, but came back to work for them 13 months later. The year I came back, they were switching over to the Federal Employees Retirement System but I had the choice of FERS or the Civil Service Offset. I chose the offset and retired in 2003 with 35 years of service. I just turned 62, and I applied for Social Security and was told that my check will be adjusted from $865 down to $575 a month because I’m receiving a $2,500 Civil Service Offset annuity. Does this mean…
Q: I am retired from 24 years of active-duty military service. I also receive Concurrent Retirement Disability Pay from the VA. If I work as a GS employee for five years, I understand that makes me eligible for a small Federal Employees Retirement System pension at age 62. At age 62, would I be eligible for my military pension, CRDP, FERS pension and Social Security? Would there be any offset to any of the payments? A: We are only qualified to answer questions dealing with federal civilian benefits. That said, after as few as five years of creditable civilian service,…