Q: I am getting ready to retire. I worked for the government from 1968 to 1972, then worked in the private sector and earned my 40 quarters in Social Security. I returned to work for the federal government in 1984 as a Civil Service Retirement System Offset employee. I was told that because I earned my 40 quarters from the private sector that my government annuity would not be reduced: I will get a full government annuity and a full Social Security check. Is that right? A: By law, your CSRS annuity will be reduced at age 62 by the…
Browsing: Civil Service Retirement System
Q: I had 13 years of Social Security employment (max contribution) before entering the Civil Service Retirement System Offset in 1991. I am 64 years old and considering retirement at age 66. Do CSRS Offset years count in meeting the 30-year requirement to avoid the windfall elimination provision? A: All years of Social Security-covered employment in which you had substantial earnings count toward the 30 years needed to avoid the windfall elimination provision.
Q: I was a civil service employee with DHUD from 1969 to 1978. I withdrew retirement funds at that time and have contributed to Social Security since then. I am 64 and am considering going back to work for a government agency with civil service retirement. Can I buy back into civil service retirement and, if so, how long would I have to work and contribute to CSRS to be eligible to retire with civil service retirement? A: If you returned to work for the government, you would be placed in CSRS Offset (CSRS and Social Security) with the option…
Q: I have 30 years of service, 18½ under CSRS and 12 under CSRS Offset. When I began my career in 1979 I had four months under FICA, not CSRS. The four months will still count for service and calculating my annuity but unless I pay it back, 10 percent of the amount (which is $600 now) $60 will be deducted yearly from my annuity. Is it to my benefit to repay the $600 or have the monthly annuity reduced by $5 for rest of my retirement? If I live 20 years after retirement, $1,200 would have been reduced from…
Q: I’m currently an employee under the Civil Service Retirement System drawing a monthly payment from Social Security under my ex-husband’s benefits. I’ve called and visited the local Social Security office and can’t seem to get a straight answer: I understand that I can’t draw Social Security in my own right because I am a CSRS employee, but will I continue to be able to receive Social Security from my ex-husband’s (now deceased) Social Security account? A: You might be able to receive survivor Social Security benefit while you are still working. To find out what the eligibility requirements are…
Q: I am a firefighter/law enforcement retiree under the Civil Service Retirement System. I have been retired for seven years and am interested in returning to work. A local federal agency is interested in having me work for them in a seasonal position as a GS-4. I would work from approximately May to October and would receive no benefits, as these types of positions/employees are not eligible for health insurance or retirement benefits. I would be paying into Social Security, which I am currently not collecting. The agency cannot seem to get a clear answer as to if it would…
Q: I was involuntarily separated from my position as LEO under Civil Service Retirement System. I served for 22 years. I was separated at 47 because of a reduction in force. I have been unable to find another LEO position. I am a few months shy of 50. What are my options? A: If you could find a non-LEO job in the federal government, you would be able to retire at age 50 and have those 20 years of covered service computed under the enhanced formula and the remainder under the standard formula. However, it would be unfair to your…
Q: I am a retired military service member and a federal employee under the FERS retirement system. I have been told by others that when I retire from civil service and get ready to draw Social Security that my Social Security would be decremented anywhere from 40 percent to 60 percent. Supposedly this is due to the drawing of three government checks, Military Retirement, Civil Service Retirement and Social Security. I have spoken to my HR people and they tell me this is not true because Social Security is part of the FERS retirement plan. I spoke to a Social…
Q: I am a 70-year-old physician employed by the Army as a Defense Department civilian for eight months. I have previous experience in the Public Health Service (Indian Health Service) of 7.6 years from 1968 to 1975. When am I eligible to retire? My HR office tells me that my time in the PHS is creditable service. Does that satisfy the requirement of five years of civil service? A: No, it doesn’t. You need to have five years of FERS-covered service to retire.
Q: I will turn 62 in September. I had 16 years of honorable service in the Navy, April 1969 to April 1985, before being hired into the federal civil service in December 2009. I do not draw a retirement from military service. Do I have to have five years of federal civil service to qualify for retirement at age 62, or will five years of the military service qualify for the five-year requirement? I realize that I have to make a deposit to cover the time I spent in military service. A: You have to have five years of civilian…