Q: My husband retired under the Civil Service Retirement System Offset program and had a 55 percent survivor benefit for me. I am Federal Employees Retirement System employee, and I will be retiring in three years with the maximum survivor benefit for him. Whoever dies first, will the other one receive survivor benefits and will the survivor’s other federal benefits be reduced by how much they receive from the deceased? A: There wouldn’t be any reduction. You would be able to receive both your own annuity and the survivor benefit provided by your deceased spouse.
Browsing: CSRS offset
Q: My husband and I are both Civil Service Retirement System Offset employees who will elect a survivor annuity. Can you explain how a CSRS Offset employee’s survivor annuity offset amount is calculated? A specific example would be helpful of how the offset amount is applied to a survivor annuity. When my husband begins getting Social Security, his annuity is estimated to be offset by about $800, mine by about $200. If I receive a survivor annuity upon his death, will my survivor annuity amount be reduced dollar for dollar by the full $800, or will my husband’s full annuity…
Q: I was a federal employee for 23 years in the legislative and judicial branch. I spent about a year and a half of that time as a congressional staffer. About two years of my time at the judiciary were part time (four days a week). I left federal service at age 43. I was under the Civil Service Retirement System and left my money in the system when I left. I could go back to work for Congress for a few years. I understand that I would have to go into the Federal Employees Retirement Service. What would be…
Q: I’ve been a Federal Employees Retirement System employee of the Veterans Affairs Department since 1986. Human Resources changed my retirement code from 2 to C — but I have not requested any changes. It is almost impossible to see the retirement representative from HR, yet I’m trying to make an appointment with HR to get an explanation. Can you explain? A: I can tell you what but not why. Retirement code 2 is FICA. It means that “you are covered by the Federal Insurance Contributions Act – Social Security only. You are not covered by a retirement system for…