Q. I returned to federal service at age 63, after a 30-year break in service, as a CSRS offset employee. I am trying to understand the rule for applying the offset to my CSRS benefit. I know there are two calculations to get the offset amount and the lesser of the two is the one applied. I would have qualified for Social Security at age 62 as a result of my employment record outside government service and before returning to federal service. The first calculation seems to indicate 62 as the age to apply the offset calculation; therefore, I would…
Browsing: CSRS offset
Q. I am a 58-year-old CSRS Offset civilian employee with 20 years of federal service. What is the earliest date that I can retire? A. Because you have at least 20 years of service, you could retire on an immediate, unreduced annuity at age 60.
Q. I’m looking to retire sometime this year. I turn 66 on April 2, have 13 years at the Veterans Affairs Department, from which I withdrew funds. I worked in the private sector until 1995, when I started working for the Postal Service. I am under CSRS Offset, and I have essentially bought back my four years in the military. So the total years at the Postal Service would be 18 years + 4 years military = 22 years. Can you explain to me how the offset will apply to me? Will I be able to receive Social Security?
Q. I expect to retire with income from a state employee retirement, CSRS offset and Social Security paid while working other than the CSRS offset Social Security. To what extent will the windfall elimination provision apply? Since there are two Social Security eligibilities, does the WEP apply to both? Will the CSRS offset Social Security portion be reduced by the WEP as well as the Social Security earned when working for nongovernment employers? A. At age 62, your annuity will be reduced automatically by the amount of Social Security benefit you earned while a CSRS offset employee. If you have…
Q. Last year it was determined that I fell under FERCCA. I decided on CSRS offset as my retirement coverage. I am just shy of 30 years of service. For 1987-1991, I was told I would be receiving a refund of my FERS contributions with no interest. It just does not seem correct that I have to pay for years of nondeduction service with interest to reduce or not have an actuarial reduction in my retirement annuity, yet money deducted from me sits for 25 years and is refunded without interest. I would think at a minimum I should receive…
Q. As of January, I had 36 years of creditable federal service for retirement. This is based on a federal retirement benefits estimate I received from a company contracted by my agency to provide this service. I was on leave without pay while in a master’s degree program from June 23, 1984, to June 7, 1986. The company providing the benefits estimate counted all of this time as creditable for retirement. Is this correct, or would I only be allowed credit for a maximum of six months during each of the three calendar years covered by the leave without pay?…
Q. I worked for an independent federal agency from 1977 to 1989, which had its own retirement system that was neither CSRS nor FERS. I had a break in service for one year then returned to work for the federal government (Transportation Department), where I was erroneously placed in FERS by human resources. In 2006, following a FERCCA ruling that took over 2½ years, I chose to be placed in CSRS Offset rather than FERS. I paid Social Security as a federal employee (plus through part-time jobs dating back to 1970) until I retired in 2010 with 32 years of service. I…
Q. I was in CSRS with Tennessee Valley Authority for 9½ years. I had a 15-year break in service and returned to work with the USPS under CSRS offset. When I retire at age 62, I will have 15 years with the USPS. Will the 9½ years I spent with TVA be added to my service time from the USPS for retirement calculation purposes? A. No.
Q. I worked for the federal government for 13½ years under CSRS. I left federal service in 1990 and withdrew my contributions because I never expected to go back. However, I was recently offered a job in the federal government that is worth taking and know I would have to go under FERS. I was fairly young when I left the federal service, so I would work at least five more years before retiring. Can I buy back my previous 13½ years of federal service, and if so, would the deposit to buy back my time be based on what…
Q. I retired from the federal government after 30 years of service at the age of 58½. I am CSRS Offset. I have earned the credits necessary for Social Security. However, I think I have to wait until I am 66 to receive the most of my benefits (I am 62), even though I have not worked since leaving service. Am I correct? Or does it matter, since I am not working at all? A. Your CSRS annuity will be reduced automatically by the amount of Social Security benefit you earned while covered by CSRS Offset. If you want to…