Q: A Civil Service Retirement System employee recently retired and was told by a representative of the Social Security Administration that because he qualified for Social Security after he retired under CSRS he would not be affected by the windfall elimination provision. The rep said that he is only affected by the WEP if he had his 40 quarters during or before his CSRS employment. I can’t find any documentation supporting this. A: The SSA rep was confusing the windfall elimination provision with what’s often referred to as “Catch 62.” The WEP applies to the Social Security benefit of anyone…
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Q: I am employed by the Defense Department under the Civil Service Retirement System. My service computation date is Dec. 17, 1977, and I will turn 62 on Nov. 16. Prior to entering civil service, I earned enough quarters to qualify for Social Security. I have not selected a retirement date, but I am considering Dec. 31 of this year or January 2011 to receive a payout from the National Security Personnel System. If I retire Dec. 31, I will be reimbursed for all of my annual leave, but after that reimbursement I would be limited to the maximum amount…
Q: I am a Vietnam vet and plan to apply for disability with the Veterans Affairs Department based on one of the illnesses caused by Agent Orange. I was in the Army for two years. I also plan to retire under the Civil Service Retirement System with 37 years of service in about 10 months. I am also eligible for a small Social Security check. If VA grants my service-related disability will my CSRS or Social Security check be reduced by the amount of the VA disability payment? A: No, neither payment would be reduced.
Q: I resigned in 1994, withdrew my retirement of $20,000 from CSRS. At that time, my SCD was January 1974. Came back to civil service in 1996. At that time, I was given the choice of CSRS or FERS. I chose FERS. My SCD was recalculated to January 1977 with 10 years frozen service. I have two questions: Am I required to pay back the withdrawal in order for the 20 years (1974 to 1994) to count toward retirement? And what exactly is frozen service? Will it affect my retirement years? Right now,based on my SCD,I have 33 years. I’m…
Q: I worked from 1972 to 1978 at the Department of Agriculture, then left to work for a private firm from 1978 to 1984. When I left, I took a refund of my retirement contributions. I didn’t work from 1984 to 1994 and returned to federal service from March 1994 to present and am covered by CSRS Offset. I am leaving federal service by the end of June. Am I eligible to receive any retirement benefits? I have 393.50 hours of SL and 303 hrs of AL and 24 hours of CT. I am 55 and will be 56 in…
Q: Prior to attending college, I worked for the federal government for a little more than a year as a CSRS employee. Years later, I became employed with the Department of Energy under FERS. I can’t recall whether or not I withdrew my retirement funds from the CSRS when I quit the government in 1979. If I did, can I repay those funds so that my USGS employment time counts toward my length of service? A: If you left your contributions in the retirement fund, that period of CSRS service will be treated as FERS service and you’ll be due…
Q: I withdrew my CSRS retirement in 1993 and then started back in the government in 1999 and was hired as a CSRS offset employee. My service comp date is October 1981. I also have years of service from 1977 to 1981 and then came back in 1982 and worked until 1993. I resigned in 1993 and went back into government from 1994 to 1995 and then resigned again. I then came back in the government in 1999 and I am still working. I am a CSRS Offset who unfortunately withdrew my retirement when I left in 1993. I asked…
Q: I am covered under the Civil Service Retirement System, but my husband is a Federal Employees Retirement System employee. Prior to retirement, we want to have him get Federal Employees Health Benefit Plan coverage (he is covered under my plan now) and provide coverage to me. Will he be able to continue FEHB coverage for both of us when he retires (he has to work at least one year longer than I), and is the cost about the same as if I provided our coverage (as a retired CSRS employee)? A: There is no difference in the premiums paid…
Q: I heard on a “Face the Nation” segment a couple of weeks ago that the Federal Employees Retirement System wasn’t as generous as the Civil Service Retirement System, and that a great deal of money would be saved if the government converted retirees. Is there anything in the works that would threaten the CSRS retirement package? A: Absolutely nothing is in the works that would do that.
Q: I have been retired from federal service (Civil Service Retirement System) for the past eight years after 30 years of government service. I am enrolled under the Federal Employees Health Benefit Plan for myself and my family. If I were to die, would my wife continue to get health benefits? A: Yes, if you elected a survivor benefit for her. If you didn’t, she wouldn’t.