Q. I worked for an independent federal agency from 1977 to 1989 that had its own retirement system —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 HR. In 2006, following a FERCCA ruling that took more than 2½ years, I chose to be placed in the CSRS Offset program 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…
Browsing: CSRS
Q. I am trying to clarify Catch-62. I was hired in 1981 and I have 31 years in CSRS at age 55. I also have four years of military service that I have not bought back. If I have 24 quarters of Social Security, by age 62, will the four years of military automatically be added to my SSA quarters, thus reducing my CSRS pension? Or will I have to have the 40 quarters at age 62 beyond the 16 quarters paid while in the military? A. Since Jan. 1, 1957, every member of the military has had Social Security…
Q. I just sent you a question and realized I did not include that I am under CSRS. As of Oct. 13, I had 29 years with the Postal Service and presently have enough annual and sick leave to get me through until I have my required 30 years. What is the best way for me to retire early with the least amount of loss in my retirement? A. First, I need to correct a misunderstanding on your part. You can’t use your annual and sick leave to help you reach 30 years of service. Unlike the military, the federal…
Q. What are the advantages and disadvantages of retiring Dec. 29, at the end of the pay period versus staying until Jan. 3, 2013? A. If you are a CSRS employee, you’d gain four additional days of pay and lose three days in your January annuity payment. If you are a FERS employee, you’d gain the same four days of pay but you wouldn’t be on the annuity roll until February. Whether you were covered by CSRS or FERS, you wouldn’t earn any additional sick or annual leave by staying until Jan. 3.
Q. I am getting ready to retire in two to four years. I was divorced in 2000 and need to know what type of documentation I will need. In a Sept. 17 article, you indicated that some of the problem areas included failure to answer the court order question.” A. When you fill out your retirement application, you’ll need to check the box under Marital Information and attach a certified copy of the court order(s) and any amendments. You’ll find that box in Section E of the SF 2801 (CSRS) and Section C of the 3107 (FERS).
Q. I am a civil service retiree under CSRS. I have moved. How do I notify civil service/Office of Personnel Management of my change of address. I am concerned I will not receive my W-2 in January if I do not change my address. A. To notify OPM of a change of address, call OPM’s Retirement Information Office at (888) 767-6738 or (724) 794-2005.
Q. I was offered and accepted a Voluntary Early Retirement Authority payment from the Post Office last month under CSRS. If I return to work in the private sector, will it affect my CSRS pension or the VERA I received? A. Working in the private sector will affect neither your CSRS annuity nor the VERA payment you received.
Q. I recently retired from a federal ARS position having 35 years, three months and nine days of creditable service. I was informed for the first time to pay an accrued interest of $955 for FICA service ($529) for a period when I was first employed back in 1976, which I did. I have requested that OPM review this interest charge, but I have not gotten a response. This service period doesn’t appear to me to have been included in computing my CSRS computation service for retirement or my buyout payment — which I find questionable. Because I was never…
Q. I am a retired CSRS employee and started receiving benefits at a reduced level at age 47 (with 31 years of credited service) due to the BRAC. I worked enough quarters between the City of Norfolk, Va., and NEXCOM (a nonappropriated fund business) to qualify for Social Security. I am still working full time at NEXCOM and plan to start receiving Social Security benefits when I reach 66. Can I continue to work and still draw Social Security, or is there a limit on the amount I can earn and still draw the Social Security? And will the CSRS…
Q. I’m contemplating retirement, but I want to make sure what I’m hearing is correct. My service computation date is January 1980, so I have almost 33 years’ service. However, after my first seven years of service, I chose to retire and stay at home with my two babies. Thinking I wouldn’t return, I withdrew my retirement, which was in the $6,000-$7,000 amount. After 3½ years, I came back and worked another four years and then again resigned to stay home with a third child. I returned a year later (1989) and have been here since that time. I switched…