Q. I am 45 years old. I have been working for the federal government since June 7, 1985, approximately 27 years. Our government facility is closing its doors. I was offered a job outside of our local travel area and had to turn it down due to personal reasons. Can I still qualify for discontinued service retirement? What would the penalties be? I have plenty of years but not the age. I have performed all my employment under FERS. A. Because the position you were offered was outside your commuting area, the fact that you turned it down wouldn’t keep…
Browsing: Discontinued Service Retirement
Q. I retired (not by choice) with 31 years under CSRS as a discontinued service retiree from Aug. 2, 2011, through Dec. 17, 2011. I was placed on priority placement program since I declined my transfer of work to Fort Lee, Va., and subsequently was rehired into the federal workforce Dec. 19, 2011, as a GS-09 (I was a GS-11 at retirement). Therefore, I am losing about $500 per month. I am beginning to think I would have been better off staying a DSR. How does my CSRS annuity work now? I want to know how long it will be…
Q. I have been an 1811 under covered positions for 15 years. I also have bought back years of active-duty time. My organization is discussing offering a Discontinued Service Retirement. If offered this retirement would I receive: 15 years x 0.017 (25.5) x average of high three plus 10 years x 0.01 (10) x average of high three or a total of 35.5 percent of high three plus 50 percent of my sick leave time applied to length of covered time. (This is only a couple of months – 600 hours). A. Yes and no. While you would receive half credit…
Q: If you are eligible for a discontinued service retirement and you are part of a reduction-in-force, because you are on a priority placement program for a year, why can you not wait until the year is almost up to put in for your DSR? Also, I am under the Federal Employees Retirement System, but I have money that I paid into the Civil Service Retirement System. I am not under CSRS Offset because when I was transferred the choices were not explained to me; I was just told that I had to transfer. What happens to the money that…
Q: I lost my reserve position for medical reasons, through no fault of my own, on Aug. 27, 2010. I have been given one year to find another job. I will be 54 years old with 19.5 years of time in service by August 2011. What type of retirement would I be allowed: Discontinued service retirement or disability? A: Disability.
Q: Under CSRS, do you still get your lump sum CSRS contributions back if they completely abolish your position, and are not offered in writing an equivalent position? This would be in addition to your full retirement benefits, minus age penalty. I am 47 1/2, with 31 years of CSRS service, and the only shop planner in my position description. They are talking about wiping out our maintenance department and contracting out. My dad retired about 15 years ago when they abolished his job, and he got his contributions back. Has this changed? A: Because you’d be eligible for discontinued service…
Q: If a 56-year-old Federal Employees Retirement System employee with 22 years of creditable service is involuntarily separated under a discontinued service retirement and takes the immediate annuity, does the annuity reduction of 2 percent per year for every year under age 62 apply? Does the employee also immediately qualify for the FERS annuity supplement? A: If you take a discontinued service retirement, you won’t be penalized 5 percent (not 2 percent) for every year you are under age 62. Further, because you have reached your minimum retirement age, you will be eligible to receive the special retirement supplement.
Q: I have been affected by the National Reassessment Process by the Postal Service. I was sent home and told there is no longer work available for me within my restrictions after being accommodated for the past 11 years. Would I be eligible for discontinued service retirement, and how would I go about getting it? By the way, I am two months from turning 56 years old and I have 25+ years of service as a FERS employee. A: You would only be eligible for discontinued service retirement if your agency sends you an official notice of intent to separate…
Q: I’m a Federal Employees Retirement Service employee, 54 years old with 25 years of service. I have a 91-year-old father with Alzheimer’s disease who requires full-time care. Is there any program where I could take an early retirement to care for him? Also, I have an upcoming background investigation due. If I didn’t provide this, could I be fired, but still be eligible for immediate retirement? A: Along with receiving approval for the use of annual or sick leave, you could request up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act. Whether you would…
Q: My husband was federal technician and served in the Air National Guard. The military discharged him because of health reasons. So he lost his federal technician job. He now receives Civil Service Retirement System disability benefits. He applied for Social Security disability. Social Security counts his CSRS disability as a public disability, so his benefit is offset and his payment is reduced to $31.00 a month. Now that he is over age 55, can he change his CSRS retirement to a CSRS annuity or discontinued service retirement? Social Security stated that if he is receiving a CSRS annuity or…