Q. Can a widow receive survivor CSRS pension benefits from her first husband and widow’s Social Security benefits from her third husband? She is receiving both without any penalties. The widow is 74 and was collecting her own Social Security benefits before her third husband committed suicide. A. Yes, as long is she isn’t receiving an annuity based on her own work record from a retirement system where she didn’t pay Social Security taxes. If she is, she’ll be subject to the government pension offset, which will reduce or eliminate her Social Security survivor benefit.
Browsing: Government pension offset
Q. Will I benefit from my husband’s Social Security pension once he applies for benefits at full retirement age? Beginning Jan. 3, I will begin collecting CSRS retirement. My husband (a retired lieutenant colonel) indicated that once he reaches full retirement age, he’ll apply for Social Security benefits and that I will be entitled to a spouse’s pension from his benefit. I think that, because my CSRS pension is so high ($75,000), my benefit will offset any benefit I would be eligible to receive from him. A. Because you are receiving an annuity from a retirement system where you didn’t…
Q. I am a married ex-federal employee who transferred from CSRS to FERS in 1998 and retired early under FERS with 18 years’ CSRS and eight years’ FERS in 2005. My spouse worked for the federal government for 16 years under CSRS but did not retire and is not eligible for a pension because she took her retirement contributions out in 1987 and did not return. Both of us have enough qualified work subject to Social Security to be eligible for a Social Security benefit, but just barely. 1. Is either of our Social Security benefits, or are both, subject…
Q. My wife is a CSRS Postal Service employee with four years of military time and will retire in February with 36 years total. She did not pay back her military time. She was told by the post office that Social Security would deduct the money from her check when she reaches 62. 1. My wife does not plan on trying to collect Social Security at age 62, so will they still lower her retirement check? 2. I was told during a civil service retirement seminar that if she waited until age 68, she could go back to work and…
Q. I am a retired CSRS employee. I do not receive Social Security, as I have only 31 quarters paid. My husband is a retired FERS employee, as well as retired military, and receives Social Security payments. If I outlive him, will I be entitled to a portion of his Social Security? A. Probably not. Because you are receiving an annuity from CSRS, a retirement system where you didn’t pay Social Security taxes, you’ll be subject to the government pension offset. The GPO will reduce that Social Security survivor’s benefit by $2 for every $3 you receive in your CSRS…
Q. My husband and I are both federal employees. I am CSRS, and he is FERS. His plan is to retire in December at age 62. My plan is to retire at age 57 in June. We both had planned on leaving the other with the maximum survivor benefit amount. However, I am rethinking this because part of my husband’s annuity will be made up of Social Security benefits. Will that affect our ability to get the maximum benefit of each other’s survivor annuity? Or will mine, his or both of ours be subject to the Social Security government pension…
Q. I worked 30 years under CSRS and when the judge for whom I worked retired, our office was “abolished,” and the law clerk and I lost our jobs. I then worked in the civilian sector for six years. I returned to federal court under CSRS Offset for 1½ years. Because of part-time jobs and the six years I worked in the civilian sector, I was eligible for Social Security. I retired after 31½ years of CSRS and the necessary quarters for SS. When SS sent projections before I turned 62, it indicated I would receive about $700 a month…
Q. I am a recent retiree covered under CSRS who elected a full survivor benefit for my spouse. She is covered under Social Security and has a significant Social Security benefit that she will qualify for when she reaches full retirement age. If I die before her and she is receiving Social Security based on her own earnings record, will her survivor benefit under CSRS be subject to the Government Pension Offset? A. No.
Q. I am a 63½-year-old CSRS retiree with more than 32 years’ service. I spent five years with the Navy (1969-74) and paid back my military time before I entered the federal service in 1979. When I retired in 2007, I had 25 Social Security credits. I have been employed in the private sector since January 2008. I have more than 40 credits. My wife started collecting her Social Security benefits last year at age 62. Will my Social Security benefits be affected by the windfall elimination provision or the government pension offset? Will my CSRS pension and my wife’s…
Q. My husband is a CSRS employee who will retire in two years. I am a FERS employee who will retire in three years. My question is this: I have always paid into Social Security, and the projected survivor benefit is $2,298. If my husband is a CSRS retiree, would he see any of that survivor benefit if I were to die before he did? If so, how would I calculate that to get a feel for what he could expect? A. If you were to die before your husband, any Social Security survivor benefit to which he’d be entitled…