Q. I know that if the military loses membership due to medical reasons, they get processed out on the technician side and apply for the 60/40. If I am a federal civilian technician and I become medically unable to return to work, am I eligible for the same 60/40 disability? I am just curious about my entitlements since I have been out of work medically almost 6 months. A. You would have to apply for disability retirement.
Browsing: military service
Q. I retired from the Coast Guard with 20 years of service. I have not bought any time for retirement. I know that if I buy back those 20 years, I will have 30 years to count toward civilian retirement. If I do buy it back now, what happens to my Coast Guard retirement check if I keep working for the government? I know it will stop once I retire, but what happens if I keep working? A. Regardless of when you make your deposit, you won’t have to waive your military retired pay until you retire from your civilian…
Q. I plan to retire at the end of 2013. This includes two years’ Navy time, which I have paid back some years ago. My service computation date is April 1, 1974. I have a sick leave balance of 2,700 hours. My work schedule is nine-hour days Monday — Thursday and four hours on Friday. How much credit will I earn for my unused sick leave? How will not working a standard eight-hour day affect the sick leave credit calculation? A. Your nonstandard work schedule has nothing to do with how your sick leave will be credited. You’ll get one…
Q. I’m a traditional CSRS employee with 35 years and no break in federal service. My retirement contributions have been taxed over the years through the bi-weekly payroll deductions. I also paid $5,000 to get credit for military time. When I retire, will some of my monthly annuity check be exempt from taxation since it is considered return of principal? How is this amount calculated? A. Your answer is in the Internal Revenue Service’s Tax Guide to U.S. Civil Service Retirement Benefits. You can download a copy at www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p721.pdf.
Q. My dad is a retired civilian from the Air Force and has continued his health insurance for him and his spouse into retirement. My dad’s brother passed away, and he had a son who is handicapped (he is 56), and the state has awarded legal guardianship to my dad. Can my dad add him to his FEHB? A. Probably; however, he’ll have to check with his plan to be sure.
Q. I will have been employed with USPS for 10 years in March. I bought back my four years of military time. I will be 56 in June. Do I qualify for SRS? A. First, the only way you could retire is under the MRA+10 provision (minimum retirement age with at least 10 years of service). Second, no one who retires under the MRA+10 provision is eligible to receive the special retirement supplement.
Q. I am an Air Force Reservist, in for 29 years or the equivalent of 11 active-duty years. I am also a federal employee for 23 years, six of which have been on active duty. Before I make a decision to buy back my federal civilian time, can I receive both an Air Force Reserve and federal civilian retirement at the same time, or do I have to choose one over the other? A. You can receive both reserve retired pay and a civilian annuity without a reduction in either.
Q. I retired from the military in 1980 after 20 years and receive my Navy retirement. I started working as a CSRS employee with a service computation date of November 1979. I have been receiving my full Social Security since attaining full retirement age. I plan on retiring from CSRS in January 2014 with 35 years of CSRS service with no military buyback. Will I have any offset since my Social Security was based on my military and private employment and not CSRS? A. Because you will be receiving an annuity from a retirement system where you didn’t pay Social…
Q. I am a 77-year-old widow of a postmaster with 30-plus years’ service who passed away in 1993. I have since received spousal benefits plus insurance coverage. I do not receive Social Security. I have not remarried. However, if I marry a widower who retired from military service (Marine officer and FBI) after 30-plus years, how will my benefits and insurance be affected? A. They won’t be affected.
Q. I was in the active Air Force for five years and in the Pennsylvania Air National Guard for 18 years. I am retired and am receiving benefits. I also have two years as a federal employee in the VA health system. I am considering a job with VA. How do I determine my status regarding years of service and how this affects benefits while working and at retirement? What office gives the definitive answer? A. OPM is the ultimate source of definitive answers; however, your own agency personnel office should be able to give you the same answers. They…