Q: I have five years, four months active duty that I believe I can buy back toward a federal retirement. I also have eight years as an engineer/paramedic for Marin County. Can I buy back any of my county time as a firefighter? A: No, you can’t.
Browsing: military service
Q: I am currently receiving military retirement pay for service with the U.S. Navy from 1960 to 1980. I began drawing my full Social Security pay at 65 years and 10 months. I began working under CSRS in 1980 and am planning on retiring in 2013 or 2014. My question: Since all of my time for my Social Security was from my military service and not CSRS service, will I be under either the GPO or WEP provisions when I do retire from CSRS? Can I receive all three of my retirements without any penalties of GPO or WEP? A:…
Q: I am a retired Marine with 27 years of service. It has been six years since I retired, and I recently was hired by the Ferderal Bureau of Prisons. Since I already receive retirement pay from my military career, will I be eligible to receive another retirement pension from the Federal Buerau of Prisons when I retire? A: Yes, you would be able to receive another annuity from the federal government when you meet the age and service requirements.
Q: I am retired active-duty military with 21 years and drawing military retirement. I also receive a Veterans Affairs disability payment with a 50 percent rating falling under CRDP rules. I have 15 years of civilian government employment under FERS and also made the deposit for my 21 years of active duty. When I retire under FERS, waive my military retirement and end up with 42 years of FERS, will I lose the VA payment or will I be able to keep it? A: You’ll be able to continue receiving your VA payment.
Q: I am a 57-year-old retired Marine who was recently hired as a DAC. One question I didn’t ask was the minimum time required in order to qualify for a pension. I would also be interested in hearing how the pension compensation math is done. A: The numbers work out well for you. If you have five years of creditable civilian service, you would be able to retire at age 62. The formula used to compute your annuity would be 0.01 x your highest three years of average salary x your years and full months of civilian service.
Q: I am 47 and served for 23 years on active duty. I am employed in federal service going on a year. How long must I serve in the government before I can retire and receive both military and federal service retirement pay? A: The earliest you could retire from your civilian employment would be when you reach your minimum retirement age, which in your case would be 56. You could then retire under the MRA+10 provision. However, your annuity would be reduced by 5 percent for every year you were under age 62. You could reduce or eliminate the…
Q: I served four years in the Navy, and I am starting a government position in the new year. Will my four years of active duty count toward my GS retirement? A: You won’t get any credit for that time unless you make a deposit to the civilian retirement system. When you report for duty, your first stop will be at the agency’s personnel office. Someone there can tell you how to find out how much you owe and how to go about making the deposit.
Q: I am a Federal Employees Retirement System dual-status federal technician in the Army National Guard. I am looking at a possible involuntary separation because of losing my dual status (nonmedical related) later this year. I am 45 years old with 12 years of federal service. Would I qualify for any type of involuntary separation/disability annuity payment? A: You would be eligible for disability retirement if you are separated due to a disability that disqualifies you from membership in a reserve component of the armed forces or from holding the military grade required for such employment; you aren’t appointed to…
Q: I served eight years on active duty in the Army and then went into the National Guard. While in the National Guard, I began working for the federal government. I bought back the eight years of service in the Army and plan to draw a federal pension as well as a National Guard retirement. Will either retirement offset the other? A: No, there wouldn’t be any reduction. You’d get the full amount of each retirement benefit.
Q: I am 50 years old and have been working for the last five years in a civil service position for a county sheriff. I served eight years and three months in the Coast Guard and have an opportunity to move to a federal job. If I stay in my current position, I will have to wait until I am 65 to retire. Is there a retirement benefit to moving to the federal job? Can I combine the periods that I have worked in the military, civil service and in a federal job for a total of 20 years and…