Q. I am a 62-year-old federal police officer. I have over 33 years of combined military and civilian time. I have an adjusted service computation date of Jan. 4, 1978, and I have FICA, CSRS (partial) and FERS offset. Promotions and upward mobility are few and far between in my job series, not to mention reaching a “high- 3.” I am contemplating retirement. However, since we no longer have a local human resources department to assist us, I am writing to ask if you can advise me. A. It doesn’t make any difference what level of income is used, the…
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Q. I recently became eligible for Tricare Standard through my retirement with the National Guard. I am a federal worker who plans to retire soon. I have always carried high option with my Federal Employees Health Benefits. Now that I have Tricare as a secondary, does it make sense to switch to low or standard option with FEHB? A. That’s something you’ll have to figure out for yourself. To do that, you’ll need to compare the coverage under each option with what Tricare offers. However, I’ve been told by others in your situation that electing a lower level of coverage…
Q. I was an IPA (Interagency Personnel Act) for the Air Force from 2003-2006. I then left my position with the University of Central Florida in 2006 and accepted a full-time GS-13 position with the Air Force, where I continue. Can I get retirement credit for the three years as an IPA? A. Not that I’m aware of. However, ask one of the benefits specialists in your office. If they don’t know, they can bump it up the line and, if necessary, check with OPM.
Q. I receive regular 20-year active-duty military retirement pay. If I accepted a temporary position (i.e. not to exceed one year), would my salary be offset by my retirement or would I be able to collect both? Also, when I was young, I worked for a federal government agency as a stay-in-schooler. I am trying to find out if my temporary federal government employment from 1985 through 1988 can be credited toward my service computation date once I find a permanent/career-status federal position. A. Taking a federal job of any sort will not affect your military retired pay. You’ll be…
Q. I retired from the Navy last year (I have 20 years in) and am receiving my pension. I took a GS-12 job and am under FERS. I’ll be 39 in a few weeks. If I wanted to retire at age 57, what would be my monthly payout? For how long? I understand that there is a three-tier system using the Thrift Savings Plan and Social Security. Am I allowed to draw on those at age 57, or do I have to wait until age 62? Reg Jones: You could retire at age 57 under the MRA+10 provision (minimum retirement age…
Q. I am a GS employee that is also a member of the Air Guard. I will be leaving on leave without pay to go through military training for roughly five to six months. How will this affect my FERS retirement and my Thrift Savings Plan contributions? Do I have to buy back my military retirement to obtain my FERS retirement contributions during my LWOP? A. Reg Jones: You will be on LWOP-US. Therefore, you will have to make a deposit to the retirement system to get credit for that period of active-duty service. Mike Miles: You may not contribute…
Q. I’m a CSRS employee. I am eligible for retirement. I’ve passed my 62nd birthday and will not have enough quarters to be eligible for Social Security. I have heard different accounts of whether there is a way to get a refund on the money I paid to buy back my six years of military service time. Since I will not be eligible for Social Security and I paid the full amount to be sure I would be able to get credit for my military service, is there a way to get a refund on the nearly $8,000 I paid,…
Q. I entered active duty with the Army on Sept. 16, 2002, and got an honorable discharge for medical reasons on Nov. 5, 2003. Those dates were recorded on my DD-214. I joined the federal civilian workforce in May 2004, and that federal agency calculated my service computation date as March 12, 2003. I think this calculation is wrong. If it is, which documents should I reference to have this corrected? And whom should I contact for the correction, as I just transferred to another federal agency? A. You’ll find the definition of creditable service and the methodology used for…
Q. My brother-in-law is retired military and has worked for the Air Force as a civil servant for approximately 25 years (FERS). He is 64. His job is offering a Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment, but he was told he could not get the VSIP because he receives a military retirement pension. My benefits specialist said this was not true — that VSIP has nothing to do with the military pension. Have you heard of this? If so, what regulation? A. What he was told is completely untrue. The fact that he is receiving military retired pay has no bearing on…
Q. What is the minimum submission time for FERS retirement, and what defines retirement application? I currently meet the full FERS retirement criteria (minimum retirement age and 30+ years of service, including 10.5 years military redeposit paid and documented). I plan on retiring in January 2014. My plan is to submit the application in about July or August 2013. However, Congress is considering various FERS retirement changes, one of which is canceling the special retirement supplement. According to the House version, anyone retiring after Dec. 31, 2012, would not get SRS, whereas the Senate version would apply only to new…