Q. I am almost 62 years old and qualify for a CSRS deferred annuity, even though I left federal service 18 years ago. I have not been able to find anywhere (including the Office of Personnel Management website) how to apply for the deferred annuity. Do I initiate the action? If so, how? Do they initiate the action? If so, when? The only form I can find seems to indicate that OPM will initiate the action by sending me a letter and attached form, but they do not even have my current address, and I certainly do not have all…
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Q. I may be offered an early-out in May. I have been working for the Army Corps of Engineers for the past 34 years. I’m a CSRS employee. If I take the buyout and have a chance to go work for FEMA or the U.S. Forest Service fighting fires out west this summer, can I do this without paying back the bonus? A. According to the Office of Personnel management, “An employee who receives a [Voluntary Separation Incentive Pay] and later accepts employment for compensation with the Government of the United States within five years of the date of the…
Q. I am trying to figure my calculations under FERS disability retirement and Social Security. I am receiving Medicare under Social Security Administration without monetary benefits because of workers’ compensation. Would you please calculate a high-3 of $54,000; and Social Security entitlement of $1,700 monthly on a 60% and a 40%. What would be the separate amounts received from both? Also, do I have to fill out both forms, SF 3112 and a SF 3107 for immediate retirement? I am requesting approval of disability retirement. A. I can’t do your homework for you. What I can do is give you…
Q. I recently spoke with an individual from the Office of Personnel Management’s retirement services regarding offset of FERS pension for Veterans Affairs disability. The individual told me that my VA disability would not be offset from my FERS pension if I was combining my military time with my civil service time. However, the individual also told me that if I buy back my military time and then waive my military retired pay all of my military benefits, medical, ID card, commissary, etc., would also be stopped. Has the law changed? A. I’m not aware that anything has changed. However,…
Q. I spent 22 years with the Postal Service and quit in 2010 to take another career. I was under FERS. Do I get a pension from the Postal Service, or is that what the Thrift Savings Plan is? And can I collect it at 55? A. Reg: If you didn’t take a refund of your retirement contributions when you left, you can apply to the Office of Personnel Management for a deferred annuity at age 60. Mike: If you left FERS service before the calendar year in which you reach age 55, you will be subject to the early…
Q. How does my dad change the amount of taxes to be taken out on his civil service retirement check? He is not taking out enough and is getting penalized. A. Have him call the Office of Personnel Management at 1-888-767-6738 or 724-794-2005 and talk to one of the benefits specialists.
Q. I have a retired active reserve associate with 10 years of active-duty service. Would he get leave accrual credit for his 10 years of active duty, or, since he retired, does he receive only leave accrual credit for campaigns? A. He can find the answer by going to www.opm.gov/StaffingPortal/vetguiide.asp and scrolling to Service Credit for Leave Accrual and Retirement.
Q. I have a couple of questions about insurance plan comparisons for single and family options in retirement. For health insurance in retirement, when or should we change to two self-only plans or stay with the self and family plan in retirement? Are there any major considerations in selecting two single plans or the family plan? My wife and I, no other dependents, are CSRS retirees. We are covered by my self and family BCBS Standard 105 plan. I have been reading the plan brochure but cannot create a logical comparison of when, or if, to go with two single…
Q. I have had my wife and family on my Retirement Health Insurance plan the last three years. Recently, my wife has had a full-time job with benefits. If I change from family to self and she quits her full-time job, can my family go back to the retirement health plan? A. Yes, under Code 2G of OPM’s Table of Permissible Changes in FEHB Enrollment for Annuitants and Compensationers.
Q. My daughter worked for 4½ years as a GS-4 and duties were added (5-6 level) that were not at the GS-4 level. She repeatedly asked for and was denied a desk audit. Four positions (GS-5) were posted, and she did not get any (they went to veterans, and that was fine with her), but when told she didn’t get one of the positions, she was also told she would be transferred because one of the GS-5 positions was the one she was doing at the time. She feels strongly that since she had done the job for several years…