Q. I worked as a civil service employee for the Signal Corps, Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, from 1961 to 1966. Would I be entitled to any kind of pension? A. If retirement contributions were taken from your pay, you left those contributions in the retirement fund when you left and you had worked full-time for at least five years, you’d be eligible for a deferred annuity at age 62.
Browsing: pension
Q. I retired in 2000 with 20 years of active-duty time. I spent the next 10 years collecting a pension (E-6) and working as a contractor. I’ve been working in the federal government for the past two years as a GS-12, Step 10. Would it make sense for me to put the amount of cash necessary to retire at 30 years by buying back my 20 military years? Am I even eligible to do this? Would I have to do it now? A. Yes, you can make a deposit for those 20 years of service, However, when you retire, you…
Q. I am employed as a physician with the Federal Bureau of Prisons and am thus considered a law enforcement officer. I plan to retire at age 57 with 16.9 years of service. Will I qualify for a full pension, and will my PCAP be added to calculation of my pension? A. You will be retiring under the MRA+10 provision (minimum retirement age with at least 10 years of service). Therefore, your annuity will be calculated using the standard formula — not the one for LEOs — and it will be reduced by 5 percent for every year you are…
Q. I retired under CSRS in 2010 and came back in August 2011 under the rehire program. I’m not a senior official, and there’s no offset with my pension — which is nice, but HR says regarding Social Security, too bad: I have to pay into the program, which seems unfair, knowing I’ll never get Social Security income. Do you have any suggestions on how I could recover what they’ve been taking out for Social Security and/or stop this withdrawal? A. Too bad, but that’s the law and there is no way around it.
Q. I have four years and 10 months of federal service and six years of active military duty. I am no longer in federal service. Can I buy my military time and qualify for a federal pension? A. No.
Q. I’m 63 with 28 years of service under FERS. Beside the Social Security I’m receiving, am I entitled to a pension from USPS too? If so, how much? A. If you are still employed, it’s unlikely that you are receiving a Social Security benefit. If you were, it would be substantially reduced or even eliminated because of the Social Security earnings test. Anyhow, when you retire, you’ll be entitled to receive both your Postal Service annuity and any Social Security benefit you earned based on your number of years under Social Security. Your Postal Service annuity would be computed…
Q. I’m receiving a survivor annuity from my husband, who passed away in 2003. He was in CSRS from the Postal Service. I’ve been in FERS for 26 years from the Postal Service. When I retire and start receiving my pension, will I still receive my husband’s annuity? A. Yes.
Q. I am a FERS employee and a disabled vet. I was given a medical retirement for injuries I received during my tour of duty in the Navy in 1972-75. I waived my military retirement in lieu of a Veterans Affairs Department pension about 15 years ago. I have made the service credit deposits required so that my military time will be credited to my FERS retirement. I recently attended a retirement seminar and was told that I will have to sign a waiver of military retired pay when I file for my FERS retirement. Does this mean I will lose…
Q. My husband worked for the federal government for about 40 years under CSRS, and he is now receiving a generous monthly pension. I worked various part-time jobs over the years, and I currently work for the federal government. When I retire, I will have worked less than 20 years under FERS, so I will be entitled to a small federal pension, and Social Security. Our primary source of income is my husband’s CSRS retirement. If my husband should predecease me, I know I will receive a widow’s pension of approximately 55 percent of what he is currently receiving. Would…
Q. I was medically retired from the military after about 15 years of service. I was receiving a pension from the Army until I was awarded Veterans Affairs compensation. The VA compensation was more than the Army pension, which is taxable; therefore, I receive a VA compensation that is nontaxable (80 percent). Within the past three or four years, I was awarded Combat-Related Special Compensation because the injuries were considered combat-related during my military career. I served from Sept. 21, 1981, to June 19, 1996. Does the military buyback option apply to me without giving up my military pension? In…