Q. I was a federal employee for 26 years and, from 1987 onward, was under FERS. I left my last federal job in June 2009 at age 58, after having passed the minimum retirement age and having been enrolled in the Federal Employees Health Benefits plan over the entire 26 years of my federal employment. In June 2009, I said that I intended to take a postponed retirement, some time after I reached age 60. It is my understanding that my enrollment in FEHBP was suspended at the time I left my last federal employment, in June 2009. I had…
Browsing: postponed retirement
Q. I would appreciate a clarification of eligibility for Federal Employees Health Benefits under postponed retirement. I selected a postponed retirement and have recently begun receiving benefits. I may, at some point, want to sign up for FEHB as a FERS retiree. In my situation, in my last government position (as an appointee), I had continuous coverage under my wife’s FEHB as a part of a family plan. Since I left the government position, I have continued to be covered under my wife’s FEHB family plan. As I understand it, postponed retirees who were enrolled at the time they left…
Q. How does the new law that provides sick leave credit for longevity operate with immediate, postponed and deferred retirement? Can you get this sick leave credit for service longevity under each of these three categories of retirement? A. No. It only applies to immediate and postponed annuities. The latter is included because it’s actually an immediate annuity, where the receipt of the annuity is postponed to a later date.
Q. I am a Veterans Affairs Department term employee with 28 years of service, 57 years old. My term appointment has only been extended to Jan. 31, 2013, with a “continuation of ongoing research funds.” If research funds are not available to pay me past this date, I understand that I can retire under the MRA +10 provision and postpone receipt of my annuity until I am 60 to avoid the age reduction penalty. And, at that time, can re-enroll for Federal Employees Health Benefits since I will have been enrolled for the previous five years. If I choose not…
Q. I am 53 years old with 24 years of FERS service and considering either a deferred or postponed retirement option in the next year or two. How does the newly enacted benefit for FERS employees to get service longevity credit for unused accumulated sick leave operate under the postponed or deferred retirement scenarios? I know you get 50 percent credit for longevity purposes for all unused accumulated sick leave for retirements between now and Dec. 31, 2013, and full day-for-day credit for unused accumulated sick leave for longevity credit for retirements on and after Jan. 1, 2014 in the…
Q. I am 54 and a federal employee with 14 years of service. Can I take a postponed retirement now and then at MRA, 60 or 62, apply for retirement and have my health and medical coverage reinstated? I have looked at OPM, and it is not clear. I have talked to my agency’s folks and received conflicting information. A. No. To retire on a postponed annuity, you’d have to have at least 10 years of service (which you do) and have reached your minimum retirement age (which you haven’t). Your MRA is 56. At age 54, all you could…