Q. My mom and I have an ongoing debate: She has worked for the Postal Service for 34 years. She stated that when she retires, she will receive her retirement but will not be eligible to collect Social Security. Can you explain? A. Apparently, your mother is a CSRS employee. CSRS employees aren’t covered by Social Security. Unless she has accumulated 40 Social Security credits from other employment, she won’t be eligible for a Social Security benefit.
Browsing: Social Security quarters
Q. I retired in 1997 at age 62 under both CSRS and FERS and accumulated 40 credits with private sector and FERS. I was eligible to receive a small benefit from Social Security and a small amount of my husband’s Social Security benefits. If my husband dies before me, will I continue to receive that small benefit from his Social Security, or will the offset wipe it out? A. If he were to die, you would get the larger of your own Social Security benefit or the survivor benefit. Since you have already reached full Social Security retirement age, your…
Q. I am married, and I have retired from the Postal Service with 35 years of service under CSRS. I have 33 credits of Social Security. If I go back to work and earn seven more credits for SS, will I be able to collect SS when I reach my full retirement age of 66? And does my wife’s SS come into play anyway? A. If you earn 40 credits, you’ll be eligible for a Social Security benefit; however, because you are receiving an annuity from a retirement system where you didn’t pay Social Security taxes, that benefit will be…
Q. I am a retired federal worker who worked from 1972 to 1987 under CSRS then transferred to FERS in 1987. I left the federal government in 1995 with enough quarters to qualify for Social Security but with much less than 30 years of substantial earnings. In 2010, at age 60, I began getting my government annuity, part based on CSRS and part on FERS. This year at age 62, I am eligible to receive Social Security benefits. As I understand it, FERS transfers are not affected by the offset program but are affected by the windfall elimination provision. How…
Q. I moved to another base due to a base realignment and closure in 1994. I was told by my personnel office several years ago that it would be to my advantage to pay back my military time. So, trusting their advice, I paid it back. And because the interest accrued since 1986, the dollar amount tripled. I served in the Navy from 1974 to 1978. However, I attended a retirement class for CSRS employees and was told by the instructor I didn’t need to pay it back. I do not have 40 quarters and I will not be eligible…
Q. My father is 68 years old, has accrued over 30 years as a Postal Service letter carrier and looking to retire in a couple of months. He is also an Army veteran. Unfortunately, he does not have a firm grasp on retirement options (evidently his pension is available), but he was told that he had not accrued enough Social Security quarters to get retirement payment via the latter method. Is this possible after 30+ years of employment as a letter carrier? A. Because your father is a CSRS employee, he didn’t have Social Security deductions taken from his pay.…
Q. I am 61 years old. I have 38 years and eight months in CSRS. I worked for the Department of the Air Force, Department of the Navy and Postal Service. I have 28 quarters of Social Security. I plan to retire no later than Dec. 3. I get updates on my annuity for CSRS. I have no updates on my Social Security. Will I be able to receive a Social Security check at a reduced amount because I only have 28 quarters? Or will I have to get my 40 quarters and then have it reduced? A. You aren’t…
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 retired in 2002 with 32 years of service and receiving a CSRS annuity. I am 65 and do not have the required 40 quarters to collect Social Security. My retirement annuity is being reduced for “full surviving spouse’s annuity.” Will my wife, who is 61 and plans to draw Social Security next year (over $600 a month), be able to draw her full Social Security and the CSRS survivor annuity, even though I was not eligible for Social Security, if I pass away before her? A. Yes, she will be able to receive her full, earned Social Security…
Q. Three questions regarding CSRS retirement: 1. I read that in 2010 and 2011, there was a six- to 12-month delay before retiring employees actually receive their full pension. I’m not sure if a partial pension was received in the meantime and how much. Is this still true for employees retiring in 2012? I am under CSRS and planning on retiring the end of July or early August. I understand it’s best for me to retire at the end of a month or within the first three days of a month to receive my pension check the following month. I…