Browsing: survivor annuity

Q. I was granted a Federal survivor’s annuity in 1993 because my husband passed away and had 20 years of service with the federal government. I am 52 and plan to remarry. I know that my survivor annuity will be terminated because I am under 55, but I am unsure as to whether it can be reinstated if my new husband passes away. I have seen this question answered two ways – that it can be reinstated if there is a death or divorce and also that the annuity can only be reinstated if the marriage is terminated by divorce.…

Q. I am a postal employee in the CSRS pension plan. I’m 64 with 33 years service. If I die before I retire, will my wife get the 55 percent of what my pension would be as if I was retired? Would she be eligible for the survivor benefit as if I would have been retired?

Q. I’m trying to help a prospective retiree. She is 77 and is receiving a Social Security survivor annuity from her deceased husband. She is in CSRS Offset. The Social Security office seems to be unfamiliar with CSRS Offset and is answering her questions by telling her she’s FERS, which she is not.

Q. I have two questions about the Reg Jones article in the Feb. 18 Federal Times issue, titled “2013 brings changes to Medicare, survivor benefits” (Page 22). 1) Under death benefits, it says, “under CSRS, if you die while still employed, your widow will be entitled to a survivor annuity.” When I retired in 1995, I signed an agreement to take a reduction in my annuity so that when I die, my wife will get a percent of my annuity. Please explain what is wrong with one of these two statements. 2) Under the same topic, he says, “the spouse…

Q. If a federal government employee gets divorced before retiring and his ex-spouse is covered by FEHB under Spouse Equity, and after retiring the former employee remarries, is he allowed to cover his new spouse under FEHB? In other words, does the fact that his ex-spouse is cover under FEHB by Spouse Equity prevent the former employee from covering his new spouse under FEHB in retirement? On a similar note, what if he divorces after retirement, his ex-spouse is covered by Spouse Equity and then he remarries? Is the new spouse eligible to be covered under the retiree’s FEHB?

Q. I am enrolled in FEHB, but my wife has her insurance under her own employer. When I retire, can my wife switch her insurance to FEHB if she retires three year later and keeps her insurance with her employer until she retires? Does she need to be part of FEHB for five years before I retire?

Q. My husband died at age 51 in 2000. He worked 28 years for USPS, plus four years in the military, for 32 years (he paid no Social Security taxes for the 28 years in USPS). I have received widow’s death benefit annuity payments since his death, in addition to purchasing the USPS medical insurance plan. I worked full time in the medical profession until his death and have worked part time since 2000. I would like to take my Social Security at age 62 (in 3 years). Am I still eligible to receive the USPS death benefit annuity (and…

Q. Consider a retired federal employee who was married and has chosen a spouse survivor benefit at the time of retirement. If the spouse dies and the annuitant remarries: 1. Are further annuity reductions needed to cover the new spouse? 2. Is the nine-month waiting period still required? 3. If the original survivor benefit was less than full, can the benefit be increased (with increased annuity reduction)?

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