Q. I took early retirement from the Postal Service after being refused FERS disability. Since that time I have been awarded full disability from both the Veteran Affairs Department (I am a disabled vet) and Social Security. I have now reached the minimum retirement age and received notice from the Office of Personnel Management that I will be receiving the FERS Annuity Supplement. Am I still qualified for this supplement even though I am receiving Social Security Disability? I don’t want to find out later that I am not and must pay it all back. A. According to OPM, you will…
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Q. Is the retirement pay annuity under FERS for physicians employed full time by the Veterans Affairs Department calculated using base pay plus market pay or base pay (GS system) only? A. Physicians comparability allowances are considered to be part of basic pay for retirement purposes.
Q: Is the Veterans Administration having any early out/buyout in the near future? A: Not there we’re aware of.
Q. My father retired from the VA canteen cafeteria about 8-9 years ago, I believe. I believe at that time he retired with early retirement benefits instead of full benefits, since he retired early. My question is that at the time he retired he was offered a lump sum of $25,000 and have his monthly retirement benefits decreased by $300 monthly, if he took the lump sum. But he decided at that time he did not want to take a lump sum, because he didn’t think it was wise, but now he would like to see if he can get…
Q: I am a retired federal employee and currently have health care coverage under one of the Federal Employee Health Benefits plans. I recently found out that I have multiple myeloma. I am also a Vietnam veteran, and after learning of my diagnosis, I found out that any Vietnam veteran who served on the ground in Vietnam between 1962 and 1975 and later developed certain diseases, including multiple myeloma, is presumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange herbicide and would be entitled to free health care for those diseases through the Veterans Affairs Department health care system. However, much…
Q: I am a 58-year-old physician with 16 years of military service from 1978 to 1994. I am taking a job with the Veterans Affairs Department. In the benefits booklet I received, there is a note as follows: “Physicians and dentists covered under Title 38 provisions must complete 15 years of creditable service in order to use Physicians/Dentists Special Pay as basic pay in determining the high-3 average salary used in the computation of a [Federal Employees Retirement System] annuity. If I buy into FERS for my 16 years of military service, does this count toward “creditable service,” or is…
Q: I am a Vietnam veteran with a disability rated at 40 percent. I will be 64 in September and plan on drawing my Social Security retirement benefits at that time. Will either one of these government plans be affected by the other? Also, do I receive any extra credit in my Social Security earnings for the 16 quarters served on active duty from 1966 to 1969? A: You will be able to receive both your Veterans Affairs Department disability pay and your Social Security benefit. Your Social Security benefit will be based on the number of credits you earned…
Q: I was retired medically from the Army with less than 20 years of service. My health improved enough for me to work at the U.S. Postal Service. I was then called back to active duty to complete my 20 years of service, serving an additional three years and eight months. I returned to the USPS in 2005. I retired from the Army with a military pension and Veterans Affairs Department disability of 50 percent. Can I still receive my military pension and VA disability and buy back only those years I returned to active duty to get credit for…
Q: I am a Vietnam vet and plan to apply for disability with the Veterans Affairs Department based on one of the illnesses caused by Agent Orange. I was in the Army for two years. I also plan to retire under the Civil Service Retirement System with 37 years of service in about 10 months. I am also eligible for a small Social Security check. If VA grants my service-related disability will my CSRS or Social Security check be reduced by the amount of the VA disability payment? A: No, neither payment would be reduced.
Q: I am a firefighter under the Federal Employees Retirement System holding a secondary position with a service computation date of 2003. I retired from the Air Force after 20 years of military service. I have a number of questions. Would it be prudent for me to buy back my military time, which would allow me to retire early from civil service? If I do buy back my military time and retire, would I lose my military retirement check? Part of my retirement is a 40 percent service-connected disability from the Veterans Affairs Department. The other half is from the…