Q. My husband has 36 quarters toward his Social Security eligibility; however he has 33 years in the Postal Service and qualifies for a postal pension under CSRS. Is he eligible to receive a reduced Social Security benefit if he retires at the end of this year, in addition to his postal pension or does he need 40 quarters?
A. To be eligible for a Social Security benefit, he would need to have 40 credits and be 62 years old. Note: If he became eligible for a Social Security benefit, it would be subject to the windfall elimination provision. The WEP reduces the benefit of anyone who receives an annuity from a retirement system where he didn’t pay Social Security taxes, such as CSRS, and has fewer than 30 years of substantial earnings under Social Security
