Q. I’m a CSRS employee who is planning to retire. I’ll receive a lump-sum payment for unused annual leave in 2020. Can I have Social Security contributions deducted from this payment? It would be helpful if I could, because I only need a few more credits to be eligible for a Social Security benefit.
A. No, you can’t. That’s because Social Security credits can only be earned through deductions taken from wages or self-employment.