Q. I have been offered an opportunity in FERS. I retired from the Navy Reserve in 2009 with 25 years of creditable service. I will not be drawing this pension until age 58 (credit for post-9/11 active-duty lowers from 60). How would making a deposit for military service work? Like active-duty retirees, would I then waive my reserve retirement? Would the decision simply be a calculation to see which retirement would yield the biggest pension? I retired as an O-5 and would be entering FERS at grade 13. I am 49 years old and would work until at least 62.…
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Q. I have 20 years of active-duty service (Army E-6) and have just retired (actual retired date will be Dec. 1). I have been hired by the federal government as a GS-11. Would it be financially beneficial for me to buy back my military time and contribute it to my federal civilian retirement down the road? If I buy back my military time, will that 20 years allow me to retire from my civilian position early, maybe in 10 years with a total of 30 years of service? What is the impact or consequence of this on my military retirement?…
Q. I have 16 years in FERS. But I worked 18 years under CSRS and received a refund for that service in 1992. If I buy back that CSRS time, will it be computed as a CSRS component that will affect my Social Security? If I don’t do a redeposit of the CSRS time, will I be free and clear of any Social Security benefit reduction? A. While you will get credit for that period of service in determining your eligibility to retire, because you took a refund of your retirement contributions after Feb. 28, 1991, you’d have to make…
Q. I am 47 years old and worked for the post office for three years. During that time, I bought back my military service time of eight years. Am I eligible to someday get that retirement for the 11 years? If not, will I be reimbursed what it cost to buy back my time? Is the Thrift Savings Plan a separate entity, and when can I start receiving that? I’m currently working away from the federal realm. A. Reg: No, you wouldn’t be eligible for an annuity because you didn’t have at least five years of actual civilian service. If…
Q. After serving 15 years of active duty with the Army I ETS’d to pursue a federal position (FERS) and continued my military career as a reservist. I’ve bought back the 15 years. I was involuntarily mobilized and attained enough active duty to retire under the sanctuary program. What happens to the 15 years that was already bought back as a reservist prior to retirement? A. If you retired from the Reserve, that will have no effect on your FERS retirement. You’ll get full credit for the time for which you already made a deposit. If you want to get…
Q. I left the active-duty Army with 15 years of service to take a federal law enforcement position (6c). I’ve bought back all 15 years of service, and now I have the opportunity to go back on active duty with the Army (I’ve been in the Reserve) and complete five years for an active-duty retirement. What happens to the buyback time and money when I return to my federal job if I complete the active-duty retirement after I’ve finished the military buyback payments and I have an updated service computation date? What if I finished the federal retirement first with…
Q. I am looking to retire by mid-December when I have reached my minimum retirement age and have 27 years FERS service (first week of November). I have paid the deposit for my three years military time. I thought that would enable me to retire on an immediate annuity (MRA with 30 years) and also qualify for the special retirement supplement. I am concerned by your response from Oct. 12, which indicated that the special retirement supplement is based solely on actual FERS service and does not include active-duty service for which a deposit has been made. Am I missing…
Q. I am about to retire under CSRS, under which I have worked since 1977. I am now receiving a disability pension from the Veterans Affairs Department for a service-connected disability. I was on active duty from 1969 to 1973. In the past, I had received my disability pension from the military. I have been told that my records show that my military time will count toward my CSRS retirement, but I have to pay for my military time. I see that in the Effect of Military Retired Pay section of OPM Form 1515, for my military service to count…
Q. I had bought back my military time (three years) when I was hired at the Postal Service. My hire date was April 15, 1985. My pension shows my service computation date as 1982 as it should, but I am getting conflicting answers on my special supplement. One video I watched says I can’t get creditable service time for those years because I served prior to being hired here. Now I read some of these articles and people are being told that as long as you buy the time back, you should receive credit toward the special retirement supplement. I…
Q. I am paying back more than nine years of active-duty Air Force service and I still owe $6,000. I am considering retiring next month under FERS. Can I continue to make those payments from my annuity check while ensuring I get full credit for my military time? A. No, you cannot. If you haven’t completed the deposit by the time your annuity is finalized, the money you have deposited will be refunded to you.