Q: After 25 years’ service, I retired from a USG agency in February 2008, accepting an early retirement offer which included a Voluntary Severance Incentive Payment of $25,000. (After withholding tax was deducted from this VSIP, I actually only received just more than $16,000.) I was told that, for five years, post-retirement, I was barred from working for the federal government, unless an agency obtained a waiver to employ me directly or unless I repaid the VSIP. Otherwise, I would have to work for and as a contractor. My situation raises a few related questions: 1. If I wanted to…
Browsing: Early retirement
Q: I have 30 years of federal service and am under the Civil Service Retirement System. Next week, I will be 52 years old. I was thinking about retiring before age 55, and I know about the 2 percent reduction in monthly retirement benefits for every year under age 55. When I contacted the Office of Personnel Management about an early retirement, the answer was that I had to wait until age 55 to retire unless my agency offered an early out or buyout. Maybe I’m not using the correct terminology. Is there any way for me to “retire” before…
Q: I am a federal firefighter (GS-081) facing an involuntary early retirement. I am 48 and have 27 years of service. My Agency is offering severance packages to those folks who can’t retire early. Do I have the right to accept a severance package? And if so, how will it affect my involuntary early retirement? A: If you were eligible for a reduced annuity under a voluntary retirement authority, you wouldn’t be entitled to receive severance pay.
Q: I am a federal firefighter (GS-081 series) covered by the Civil Service Retirement System. I work for the National Park Service. My department is being abolished this year, with a local city department taking responsibility of fire supression. RIF notices are coming out next month. I am under CSRS retirement. I have 27.5 years in, I am 48.5 years old. I can retire at age 50. The Park Service has said that they can’t place me anywhere else because they have no GS-081 positions anywhere. They want to give me an early retirement. Will I face any penalties for…
Q. I have a curiosity question. If I retire at my minimum retirement age of 56 with 27 years of service, how does the 5 percent penalty reduction work? It is a little confusing as to how it is worded. Lets say that my annuity is $15,000; does that mean each year I would get $14,250 instead? Will it be 5 percent for each year until I reach age 62, then no penalty? And would I be eligible for the supplemental income? A. The 5 percent penalty for every year you are under age 62 is a one-time permanent reduction.…
Q. I have often thought about leaving the federal government, but I don’t want to leave the possibility of an early retirement on the table. I was hired by the federal government in May 1999 and I bought my prior military service (eight years of active duty). My minimum retirement age is 56 and my service computation date is in January 1991. By January 2011, I will have 20 years of federal employment and will be about two years shy of my 50th birthday. In prior years, the agency that I work for has offered OPM-sanctioned voluntary early retirements (VERA).…
Q. I am currently 54 years old under FERS and considering early retirement in the next 3 – 4 years. I am also retired from the military and bought my service time. I currently do not carry any Federal Health Care Benefit; I use my military benefit. Once I retire from federal civilian service my retirement pay from the military will stop; does this have any effect on my military health benefits? A. It’s my understanding that waiving your military retired pay will not affect any other military benefits to which you are entitled; however, to be sure, you’d need to…
Q: I plan to retire at 60 years old with FERS. If I take the lump sum, will my health insurance still be valid and will the agency still pay its portion? Please give all scenarios (even the bad ones). A: I assume by “lump sum,” you mean accepting a Voluntary Separation Incentives Payment. If I’m right about that, you are eligible to retire, and you have been continuously enrolled in the Federal Employees Health Benefits program for the five years before you retire, you will be able to continue that coverage in retirement. If you are an employee of…
Q: I am a federal law enforcement officer covered by FERS with more than 20 years of service under FERS, but I have not reached the minimum retirement age of 50. Due to plans to transfer me, I must either separate myself from my family, find another job or retire early. My question concerns the viability of the early retirement option. If I retire at 47 with more than 20 years as a federal LEO, what happens? Do my benefits get deferred and, if so, to when? Is there also a financial penalty and, if so, how much? A: You…
Q: I’m thinking of retiring and wondering if there is anything that precludes an individual from retiring one day and coming back to work as a federal employee the next? A: Not that I’m aware of. However, there are some things you need to keep in mind. If you were to take early retirement, when you returned to work your annuity would be canceled and you would be treated as any regular employee with the same age and service. And you wouldn’t be eligible to retire again until you met the age and service requirements. On the other hand, if…