By Reg Jones
FERS annuity calculation
June 17th, 2013 | Deferred retirement FERS annuity computation High-3 Military service deposits Postal Service RETIREMENT
Q. I served a combined 10 years between military and civil service. I also paid the lump sum for my military time when I worked for the post office. How do I figure out my pension, and how do I go about getting it since I no longer work for the government?
CSRS deposit
June 17th, 2013 | annuity reduction Creditable service: CSRS CSRS annuity computation part-time PAY Postal Service RETIREMENT
Q. I am a Postal Service CSRS employee with 41 years and 11 months of service. I will retire soon, never switched to FERS. The first two years were a part time job called “Postal Assistant,” requiring me to be a college student. The job allowed me to work a 16-hour week (Saturday and Sunday). My paychecks indicated an hourly wage rather than salary.
A recent USPS computer-generated annuity estimate indicates those years as creditable but unfunded service. I have never made a deposit toward that time. The annuity estimate provided does not account for an annuity reduction due to unfunded service.
My question is how to calculate the amount required for deposit. Everywhere I have searched says 7 percent of basic salary per year, plus 3 percent interest, compounded yearly. How would I calculate the basic amount I owe (excluding interest)?
Would it be based on actual hours worked, or what I would have earned if it were a full-time job?
This will help me decide whether I want to make the deposit, or just take the reduced annuity.
Re-employment and salary offer
June 17th, 2013 | EMPLOYMENT Hiring and placement PAY Re-employment Step increases
Q. I resigned from federal employment as a civilian in the Air Force after 18 months in March 2012. I have reapplied and been offered a position at same base. The position is a grade higher than the one I had when I left. I was a GS-11, Step 8. The new position is a GS-12. What should the salary offer be for that position? From what I have been told by several other sources, the offer being made is incorrect for my situation (offering a GS-12, Step 2). I have been told the salary should be calculated by moving two steps right and up from my previous GS-11, Step 8 — which would make the new salary a GS-12, Step 4. Which is the correct calculation?
Rehired annuitant
June 15th, 2013 | annuity reduction EMPLOYMENT PAY Re-employment RETIREMENT
Q. If I am currently collecting a CSRS retirement annuity, can I return to federal workforce? If yes, when and what implications would it have on the annuity being received?
Partial retirement
June 15th, 2013 | EMPLOYMENT part-time RETIREMENT
Q. I thought Congress passed a bill last year that allowed federal employees, who were close to retirement, to continue working for their agencies on a part-time basis. I thought each agency was supposed to come up with a plan tailored to its own employees. I work for the Department of Labor and have yet to see such a plan. I’m eligible for retirement now but would not mind working part time for a couple more years. I’ve talked to management and to the union, but no one seems to know what is happening with the part-time initiative. Do you have any information?
FERS retirement age and special retirement supplement
June 14th, 2013 | annuity reduction Creditable service: FERS Early retirement FERS annuity computation Minimum retirement age MRA + 10 PAY Postal Service RETIREMENT Special retirement supplement
Q. You responded to a recent question regarding someone retiring from the Senate at age 50 with 21 years of service. He asked if he would be eligible for the special retirement supplement at age 56. You responded by saying yes if he was FERS. If I work for the Postal Service and have almost 28 years, am 58 years of age, and am under FERS, would I be eligible for the supplement if I retired?
Military buyback and VA retirement
June 14th, 2013 | Military service deposits Postal Service RETIREMENT
Q. I am a 49-year-old Postal Service employee. I also am retired from the Air Force. I have five years of active-duty military time. I receive Veterans Affairs Department retirement. If I buy back my five years of military time for the Postal Service, will that affect my VA check?
LWOP vs. part time
June 13th, 2013 | EMPLOYMENT LEAVE Leave without pay part-time
Q. Is there any regulation prohibiting the use or approval of intermittent leave without pay of greater than 16 hours per pay period on a continuing basis for a full-time federal employee in lieu of converting to part time?
Retirement eligibility
June 10th, 2013 | Creditable service: CSRS Eligibility Minimum retirement age Postal Service RETIREMENT
Q. I am a Postal Service employee. I started Dec. 24, 1983, and will be 53 years old on Sept. 10. I am in CSRS and would like to know if I can retire in December with 30 years of service? If so, would I be able to receive my retirement right away or have to wait until I turn 55?
VSIP and re-employment
June 10th, 2013 | EMPLOYMENT part-time Re-employment VSIP
Q. I have recently retired under the Voluntary Separation Incentive Pay program. I know that if I accept a job with a government agency, direct supporting, or a personal services contractor, Obama wants his money back. Can you please tell me how I can find out if the company that wants me to work for them (no benefits, part time) fits into either one of these categories? This company is not on a government installation, but it does supply the government with its products. I would be working for a company that is contracted to this company for security.
Deferred retirement form
June 9th, 2013 | Deferred retirement Postal Service RETIREMENT
Q. In 2000, I did a deferred retirement from the Postal Service after 20 years of service under FERS. Now that I am 60, I would like to apply for my pension, but I am having difficulty finding the appropriate form to initiate this. Does anyone know which form I should use, or the contact number of someone who can assist me with this?
Retirement eligibility
June 9th, 2013 | Deferred retirement Eligibility Postal Service RETIREMENT
Q. I worked for the Postal Service for 15 years but then left. Do I qualify for any retirement?
Cancellation of retirement
June 9th, 2013 | Postal Service RETIREMENT
Q. A question was asked about whether an employee can cancel his FERS retirement. The response was yes. Where can I find that written regulation for a postal employee?
Suspending FEHB
June 9th, 2013 | FEHBP HEALTH INSURANCE Military service deposits Open season Postal Service
Q. I am recently retired from the reserves, and I am now on Tricare. I have Mail Handlers insurance, but I do not and cannot afford them both. Can I drop Federal Employees Health Benefits before open season? I saw in the questions about a suspension form, but it did not specify whether you only could do this at open season or not.
Donated leave
June 9th, 2013 | Annual leave LEAVE Postal Service
Q. Can a Postal Service employee donate annual leave to a federal employee?
Re-employment after retiring
June 8th, 2013 | PAY Postal Service Re-employment RETIREMENT
Q. Where do I find about rehiring with the Postal Service after having already retired from there? Is it even legal to rehire as, let’s say, a casual carrier?
Retirement eligibility
June 7th, 2013 | Creditable service: CSRS Creditable service: FERS Eligibility Military service deposits Minimum retirement age Postal Service RETIREMENT
Q. I have 29 creditable years (including active duty) in the North Carolina National Guard. Of that time, I have 13+ years of active-duty time. I am 47 years old. If I make a deposit have the active-duty time applied to 18½ years of Postal Service, would I be able to retire from the USPS and receive my retirement right away without any penalty? Also, would I still receive my full 29 years of creditable military service as a retirement when I reach age 60, or will buying my active-duty time and applying it to USPS mess this up?
Special retirement supplement
June 7th, 2013 | Early retirement FERS annuity computation Minimum retirement age Postal Service RETIREMENT SOCIAL SECURITY Special retirement supplement
Q. I am a Postal Service letter carrier under FERS retirement. I would like to retire Oct. 1 (early retirement). I will be 59 with 27 years of service. Will I qualify for the supplemental annuity at 60? And how can I calculate that annuity?
Self-only to self and family
June 6th, 2013 | Coverage after retirement FEHBP HEALTH INSURANCE law enforcement Open season
Q. I am a civilian covered under a FERS law enforcement retirement. If I switch from self-only to self and family within five years of retirement, will my family maintain Federal Employees Health Benefits coverage? Also, can I change from a self-only to a self-and-family policy after retirement?
FERS and NAF
June 6th, 2013 | annuity reduction Coverage after retirement FEHBP FERS annuity computation Medicare MRA + 10 Re-employment spouse benefits VERA VSIP
Q. Overview: I began in the Air Force Non-Appropriated Fund in 1996, enrolled in NAF retirement plan in 2000, ported to GS in 2005 with deferral of my NAF retirement (calculated at 5.27 yrs) and entered FERS. My current GS position will be abolished in 2014 (at nine years FERS). I have the potential of porting into a NAF position. I wish I had just retained NAF retirement, but lack of research and misguided human resources recommendations led me to where I am with a split retirement outlook.
Given my FERS time will total only nine years at abolishment, if I move to NAF:
* Will I have the option of re-entering the NAF retirement system, or am I required to remain in FERS?
* If I can switch back to NAF retirement, will I have to wait until 62 to draw any FERS retirement since I only achieved nine years, versus reaching MRA+10?
* Will I be able to retain Thrift Savings Plan in nonactive status (until draws begin at 59½) and begin contributing into the NAF 401(k), or will I have to roll TSP into 401(k)?
* Are there any conflicts with drawing two annuities at retirement (both APF and NAF)?
* Does AF NAF retirement pay the full amount of the retirement calculation (less 4 percent for each year before age 62) until I reach age 62? And is the only reduction at 62 the annuity reduction calculated at 2.5 percent of Social Security (x) # of NAF years?
* At age 65, do the health benefits automatically roll to supplementary when Medicare starts?
* What is the current cost for full family coverage and also the current cost for just the supplementary insurance?
* If, at 65, full coverage reduces to supplementary and my spouse is not yet 65 years old, can I elect to continue full coverage?
* If the NAF position is abolished via business-based action (after 2016) is there the possibility of being offered a Voluntary Early Retirement Authority/Voluntary Separation Incentive Pay retirement based on my service computation date providing 20 years of combined continuous service without a break since 1996?