Q & A
I am a 51-year-old with 32 years of service under CSRS. I am eligible to retire in 2016 when I reach age 55. I have also worked and paid into Social Security for about the same number of years. Am I eligible to receive both Social Security and my civil service retirement pension? I would also like to know how a buyout works. If one is offered before I reach age 55, what is the payout, and will I receive my current benefits such as life and health insurance coverage?
Answer: You would receive both retirement benefits if you have 30 years of substantial earnings under Social Security. If you have fewer than 30 years of substantial earnings, your Social Security benefit would be reduced because of the windfall elimination provision.…
I’m a CSRS Offset employee (58 years old) contemplating retirement in 2½ years with more than 41 years of service (plus over 1,400 hours of sick leave). Eight of the aforementioned years are active military. I plan to buy back those eight military years of service. Will buying those eight years of military service neutralize the reduction I face at age 62? I have also been employed for the past 13 years with a worldwide retailer and plan on continued employment with this retailer until age 62. Is it true that my CSRS service pension would not be affected by Social Security? I’m thinking that I will be able to draw the full CSRS pension (80 percent) and early Social Security payment (age 62) with no other reductions.
Answer: Nothing you can do will exempt you from the reduction in your CSRS annuity at age 62, if you are retired from your government job. That reduction will equal the Social Security benefit you earned while a CSRS Offset employee.…
My husband is a federal civil servant and planning to retire in a couple of years. His insurance carrier is the mail handlers benefit plan, enrolled as family plan. When he retires at age 65½, I understand that Medicaid will take over as his primary health plan. What will happen to the mail handlers benefit plan we’ve been carrying for the past 30 years? Do we have to change it to the supplement B or whatever covers what’s not paid by Medicaid? Or will the mail handlers benefit plan pick up the balance, prescription, etc.?
Answer: When your husband reaches age 65, he’ll be eligible for Medicare Part A, which is free. If he is retired, it will provide primary coverage for those benefits, with his Federal Employees Health Benefits plan being secondary. If he isn’t…
I am 79 years old. I am an annuitant and presently have the federal Blue Cross/Blue Shield plan, along with Medicare parts A and B. I want to drop my Part B coverage. Will I lose my federal BC/BS if I drop Part B?
Answer: No, you won’t. Source: http://blogs.federaltimes.com – November 28, 2013
My husband is retired Postal Service, with Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Medicare Part A. I will be 65 in March but only have 37 credits and do not qualify for Social Security or Medicare, according to my SS statement. I would like to know if I qualify for Part A under my husband’s Medicare benefits and, if so, what will happen to that benefit if he dies before I do? Due to medical issues, I do not plan to work in to get those last three credits.
Answer: Generally, you are eligible for Medicare at age 65 if your spouse worked for at least 10 years in Medicare-covered employment, which he must have because he’s already covered by Part A. To be sure that you qualify, call the…
My husband is a federal civil servant and planning to retire in a couple of years. His insurance carrier is the mail handlers benefit plan, enrolled as family plan. When he retires at age 65½, I understand that Medicaid will take over as his primary health plan. What will happen to the mail handlers benefit plan we’ve been carrying for the past 30 years? Do we have to change it to the supplement B or whatever covers what’s not paid by Medicaid? Or will the mail handlers benefit plan pick up the balance, prescription, etc.?
Answer: When your husband reaches age 65, he’ll be eligible for Medicare Part A, which is free. If he is retired, it will provide primary coverage for those benefits, with his Federal Employees Health Benefits plan being secondary. If he…
I served in the Air Force from 1966 to 1970 and started working for the Defense Department in 1970. My CSRS retirement contributions started at that time, and my service computation date was listed as Dec. 12, 1966. When I retired on Oct. 1, 2011, I had worked for the DoD for 40 years and nine months (44 years and nine months with my Air Force time included). With my four years of Air Force time included, I reached my 41 years and 11 months in November 2008, since I continued to work until October 2011. I thought that my retirement contributions from December 2008 (41 years, 11 months) to Oct. 1, 2011, would be returned to me. I am now being told that that is not the case.
Answer: Only retirement contributions that were taken from your pay after you have completed 41 years and 11 months of actual CSRS service can be returned to you when you retire. Source: http://blogs.federaltimes.com – November 26, 2013
FAQs about hospice, home care answered
With increased attention being focused on ways to decrease health care costs and provide care in the most cost effective ways possible, patients and their families may have many questions about health care and home care in particular. The theme for…
I didn’t change my Medicare prescription drug plan, but now some of my medications are not covered by my 2014 plan — even though they were covered by my plan last year. What can I do?
Answer: There are three steps you can take if your medications are not covered by your 2014 Medicare Part D plan. (1) If your medication is still a part of the Medicare program, you can ask your Medicare prescription drug plan…
I took an early retirement from the Social Security Administration in 2005 as a CSRS employee. In 2009, I returned to work as a full-time CSRS employee and make CSRS retirement contributions. I will be eligible for a redetermined annuity early in 2014, when I will be 56. From 1975 to 1981, I had civilian service, during which I made no CSRS contributions. I paid a deposit for this service when I retired in 2005. Office of Personnel Management regulations indicate that I will need to make another election regarding this when I retire again next year. Will I have to pay this civilian service deposit again when I retire and elect a redetermined annuity? If so (and the difference between a supplemental annuity and a redetermined annuity isn’t too great), I may retire sooner.
Answer: Once you have made a deposit to get credit for nondeductions service, you don’t have to do it again. Since CSRS retirement contributions are being taken from your pay, I have no idea why you would need to make…