Q & A
Should a Wife Work to Get Her Own Social Security?
Full Question: I am 60 years old. I have a 45-year-old wife who has never worked during the 20 years that we have been married. She did work for a while before our marriage, and has 10 Social Security credits. Is…
I am CSRS with 33 years of service at age 52. I am considering a Voluntary Early Retirement Authority offer and understand the annuity is reduced 2 percent for each year under age 55. Is this a one-time annuity reduction at time of retirement, or is the reduction computed every year against the inflation-adjusted annuity?
Answer: It’s a one-time permanent reduction. Source: Reg Jones, FederalTimes.com – February 16, 2014 Notice: The “Read more…” link provided above connects readers to the full text of the posted article. The URL (internet address) for this link is valid on…
I am planning my retirement. Once I retire, do I have to pick up the full amount for my health insurance, or does the government still contribute toward the premium?
Answer: Unless you are a Postal Service retiree, you pay will pay the same premiums you did when you were an employee. When Postal Service employees retire, they lose the subsidy they enjoyed through union negotiations. As a result, they will…
Will the Social Security office recalculate the amount I am getting monthly from Social Security?
Full Question: Will the Social Security office recalculate the amount I am getting monthly from Social Security? I worked 10 years and earned 40 quarters to qualify for Social Security after I retired under CSRS. I feel that I should be getting…
Balancing multiple retirement planning – Military Pension, Disability, and Civil Service
Full Question: I am retired with an active-duty Air Force retirement and a Veterans Affairs Department disability rating of 90 percent. I am also subsequently going to retire from FERS civil service in a few years. Can I collect a VA…
What’s the taxability of Social Security after marriage?
Full Question: I’m a 71-year-old widower and plan on marrying a 70-year-old widow. Her only income is her Social Security. I collect Social Security plus an IRA, from which I take a lump-sum distribution annually of $40,000. I can adjust this…
Can a spouse apply for just spousal benefits?
Full question: I am 60 and collecting $2,400 in Social Security disability. My husband is nine months older than I am and retired. I was the higher wage earner. We estimate his Social Security payments, based on his earnings, to be…
I’m 52, and I’ve been on FERS disability retirement since I was 47. My minimum retirement age is 56. Is it true that they’ll stop withholding federal income taxes on my pension when I reach my MRA? Is it also true that I’ll be switched to regular retirement when I reach my MRA, and not when I reach 62?
Answer: Both are untrue. Federal income taxes will continue to be deducted from your annuity — and you will be responsible for paying federal income taxes — as long as you are a disability retiree. And you won’t be switched to…
Can a person receive Social Security disability and workers’ compensation benefits at the same time?
Answer: Yes, but workers’ compensation and other public disability benefits may reduce Social Security benefits. If you receive workers’ compensation or other public disability benefits and SSA disability benefits for the same period, the total amount of these cannot exceed 80 percent…
I am a stay-at-home father, and my wife is in the Navy. She has been in since 2006 and does not know if she is FERS or CSRS. Is there a way I could check it? We have the Thrift Savings Plan, and they just mention “uniformed services” when I search around.
Answer: If she is in the Navy, she is a member of the armed forces, not a civilian employee of the U.S. government. Therefore, she isn’t covered by either CSRS or FERS. Source: Reg Jones, FederalTimes.com – February 2, 2014 Notice:…