Q: I retired with both CSRS and FERS components during my federal tenure. How is my COLA calculated? Is it calculated based on both respectively or is it based solely on the latter FERS component? A: Each component will have its own COLA computed using the appropriate formula.
Browsing: CSRS
Q. I am a 66-year-old female who retired in January 2007, with more than 30 years Civil Service Retirement System service. I am thinking of withdrawing my Thrift Savings Plan savings. I understand that I will not be penalized the 10 percent, and I would have to pay the mandatory 20 percent if I decide to withdraw. Does the 20 percent also apply at age 70½? Does this also apply to partial withdrawals, and do you have to pay back if you do a partial? Is the amount taxed by the Internal Revenue Service on your entire TSP earnings? What percentage…
Q. I am going to retire under the Civil Service Retirement System. I will be 58 when I retire. Will I be able to withdraw my Thrift Savings Plan upon retirement without any penalty? I will be 59 one month after I retire. A. Yes.
Q. I am under Civil Service Retirement System Offset. When I took the break in service, I withdrew my CSRS funds (about $50,000; probably $60,000 or more by now). That was in 1998, so I will have to redeposit if I want it to count toward my retirement. I will be 58 next month and am considering retiring in 2013. I have been putting $600 in my Thrift Savings Plan account every payday. I can withdraw money at 59½ and not pay penalties, but it seems like I will be double-taxed. When I withdraw the money from my TSP to pay…
Q: I have five years of military service that I am considering applying to my federal retirement years. I have waited way to long to do this and am hoping I could use my Thrift Savings Plan monies to pay for the military service, similar to rolling over an individual retirement account. Is this possible? A: A rollover to the Federal Employees Retirement System or the Civil Service Retirement System for service is not allowed.
Q: According to two articles in the Federal Times, the U.S. Treasury is now borrowing tens of billions of dollars from the CSRS and TSP to cover government obligations until the debt ceiling is raised. The article indicated that retirees would have nothing to worry about If the debt ceiling is raised. I’m planning to retire at the end of this month. After reading these two articles, I am concerned that if the debt ceiling is not raised (and according to many political pundits, this may be a real possibility given the political climate in Washington), there would be no…
Q: I am interested in contacting a financial planner/consultant to help me answer some CSRS questions (gross annuity and former spouse survivor benefits calculations) pertaining to a court order. Do you know where I can obtain this service? A: Try visiting www.variplan.com.
Q: It seems to me that the CSRS voluntary contributions program is the undiscovered gem of the CSRS system. I have already heard that the VC program can be used as a way to beef up a Roth IRA. However, I think that in my case (age 67), retirement and use of the VC account for its intended purpose — to purchase additional annuity — is a very good deal, which according to my calculations would yield 8.46 percent for life (which includes a 10 percent reduction for my spouse survivor’s annuity, who is 65). Compare that rate to a…
Q: I am looking at retirement in about 18 months. I am in CSRS offset. I’ll have 31.5 years total service and about 1,500 unused hours of sick leave. I left the government for about 10 years from June 1982 to February 1991 and took my retirement out. I owe about $25,000, but not real sure. I can repay it out of IRA and 401(k) accounts, I just don’t want to pay taxes on the withdrawals, since I cannot roll the IRA from the original withdrawal back into the CSRS retirement. Any thoughts? A: Rules are rules. To the extent…
Q: If I retire May 1 at age 55 under the Civil Service Retirement System with 34 years of service, can I leave my $60,000 in the Thrift Savings Plan for a year or two and then, after seeing how life as a retiree goes, start up periodic payments? Or do I have to decide what to do with my TSP account right away? A: You can delay the decision for as long as you like. You won’t have to start taking withdrawals until you reach age 70 1/2.