Ready1, definitely get your 40 quarters. Even if it isn't much money per month, it will be at least the amount to pay your medicare each month and that would be a big help to you when you turn 65. So go out there and get
the remaining quarters for your SS benefits.

thinking about getting out!! was told that if i put in my paperwork now with adate in the future (say sept 2010 )that i can change my retire date any time i want ,say sooner ,or later, botton line on this is if i have my papers in does my wife get my full pension and my full life ins ??

jim-w, sept 2010 might be too far in advance to put in retirement. 90 days prior is the norm. Be sure with the date. If you change it alot, personnel will just mess up the whole process and you will be the loser in the end. Just be firm with your retirement date. As to the answers to insurance and pension, those answers will come when you do the paperwork on retirement.

Jim-W, you are putting too much thought into retirement. Your wife can claim some of your SS if and when you die. Do more thinking about living and prepare for it. Put no thoughts on dieing. You are making life more miserable thinking about what happens if I die first. Also, retiring on Jan. 1 of any year can be better for a person if they are selling alot of annual leave back. Retirement is way better than I thought and you will feel the same. Just do it when you are ready. All else will take care of itself. And the carriers getting little $$ will not do anything to your retirement benefits since what they get now won't factor into your high 3.

O.K. brothers and sisters-
I need help and ASAP
I wanted to go out this April when I turn 62, I would have 19 years in FERS of course.Originally wanted to go to 2011.
I had a neck fusion surgery in 2005. On my way to work the other day, I was re-ended on the freeway, and really messed up my neck. I am out a week, for now.
If I attempt to go back to work, I could injure myself even more. I just don't want to risk it.
I asked for fmla, sick leave, and they want me to use my annual, or LWOP. So they are already posturing to come after me.If I do go back it would be with so many restrictions, I know they would not want to accommodate, and I would be a prime target for NRP.

My knee-jerk reaction is to put the form in for disability retirement, and go out with what I have.

Any sugestions would be greatly appreciated. I am on so many meds. right now it is hard to even think straight.

left the PO in 99 went to ford motor have 10 solid years so far had 23 yrs PO plus 4 yrs navy bought my time long time ago . not 62 yet only 58 1/2 need to find out whats the best way for me to go without getting screwed to much because of double dipping thanks Chuck

Chuck - You should make contact with OM (office of personnel Management) around the time you will become 62 and apply for Retriement Benefits (I'm assuming you are not now receiving).....at the time you will apply for social security benefits....62 or later.....you will be affected by the Windfall Elimation Provision (WEP)...of course you can collect from OPM and also continue to work if you desire...if you leave Ford and then collect SS you will then be affected on your social security only....Check with ssa.gov for more info...

Have any of you retirees recently received a pay statement from OPM showing a change in your tax witholding? I do not recall reading/receiving anything that said our taxes are changeing.

Retiredatlast, mine has changed also. It was about $60 less withholding showed up on my statement. Don't know why it went down but I got back on the site and increase mine back up $30 and will see how all this will effect my filing come next year. I emailed OPM and they had no answer for it, also. They are following IRS instructions, I assume. I, too, did not read/receive anything on this happening. Can't trust our new leaders in D.C. so we are left to take care of ourselves. But it been that way all our lives. Later and retirement is great. Been four years of retirement and it still great even after 4 years.

Chuck, you have to get past the 20 years of putting into SS to start eating away at the windfall tax laws. 20 years or less will basically give you only 40% of what your SS estimates that you receive each year. Anything year over 20 will increase the 40% by about 5% each year. 30 years of full participation will then yield you about 95% SS return.

I wanted all the federal employees to know about the article written by Jimmy Hoffa on the Huffington Post web site. NARFE is not telling us these figures, what the heck is wrong with them? Here are the figures that will affect all of us.

""Here's an example of how it would work for federal workers covered by the Blue Cross/Blue Shield standard plan. Single people in the plan will immediately pay an average of about $1,600 more per year for 10 years. Families will get hit in the third year, paying an average of about $2,000 more per year for 10 years.

By 2022, the Blue Cross/Blue Shield standard family plan will cost $5,500 in taxes per worker. Single people could pay as much as $3,500 per worker.

Middle-class families in private and public sector jobs, union and non-union alike, will be hit hard by this tax on health care benefits. ""

Check Your Withholding

How will the Making Work Pay tax credit affect you?

Most wage earners will benefit immediately — or already have — with a larger paycheck as a result of the changes made to the federal income tax withholding tables to implement the Making Work Pay tax credit. Some people may find that the changes built into the withholding tables result in less tax being withheld than they prefer.

If you're not eligible for the Making Work Pay tax credit, withholding changes could mean a smaller refund next spring. A limited number of people, including those who usually receive very small refunds, could in some situations owe a small amount rather than receiving a refund. Those who should pay particular attention to their withholding include:

Pensioners (see more information under Pensioners, below)
Married couples with two incomes
Individuals with multiple jobs
Dependents
Some Social Security recipients who work
Workers without valid Social Security numbers
The Making Work Pay tax credit, normally a maximum of $400 for working individuals and $800 for working married couples, is reduced by the amount of any Economic Recovery Payment ($250 per eligible recipient of Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, Railroad Retirement or Veteran's benefits) or Special Credit for Certain Government Retirees ($250 per eligible federal or state retiree) that you receive. If you are affected by this reduction, you should review your withholding to ensure that sufficient funds have been withheld to meet your tax obligation.

If you believe your current withholding is not appropriate for your personal situation, you can perform a quick check using the IRS withholding calculator. If you are not familiar with the withholding calculator, watch this IRS how-to video for instructions. When you have determined your correct withholding, make any adjustments by filing a revised Form W-4, Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate, with your employer.

Pensioners

Pensioners do not qualify for the Making Work Pay credit, unless they receive earned income. However, because the February withholding tables also apply to pensioners, the IRS has provided pension plans with an optional adjustment procedure. If you are a pensioner with questions about your withholding, contact your pension plan administrator.

If desired, pensioners can adjust their withholding by filing Form W-4P, Withholding Certificate for Pension or Annuity Payments.

not thinking about it any more ,iam getting outa here,I use to be proud to work for them.not anymore.. picked may 1 st as MY day,thinking about all myA/L they say lump sum.. Iam thinking use one month of it as leave the rest lump.. the extra month would give me 258 per year the rest of life.do they allow this? wata u think redeye? anybody ??

dogbite, use your sick leave and sell back all of your AL. You earned that sick leave so try to take some of it. And good luck on your pending retirement. It been great for me since I retired 01/2006. Life is good!!