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U.S. Office of Personnel Management

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Retirement FAQs Pre-Retirement

General

Before I retired, my agency changed my retirement plan to FERS to correct an error. If I choose CSRS Offset, do I have to pay back the money my agency put in my Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) account? View more

When your agency corrected your retirement coverage to FERS, it also should have contributed make-up agency contributions and lost earnings on those contributions to your TSP account. If you now choose CSRS Offset, no adjustments will be made to your TSP account. Instead, OPM will find out how much of your TSP account is based on what your agency contributed (this includes the earnings on those contributions). That dollar amount will form the basis for an actuarial reduction in your CSRS Offset retirement benefit.
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Once KPMG receives my file/Official Personnel File (OPF) for review, how long does it take, on average, to review a case? View more

Once the review process begins, it takes about 6 weeks (on average) for a decision on the individual's eligibility and for the required quality control reviews.
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I worked for a number of years during which I should have been paying into Social Security, but I only paid into CSRS. Can I get any Social Security credit for that work? And, if so, how much will it cost me? View more

You will get Social Security credit for all that work, and it won't cost you anything. Your agency will send the Social Security Administration a record of your earnings during all the years you should have had Social Security coverage. All of the CSRS contributions you made during those years that are not needed to cover your retirement costs will be transferred to Social Security. This transfer will pay all the Social Security taxes you owe.
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If I leave the Government, can I still get lost earnings on make-up contributions I made when my agency fixed the retirement error and put me in FERS? View more

Yes. You can get lost earnings on the make-up contributions you already made to your TSP account, if you decide to stay in FERS. You cannot get lost earnings if you choose CSRS Offset coverage over FERS.
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Where can I get more information about the Thrift Savings Plan? View more

You can get more information about TSP by visiting www.tsp.gov.
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I belonged in FERS. My agency discovered the mistake and corrected my records. I withdrew my TSP contributions. Can I now make an election under FERCCA? View more
It depends on when you withdrew your TSP contributions and the kind of withdrawal you made. You can make an election under FERCCA if you:
- Separated from Government service after your agency corrected your records—but you did not retire—and the TSP automatically paid your account balance to you because it was $3,500 or less;
- Retired and withdrew your TSP contributions; or
- Received a financial hardship in-service withdrawal, or a TSP loan.
You cannot make an election under FERCCA if you:
- Separated from Government service after your agency corrected your records—but you did not retire—and you withdrew your TSP contributions. This does not include the TSP automatic payment described above; or
- Received an age-based in-service withdrawal from your TSP account while employed.
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I am a retiree registered in the FERCCA Database and recently received a letter from OPM informing me that I am ineligible for relief under FERCCA. The letter also included a form that I could fill out and send to the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) to appeal the decision. What is the MSPB and what does it have to do with FERCCA? View more

I am a retiree registered in the FERCCA Database and recently received a letter from OPM informing me that I am ineligible for relief under FERCCA. The letter also included a form that I could fill out and send to the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) to appeal the decision. What is the MSPB and what does it have to do with FERCCA? The MSPB is an independent quasi-judicial agency in the Executive Branch that serves as the guardian of Federal Merit Systems. Since it began operations in January 1979, its mission has been to ensure that Federal employees are protected against abuses by agency management; that Executive Branch agencies make employment decisions in accordance with Merit System principles; and that Federal Merit Systems are kept free of prohibited personnel practices. The MSPB accomplishes its mission in a variety of ways, but mainly it functions as a court and adjudicates Federal employee appeals of agency personnel actions. Consequently, the MSPB is the authority that will hear appeals on eligibility verification arising out of cases of erroneous retirement coverage.
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Where can I get more information about Social Security benefits? View more

You can find more information about Social Security benefits at www.ssa.gov.
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I'm in the wrong retirement plan. My agency hasn't corrected my records. Is there anything that my agency should be doing now to correct the error? View more

Your agency shouldn't do anything if your error lasted for at least 3 years of Federal service. We have asked agencies to stop processing those retirement coverage corrections until we can work out the details necessary to implement FERCCA. Please be assured that any delay in correcting your records will not adversely affect you.
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Is the Windfall Elimination Provision the same as Government Pension Offset? View more

No. The Social Security Law also includes a provision -- the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) -- that reduces Social Security benefits for individuals who have less than 30 years of "substantial earnings" under Social Security and who have earned a retirement benefit from employment not covered by Social Security; for example, CSRS service. The WEP was designed to eliminate the "windfall" that could result if you were to receive a CSRS annuity based on many years of employment not covered by Social Security and also receive a full Social Security benefit because you had a few years of employment covered under Social Security. The WEP, however, never totally eliminates the Social Security benefit you have earned. For example, in 2001, the maximum amount the WEP can decrease a Social Security benefit is $280.50 per month. For more information, see SSA's The Windfall Elimination Provision at http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10045.html.
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What about errors in Social Security coverage? Does FERCCA give me a choice about Social Security? View more

You may not have a choice about Social Security coverage. If you should have had Social Security coverage during your Federal employment, then you must have Social Security coverage in addition to your Federal retirement coverage. FERCCA does not allow you to choose a retirement plan without Social Security coverage. If you were incorrectly put in CSRS when you should have been put in CSRS Offset, your retirement coverage must be corrected to CSRS Offset. Likewise, if you were incorrectly put in CSRS Offset when you should have been put in CSRS, your retirement coverage must be corrected to CSRS because you are not eligible for Social Security coverage during your Federal employment. You cannot choose to keep your Social Security coverage. However, Social Security will give you credit for all but the last 3 years before your record was corrected. See the question I should have been CSRS. Instead, I paid into Social Security. What happens to the Social Security taxes I paid when my agency corrects my retirement coverage to CSRS? for more information. If you were erroneously put in FERS and should have been put in CSRS, then you will have a chance to choose whether you want to keep FERS (and Social Security) coverage.
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How is OPM going to implement FERCCA? View more
We at OPM have set up a plan to help everyone who is entitled to relief by FERCCA. The plan includes:
- Identifying individuals and adding their names to the FERCCA File Database (See the question What is the FERCCA File Database?);
- Gathering information on those individuals from personnel and payroll records and other sources;
- Verifying options under FERCCA; and
- Helping individuals who have a choice of retirement plans make informed decisions
Our goal is to ensure that everyone receives the same high level of customer service. If you have a choice of retirement plans under FERCCA, you'll receive an in-depth comparison of your benefits under each option. The comparison will include how much you can expect to receive under each retirement plan, including Social Security and Thrift Savings Plan benefits. We will provide you with an opportunity for one-on-one personal assistance to help you weigh your options. This individual assistance will be available to anyone who has a choice of retirement plans under FERCCA. We are working with agencies to implement this high level of service as quickly as possible. Agencies are busy identifying eligible individuals. We have also started the second step, collecting personnel and payroll records.
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What are the time limits for making a FERCCA election? View more

All individuals who are registered in the FERCCA Database before September 19, 2002, will not be adversely affected by the time limits for making an election. In general, if your qualifying retirement coverage error was previously corrected, the time limit for making an election expires on September 19, 2002. However, your employing agency or OPM (for separated employees, retirees, and survivors) can waive the time limit if it's determined that you exercised due diligence, but could not make an election within the time limit because of circumstances beyond your control. OPM will issue instructions to agencies stating that anyone registered in the FERCCA Database before September 19, 2002, will be considered to have exercised due diligence and should be granted a waiver of the time limit. If your qualifying retirement coverage error was not previously corrected, you will have 6 months to make an election from the date you receive notice of the error and a statement of your election options.
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I received a letter from OPM stating that there is no error in my retirement coverage and I have 30 days to file an appeal with the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), if I choose to do so. Is that 30 calendar days or 30 working days? View more

You must file the appeal with the MSPB within 30 calendar days after the date you receive the decision letter.
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My retirement coverage error was corrected before FERCCA became law. I had to pay for things that are now covered under FERCCA. Is there any way I can recover the money I paid? View more

FERCCA allows OPM to compensate individuals for certain expenses and losses related to correction of a retirement coverage error. OPM will issue detailed guidance regarding the specific types of expenses and losses that will be compensated. You will receive our guidance as soon as it is available if you are registered on the FERCCA File Database.
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