The following is a question submitted by a reader to Federal Times columnist Reg Jones, a charter member of the senior executive service and the resident expert on federal employee retirement issues.
A Fed Times reader asks:
“If I’m drawing a civil service pension and have enough hours to be eligible for Social Security, at full Social Security retirement age, can I draw off my wife’s Social Security retirement check since she draws more than what I will?
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Reg’s reponse:
Unfortunately, you’ll be subject to the government pension offset provision of law.
The GPO will reduce the amount of your Social Security spousal benefit by two thirds of your CSRS annuity.
For example, if you get a monthly CSRS annuity of $1,200, two-thirds of that, or $800, will be used to offset your Social Security spousal benefit.
To learn more about the GPO and how it will affect you, go to sa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10007.pdf
Got a question for the Federal Times retirement expert? Send inquiries to fedexperts@federaltimes.com
Reg Jones, a charter member of the senior executive service, is our resident expert on retirement and the federal government. From 1979 to '95, he served as an assistant director of the Office of Personnel Management handling recruiting and examining, white and blue collar pay, retirement, insurance and other issues. Opinions expressed are his own.
