ok,i got my 70 percent and was told i should retire from my govt position by my civilian shrink. went to personnel and was told i need to payback my service time to ss while i was in military,,,,that's news to me. so i sent off to get my earnings and i earned $18,000 in 5 years total..wow. today i was told that with interest and penalties that i wil owe the govt..guess???? $18,000.
i have already paid 42 quarters through the years and was never told i owed ss any money.
i am retiring on a medical from the govt,why are they making me pay back more money than i earned in my military careeer? anyone know?

jim, why would you need to pay back SS? I'm not understanding this. Were you overpaid? As with any government overpayment you can request a hardship waiver. Who did you work for?

pr

Jim, I dunno, but it sure sounds screwy to me.

they claim that i have to pay a deposit on my wages that i did not pay while in service to be able to count my service time towards retirement.but i'm being medically retired,not regular retirement.

It is optional to buy back your military time. I will only cost you 3% of the $18,000 plus interest since you didn't buy it back in the fist three years you were with the government. The benefit to you would be an increase in your retirement based on the total number of years. THIS IS OPTIONAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think it all depends onthe period of time in which you served in the military.
There is one period that thereis no penalty or offset for the military benefit.

J

[quote name='jbasser' date='Jun 29 2009, 03:04 PM' post='152007']
I think it all depends onthe period of time in which you served in the military.
There is one period that thereis no penalty or offset for the military benefit.

J
[/quot


Are you civil service or FERS?

I agree with Sharon's answer. It only has to do with your Federal Retirement and is optional.

I was disability retired under FERS.
I, within the first three years of employment with the feds, bought back my 6 years of active duty service to be applied to my total years of federal service. Total years of federal employment is one of the factors used to calculate your federal retirement benefit.

I had earned a little over 22,000 and it cost 3% to buy back.

i am on a program called "offset" both fers and csrs.it's very confusing. am trying to get a medical retirement.

i actually am a civil service employee working for the airforce.

The buy back is optional as has already been stated. At this point you will have to sit down with a retirement counsler at the AF base and discuss the benefit to you. It should not be of any immediate benefit as you are applying for a medical retirement and the formula used for medical retirement is a straight percentage of your current salary. It could mean a few dollars more when you hit 60 something (your normal retirement age) and your disability converts to regular FERS retirement.