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My husband put aside enough to have me covered for health insurance. That's it. So...he did get a small reduction. I just wanted to know if there is a way to increase my monthly benefit. My husband wasn't even 60 when he passed. He worked at the Post Office for almost 30 years. This is ridiculous in my opinion. My husband was supposed to get about $2000 a month...if not a little more.
I have a feeling you may be right. I just can't believe this. I've been looking to see if there's anyone else that has had this happen to them. I can't find anything. I just can't believe that no one has tried to increase their benefits. I can't be the only one that this has happened to.
you can't , it is like your husband filing for social security at 62 and dying . then you goe back to social security and says wait ,i want the full survivor benefit. not the reduced one.
it would never happen . your husband tried to come out ahead by electing the larger pension and not extending it to you. he was hoping to live long enough to save the difference and come out a head . it is a gamble and he lost.
My husband put aside enough to have me covered for health insurance. That's it. So...he did get a small reduction. I just wanted to know if there is a way to increase my monthly benefit. My husband wasn't even 60 when he passed. He worked at the Post Office for almost 30 years. This is ridiculous in my opinion. My husband was supposed to get about $2000 a month...if not a little more.
Was your husband married and divorced before he married you?
so i am still confused. it sounds like he elected to take the full amount of his pension instead of a reduced amount if he added you. but what confuses me is that you are getting a check.
i just directed messaged a cd member who usually has a better handle on pensions and retirement systems than most of us do and i invited him to join the thread.
he may not know the workings of yours but lets see.
I know I am not the person you are referencing but the following may be helpful and help explain.
Multiply your three-year average by 1.1 percent for each year of service if you worked for 20 years or more and are more than 62 years old. So, if you are 64 years old and worked for 20 years with a three-year high average of $30,000 a year, then your annual pension payment will be 22 percent of $30,000 (20 years x 1.1 percent). This is $6,600 a year.
In the above example from EHow, I have only listed the final step the 50% reduction for spousal would be $3,300 per year. With pension of $60 per month and the $200 for insurance her after tax benefit is $260 per month or $3120 per year after taxes. So the numbers are not that far off and she probably has none deducted etc etc etc.
so i am still confused. it sounds like he elected to take the full amount of his pension instead of a reduced amount if he added you. but what confuses me is that you are getting a check.
i just directed messaged a cd member who usually has a better handle on pensions and retirement systems than most of us do and i invited him to join the thread.
he may not know the workings of ours but lets see.
Unfortunately, there is nothing the OP can do at this time. Under the federal retirement system, the retiree has several options with regard to providing a survivor's benefit. He can leave zero; a full pension, which equates to 55% of his under the old CSRS or 50% under FERS; a "minimal" pension which enables the spouse to keep health insurance benefits; or, a he can designate a specific percentage amount up to the maximum. It appears that the OP's husband chose the minimal amount (or something close). That decision is irrevocable.
Under the older CSRS, the OP would have received written notification that her husband made this choice. If he was under FERS, she would have actually had to agree to the lesser pension and sign off on the form.
When I was conducting federal retirement seminars, I used to counsel employees to provide the maximum survivor's benefit. To do otherwise was penny wise and pound foolish.
question , if you re-marry can you add a spouse if you are already collecting a full benefit?
if you are collecting full benefit say for 10 years and remarry and are able to take a decrease in benefit and add a spouse does she get a further reduced pro-rated benefit?
or can you not add a new wife once you are collecting?
I'm the only wife of my husband. We were married for almost 40 years when he passed. It sounds like this would be a losing battle for me. I wish we discussed this more. We just never expected him to pass away so young.
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