Evening star., 1945-09-28
BY IRVING LADIMER and
ROBERT 7. MYERS,

Questions and comment followed
close after publication of the six
original articles in this series. All
letters requiring answer received the
personal consideration of the au-
thors, who were pleased to be con-
suited and will be glad to continue
this service. Inquiries should be
addressed to The Star for the at
tention of this column.
Paradoxically, many inquiries of a
general nature were marked conf
dental or personal and were ham
died accordingly This approach
confirmed the belief that Govern
ment employees are unwilling or un-
able to discuss openly with super
visors the subject of rights under
their own Retirement Act.
If this series has aired the prob
lems-whether or not it has pro-
vided all the ansWers-it will have
accomplished its purpose. The re-
tirement system is public, informa-
ton about its operation is free, and
the benefits it accords come as a
matter of right. Take full ad-
vantage of this Government pro-
gram.
This final pair of articles under
takes to answer, in general terms,
the questions of widest interest and
significance Most queries were
concerned with the difficult prob
lens of refund and redeposits and
purchase of service credits.
Redeposit of Funds.
A number of letters questioned the
desirability and necessity of return
ing refunds previously received
which had not been redeposited
upon return to Government service
If the redeposit is made, you get
credit for the period of employment
which the refund represented:
otherwise you do not. If you had
less than five years service and drew
your refund after January "a, 1912,
you must redeposit it in order to get
any benefit. Redeposits are highly
recommended for all persons except
those who, at the anticipated retire
ment date, will have 35 or more years
of service, irrespective of the period
covered by the refund. The eXcep-
ton applies also to persons who have
more than 80 years and whose earn
ings average under $4,000 per year.
1t should be noted that service rem
dered before August, 1920, is auto
matically credited, whether or not a
refund for service after that date is
repaid.
To illustrate the above points
consider an individual who was in
Government civil service employ
ment from August, 1905, to August
1925, and received a refund of $500
covering service from August, 1920
through August, 1929. and who re-
turned to service in January, 1886
If he planned to retire in January
1916, it would be most profitable to
redeposit for the five years Q920-25)
since he would then have credit for
80 years rather than only 25 years
and would qualify for options not
otherwise available.
BY paying back the $500 plus 4
per cent compound interest from
date of return to service Uanuary
1886, the annuitant would get a
benefit increased not only by this
additional amount in the individual
account but also by the Government
share based on this extra service;
moreover, by having 80 years of serv-
ice he could retire at go instead of 81
if he chose
On the other hand, if this en-
ploye were to wait until January
1856, to retire and so complete 3;
years of service without counting
the period 192O25, he would no
find it worthwhile to make the re
deposit since the annuity might no
be increased one cent thereby.
Those for whom redeposit ha
been advised in the preceding para