Q. I retired at age 55 in 2005 under the FERS system. I had switched from civil service to FERS back in 1997, so a portion of my postal pension is that FERS supplement until I reach age 62. However, subsequent to my retirement I am 100 percent disabled and receive Social Security Disability. My question now is, when I reach age 62, my FERS supplement will cease and I will not get any increase in my pension, since I am already getting disability. Is this true? Will my postal pension under the civil service portion increase any after reaching age 62? More simply put, when I reach 62, the only result in my monthly income will be a decrease of the FERS supplement and NO other increase, is this true?
A. The Special Retirement Supplement is based on the Social Security benefit you earned while covered by FERS and was designed to bridge the gap between when an employee retires and age 62, when he first becomes eligible for for a regular Social Security benefit. As a Social Security disability retiree, you are already receiving 100 percent of your primary insurance amount (PIA). When you reach age 62, your SRS will stop and your Social Security disability benefit will be converted to a regular Social Security benefit. The amount you receive will still be 100 percent of your PIA, so it can’t be increased, other than by cost-of-living adjustments. Similarly, the amount of your FERS annuity was based on your employment under FERS and can only be increased by COLAs.
