Q: I am a dual-status Army Reserve technician about to retire, and my Federal Employees Retirement System workers and I are confused as to whether we can receive both the Social Security supplement and our Army Reserve retirement money without deductions taken from either amount. For example, I will retire at age 56 under FERS, which qualifies me for a Social Security supplement of $1,045 until age 62. I also become eligible for the Army Reserve retirement check for about $1,500 at age 60. So far, no one can tell me whether we will lose part of our our supplement; up until this point, all of our retirees have been under the Civil Service Retirement System.
A: Yes, you may receive both benefits without a reduction in either. That’s because the Social Security earnings limit, which could reduce the amount of the special retirement supplement, is based solely on earnings from wages or self-employment. All other forms of income, including annuities, aren’t counted.
