Q: I have been approved for Social Security disability and have applied for FERS disability with only 20 months of service. I was just awarded SSD as of April and have not been approved as of yet for FERS. I am aware of the offset from SSD, but my question is, if I received $1,485 from SSD and my FERS is $1,277 gross the first year, then doesn’t this mean I am not going to receive anything monthly from FERS because of the offset? Why did I even bother, and now since I became disabled in October 2009 and permanently approved for SSD in April 2010, do I have to pay someone back for something I have not, or won’t, even received yet?
A: If you are approved for FERS disability retirement, during the first year you will receive 60 percent of your average salary minus 100 percent of your Social Security disability benefit. After that you will receive 40 percent of your average salary minus 60 percent of your Social Security benefit. This formula will only be applied after you qualify for disability retirement under FERS. Any Social Security disability benefits you received before that will not be affected.
