Q: My brother died after being approved for, and receiving, a FERS disability. His spouse is 46 and receiving survivor annuity benefits from FERS. Is it fair to assume that if he was granted a FERS disability retirement that he also had applied for disability benefits under Social Security, or OPM would not have approved his FERS disability? Is she also entitled to any Social Security survivors benefits?
A: OPM would not have processed his application for disability retirement unless he had filed for Social Security disability benefits. You’ll have to check with the Social Security Administration to learn what benefits she might be entitled to from them.
