Q: I read your column faithfully in Fed Times and I have some questions concerning the special retirement supplement I am receiving along with my FERS annuity. I retired under the special 6(c) law enforcement retirement (I had reached the age of 57) on Dec 31, 2009. I just received a 2010 Annuity Supplement Earnings Report from OPM today in the mail. Your May 16th column suggests that I may fall under one of the exceptions. I did begin working again in 2010 for the state police, which does not participate or deduct Social Security. Can you provide some guidance for me? I don’t want to lose the SRS if I don’t have to.
A; The Social Security earnings limit applies to anyone who is under full retirement age and has earnings from wages or self employment that exceed the annual limit. That limit also applies to anyone who is receiving the special retirement supplement. The fact that your current employer does not take Social Security deductions from your pay is irrelevant. The Social Security Administration gets earnings data from the Internal Revenue Service. For more information about the earnings limit, go to www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10069.html.
