Q. I am 58 and will be retiring soon under a VERA with the Postal Service. I have back, foot and knee ailments that have been diagnosed and that give me constant pain. If I take a VERA with the special retirement supplement before age 62 but am unable to find or perform work after retirement, could I apply for Social Security Disability Insurance instead of regular Social Security? I have 27-plus years of service.
A. You could apply for SSDI. However, whether you would be approved for it would be up to the Social Security Administration. You can learn more about the program and criteria by going to www.socialsecurity.gov/disability.
