Q. Can Congress take away the Special Retirement Supplement for years we already “earned” the benefit? It seems like they could reduce the benefit going forward, but can they take away past years for something already earned?
A. While the law could be changed to take that benefit away immediately, it’s highly unlikely that it would be done. In the past, benefit adjustments have been prospective, thus preserving the rights of those who have already earned them. However, there have been times when a cutoff date has been set; for example, stating that anyone who has at least X years of coverage as of the effective date won’t be affected; those with fewer will.
