Q: I medically retired from a dual-status military technician position two years ago. I receive a disability retirement. I have been working part time for a nonprofit civilian company. I have recently been asked to increase my hours to full time. When I out-processed for my disability retirement, I was told that if my salary reached over 80 percent of my salary at the time of discharge (with adjustments over time) I could lose my disability annuity. Does this amount reflect earnings at my job alone, or do I need to bring in less than 80 percent of my former…
Browsing: disability
Q. I retired on disability retirement 10 months before the age of 55 with 32 years of service. I was able to go back to work after a little over a year. I am restricted to 80 percent of my salary. My question is will this restriction be for the rest of my working life? A. OPM will no longer ask you to report your earnings after you reach age 60.
Q. I am a 59-year old GS-9 Step 4 working for the Board of Veterans Appeals in Washington, D.C. I had six years in the Marine Corps from 1971-1977, and have nearly five years as a GS-9 with the BVA. I have bought into the FERS retirement system and am wondering what my retirement would be if I elect to retire with 14 years total government service at 63 years of age. I know that I can also receive Social Security for the rest of my life in addition to my government retirement. I haven’t increased the amount, through my salary, that the federal government is placing…
Q: I retired on full CSRS disability from the U.S. Postal Service in 1991. I am 64 years old. When I turn 65 will I get or apply for regular Social Security retirement, or do I just get the federal disability until I die? A: You would only be eligible for a Social Security disability benefit if you had the required number of Social Security credits and were judged by SSA to be disabled for all gainful employment. If you didn’t meet that last definition and had at least 40 credits under Social Security, you would be eligible for a…
Q: We have a situation where management wants to force an employee on leave without pay because he cannot perform any duties as a result of a stroke. The employee has exhausted all accrued leave, but refuses to request leave without pay because he is two months short of completing 18 months of service so that he can apply for disability retirement. Do you know of any situation when management can force leave without pay upon an employee? We don’t think so, but we want to show the customer in writing. We have recommended that they place the employee on…
Q: My mother started with the U.S. Postal Service in 1974. Due to health issues, she retired on disability (not based on age or years of service) with her annuity commencing in September 1992. Her husband died in March and was receiving Social Security. When she applied for survivor benefits, it took almost three months for the Office of Personnel Managment to get back to Social Security and we were told even at that point they did not provide the information originally requested. Social Security made the decision that the survivor benefits fell under the windfall elimination provision. We are…
Q: I am need to clarify whether disability retirement becomes nontaxable once a person reaches retirement age. I cannot get a clear answer from the Office of Personnel Management or the Internal Revenue Service. I have gone over IRS Publications 721 and 525. My father left the Post Office on disability in 1972. He is now 78 years old, and I am trying to file his tax returns. He is not eligible for Social Security. A: There isn’t a tax break for a federal disability retiree unless he is totally disabled for all gainful employment. The retiree’s age has no…
Q. I am currently a Defense Department employee and also retired Air Force officer enrolled in the Federal Employees Retirement System. I served 21 years active military service. I am making deposits to Defense Finance and Accounting in order to potentially buy back my post 1957 military service time at time of my final retirement. During my military service, I sustained injuries performing hazardous duty (instrumentality of war). As a result, I have a 90 percent VA disability rating and Air Force Combat Related Special Compensation (CRSC) at the 90 percent rate. If I decide to combine my Military Service…
Q: I’m a 45-year-old disabled retiree with 25 years of service. If I am getting $2,800 a month on Social Security disability and $1,695.00 on Federal Employees Retirement System disability after my first year, how much will I get when both are combined? I understand the Office of Personnel Management makes some calculations on this, but I can’t figure them out. Based on the information above, can you give me an estimate total of both after reduction. A: I’ll give you the formulas; then you can do the arithmetic. For the first 12 months on FERS disability retirement, a retiree…
Q: I received a federal disability pension in 1991. I retrained and was able to work until 2004, when the same condition worsened. I applied for Social Security disability benefits and received them beginning in 2008. I just received a notice that the federal civil service disability pension is considered a windfall. A calculation will be made with the windfall rule to reduce my Social Security disability. Is this discrimination against the disabled? Is there a way I can fight or protest this situation? A: Apparently you are subject to the windfall elimination provision, which applies to the Social Security…