Q: I was able to retire from federal service under discontinued service retirement and as a Federal Employees Retirement System annuitant. Therefore, I have been receiving the FERS supplement for Social Security. I will be 62 in September 2011. At that time, my FERS supplement ends and I will begin collecting Social Security retirement benefits. I also have severe fibromyalgia and other health problems. Will I be able to apply for Social Security disability? I realize that I would have to make my disability case with Social Security. If I am still eligible to apply for disability, when should I…
Browsing: disability
Q: I am a federal military technician that developed a “condition” while on military orders. The military is retiring me at 30 percent disability due to it occuring while on active-duty orders.OPM is retiring me under a special law provision for federal military technicians that lose their positions because of nonretainability in the military due to a commensurate condition .Will I be eligible to receive military retirement and federal technician special law retirement. I did not buy back my four years of active-duty service. A: You would be classified as having retired on disability from your military technician position. You…
Q: I have a friend who works with the Veterans Affairs Department. Because of his illness (expected to last more than 6 months) he has been provided information regarding his eligibility for FEMA and unpaid sick leave without pay for three months by our Human Resources Department. Is he entitled to any type of disability, or workers’ compensation entitlements from his federal service? Or will he only be able to apply for SSI/SSDI? His illness was not incurred at work. Because of the seriousness of his illness, how long will his position be held for him? Is the VA required…
Q. I started getting a disability pension in 2006, and my understanding was that I also get supplemental Social Security. When I started receiving my check it was for more than $800, and without explanation, it has gone down to $717. A: I have no way of knowing why the amount of your benefit went down. You’ll have to discuss this with a representative at the Social Security Administration. You can do that by visiting your local Social Security office or calling the agency at 800-772-1213. Representatives are available from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Q: I am planning retirement at age 62. My spouse was on disability approved by Social Security before he passed away in 2007. I am on the FERS plan with a Service Comp Date of Feb. 15, 1998. My plan is to retire at age 62, on Sept 2. I have maxed out my Social Security after 25 years of service in the private sector. What is my eligibility status with my spouse’s disability and with my Social Security benefit? I have been told that I will receive my Social Security and my spouse’s disability benefit, which I desperately need,…
Q: I’m confused about the following issue. I have medical conditions for which I am applying for disability under the Federal Employees Retirement System. I’ve already applied under SSI and was denied because I am still working. Will my children receive any money if I am awarded disability under FERS? I’ve been told that if I were awarded dissability under SSI they would all receive checks. I do not understand this. Do I have to apply for FERS? Or can I skip FERS and just apply for disability under SSI? Also, since my application is currently under review under FERS…
Q: I am a 40-year-old Air National Guard disability annuitant who had under five years of federal service at the time my disability/disease occurred (GS-13-Step 4 Special Salary). I am currently employed full-time as a civilian and may reach the 80-percent earnings limitation this year. After reading CFR 5 844.403, it appears that I can never get the annuity back should my earnings decrease below the 80 percent threshold. Any thoughts? A: If you are found to be restored to earning capacity, your disability annuity payments will stop six months from the end of the calendar year in which you…
Q: I retired under an early-out exception due to health reasons in September 2009. I was a Federal Employees Retirement System employee. I also applied for disability and I was just recently approved. I am 56 years old, with 22 years, 7 months of service. I need to know how my disability payment will be computed. I read that if I was eligible for a voluntary immediate retirement, there was no advantage to me getting disability. The only retirement I qualified for was MRA+10. Does this mean I will get benefits based on the 60 percent, and after 12 months,…
Q: I retired from the Army after 24 years, then went to work for the Postal Service for 24 years before I retired from there. After retirement, I put in for disability from the Army, and was awarded 20 percent. They take this 20 percent out of my pay and give me another check for the 20 percent that they took out, which is tax-free. My question is, should I also be getting that 20 percent from my Postal Service retirement check? And what about 20 percent from Social Security? A: No and no. You didn’t retire on disability from…
Q. I had to retire from FERS on disability with 26 years and 9 months at the age of 53. The first year I got around $2,650 monthly from OPM. A year later I did get my Social Security at $1,788 per month and $1,195 monthly from OPM . Could you tell me what I will get at age 62? My average high 3 years were $59,755.00. Minimum retirement age was 56. Could you break this down for me? A. I can’t tell you what the breakdown will be. I can give you the formula used. Here it is. During…