Q. My husband is a government worker under FERS. He filed for Social Security disability and received his first check on Sept. 28 for August 2013. He was told that his FERS disability retirement of $3,114 would be reduced by 100 percent because he is receiving SSD. What does that mean? Would his SSD of $2,092 also be reduced? If he is awarded workers’ compensation, can he elect to receive that and stop the FERS disability and the Social Security disability?
A. What he was told was wrong. For the first 12 months, he will receive 60 percent of his high-3 average salary, minus 100 percent of his Social Security disability benefit. After that 12 months, he will receive 40 percent of his high-3, minus 60 percent of his SSDI.