The Special Security Supplement can be a tad confusing to understand. One of those reasons is because it has so many names; Bridge to 62, FERS Special Supplement, Special Retirement Supplement, Annuity Special Supplement, and Special Supplement. However, all these...
Federal Employee Benefits
Federal Retirement Financial Planning
It is never too early to start thinking about retirement. Planning is key when it comes to this stage of life. Hiring a financial planner is a decision some federal employees choose to make. If this is something you are considering, make sure you find one who knows...
How FERS Disability Retirement Annuity is Computed
You are eligible for Federal Disability Retirement benefits after you have 18 months of creditable service. You must also meet the requirements laid out by OPM (Office of Personnel Management). Under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), there are four types...
FERS Disability Vs OWCP Payments
In a previous post, we looked at the interaction of FERS disability and SSD. Now we’re going to look at how FERS disability and OWCP (Office of Worker’s Compensation Programs) payments interact. Unlike Federal Disability Retirement, in order to receive OWCP payments,...
What is the Federal Disability Retirement Process?
After determining your eligibility for Federal Disability Retirement comes the process of actually filing for disability benefits. There are many rules and regulations when applying and the process can be long and tedious. Keep in mind the following when submitting...
Am I Eligible for Federal Disability Retirement?
To be eligible for Federal Disability Retirement under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), you only need 18 months of creditable federal service. Aside from that, there are a few criteria you must meet in order to qualify for disability benefits....
Searching for a Disability Retirement Attorney?
Things to Consider When Searching for a Disability Retirement Attorney Applying for Federal Disability Retirement requires a lot of attention to detail; knowing when filing deadlines are, ensuring you have the proper documentation required, and completing all the...
Which Type of Retirement is Right for You?–Deferred Retirement
A deferred retirement is one where you postpone the when you receive your annuity. This may be right for you if you are a former federal worker covered by FERS, and you want to apply for your retirement annuity. In this case, your annuity would begin at least one...
Which Type of Retirement is Right for You?–Voluntary Retirement
There are different retirements under FERS and they each have their own set of qualifications for eligibility. Voluntary retirement is the first type of retirement we will look at. This is generally what you think of when you think about retirement. Voluntary...
Are You Missing Out on Creditable Service?
Creditable service seems pretty straight forward—your years of service with the federal government count towards your retirement. Still, there are several instances where this can become complicated. This post will only focus on creditable service under FERS....
Understanding Survivor Benefits & Federal Disability Retirement
When filling out your federal disability retirement application, you will be required to make critical decisions regarding your life insurance and survivor benefits. Though it may seem like opting into survivor benefits is a necessity, you will find that the survivor...
Federal Workers – Watch Out for Those Benefit Offsets!
At Harris Federal, we have represented federal workers for over a decade. Something we have encountered, of which many federal employees are unaware, is that there are offsets for OWCP workers’ compensation wage loss and schedule award benefits with social security...
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