Of course one must file for SSDI (Social Security Disability benefits) when a Federal or Postal employee under FERS (the Federal Employees Retirement Systems, as opposed to CSRS, the Civil Service Retirement System) files for Federal Disability Retirement benefits. If approved by Social Security, there is a 100% offset of benefits in the first year, and a 60% offset of benefits every year thereafter until age 62. The real underlying question for most people, is how aggressively one should, or one wants to, pursue Social Security benefits. This is often determined by what one plans to do after becoming a Federal Disability Retirement annuitant. For, if you plan to work part or full time, and think that you will be earning more than the yearly ceiling allowable under SSDI, which is around $12,000.00 per year, then it is probably not worthwhile to pursue it very aggressively. On the other hand, if you plan on relying exclusively on your disability annuity, it is probably a good idea to pursue it with the intent of obtaining it.
Sincerely,
Robert R. McGill, Esquire
OPM Disability Retirement, Et Cetera… 
schedule award – MMI 3/10/03 – first evaluation ’03
last I heard “case was closed” gave up easily as I had other more severe things I was dealing with – these led to ’06 forced opm disability and 2006 ssd which I was approved for. I thought owcp was closed and it was over with – 6 to 7 years later they send me a letter instructing me to go to a second opinion they had already scheduled for 3/10/09 – 6 years to the day from my documented MMI – went as ordered – expected nothing as before – all a surprise to me – this second opinion raised my disability schedule by a lot – I had no idea. this was 3/10/09 and in Sept 09 I received a large check from them with no explanation. Problem they dated it the date of the second opinion and I was under the impression that a schedule award started from the day you reached MMI – both are 3/10 – MMi 3/10/03 and second opinion was 3/10/09 – by their noting on the check payment 3/10/09 through 8/29/09 they caused an overlap with my ssd – – my ssd was for my spine anyway – the owcp was 7 total years earlier for both wrists – cts – excuse my babbling – high anxiety all the time – even worse now. any advise would be greatly appreciated. If I need a lawyer – I am in the Austin Tx. area. Please excuse me – Very anxious – now have cancer ect. – doing this for wife- I’m a mess but a lucky mess – have a great family – thank you
Is there a way to recover s/s that was (shorted) when I ret. civil servise. All of it was earned befor I ret. from c/s. Seems a little unfair in lite of my militare service of 14 years service.
Paul