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Social Security disability

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harrysday

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Hey all I am 47 y/o 100%tp and I get a disability pension from my local civil service firefighter job that I worked at for 20 years and during that time I worked a side job that I paid into social security would I qualify for benefits of ssdi thanks for the help in this adventure

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THANKS GUYS IAM GOING IT ALONE IM A FIGHTER ILL GET SOME OF MONEY BACK BUT THE REST WILL HELP FUND THE PEOPLE COMING OVER THE BORDER......  

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Only you can decide what is best for you bud. I get SSDI along with my 100% VA P&T, and I am only 34. I get where you are coming from and as Vets we Deserve every Dollar and Benefit that we worked hard for. Problem is with some Retirements or Pensions they start to work against each other. The Govt likes to refer to it as (Double Dipping). Just sit down read the Regs and do the math. If it is worth it for you, then go apply Online or at local SSA office on your own. My brother used a lawyer and it took him almost over 2 years to get SSDI. I filed on my own online, and was approve in less then 8 wks which is unheard of in Texas. Good luck and keep us posted. God Bless

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The only time I'm aware the windfall provision comes into play is if you contribute to a retirement system in lieu (or instead of) contributing to Social Security.  This occurs when working for certain State Governments and the Federal Govt pre FERS (or CSRS employees).  I don't remember the reduction percentages being quite that high though.

 

Please take a look at this document https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10045.pdf 

it does a good job explaining how the windfall provision works.  FYI, there are different multipliers used in calculating your SS benefit.  The first calculator is 90% of a certain base.  The windfall reduces the percentage but it doesn't appear to me that it reduces it to the degree you were told.  

https://www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/wep-chart.html

States the following " *Important: The maximum amount may be overstated. The WEP reduction is limited to one-half of your pension from non-covered employment."

Edited by green
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56 minutes ago, green said:

The only time I'm aware the windfall provision comes into play is if you contribute to a retirement system in lieu (or instead of) contributing to Social Security.  This occurs when working for certain State Governments and the Federal Govt pre FERS (or CSRS employees).  I don't remember the reduction percentages being quite that high though.

 

Please take a look at this document https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10045.pdf 

it does a good job explaining how the windfall provision works.  FYI, there are different multipliers used in calculating your SS benefit.  The first calculator is 90% of a certain base.  The windfall reduces the percentage but it doesn't appear to me that it reduces it to the degree you were told.  

https://www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/wep-chart.html

States the following " *Important: The maximum amount may be overstated. The WEP reduction is limited to one-half of your pension from non-covered employment."

Those under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) pay into Social Security. Social Security makes up about a quarter to third of the federal employees retirement.  That's of course, it's still available when you reach retirement.

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I am kind of in the same boat.  I'm only 41 and I retired medically from my FERS DOD job.  There are some catches and pitfalls between the OPM side and SS side.  Your VA benefits can't be used against you in a sense.  I know depending on the order of approval it gets really confusing.  

Personally I am in agreement.  A person should be able to double dip.  Everyone who was employed by military, government, or civilian system pays in.  On the military side and on SS side.  If you put in to both, then why cant you received both benefits, you worked for the benefits, so they are your benefits.  If you have enough work credits then there shouldn't be any issues and whether you are receiving other benefits from other government entities is irrelevant.  

I received 90% TD IU back to last August of 2015.  That is the month that I stopped working and was approved for federal retirement.  I applied for SSD because it was required as part of the process to retire under OPM/FERS.  

From what I have read and understand your FERS retirement is reduced by 100% of any SS benefits you received during the first year, after the first year only 60% of your FERS is reduced if receiving and you get approved for SSD.  It is a booger any which way you go about explaining this process and a booger and a half to get through all the red tape. Some have made it through the process the first and second go.  Myself this is the fourth time denied by SSD.  Although the VA and FERS concurs with my status SSD does not.  Different laws and different regulations make the process extremely difficult to say the least.

 

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ARNG11:

Also, I pulled up the Social Security  Windfall Provisions Law on the SS  website that was given and it says clearly that it "does not"  affect those employees under the Government FERS Retirement System because they did pay into Social Security Fund from the start. I do know there are some special provisions for federal employees that try to retire early but am not sure if it would affect someone on SSDI?

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