Below are questions asked by Federal Times readers about retirement and other issues facing federal employees. Senior Executive Services charter member and Federal Times columnist Reg Jones responds.
“I am on FERS Disability via OPM. I recently turned 62. When does the disability-to-retirement transition process start? Does this process start now? Would you like to receive a retirement booklet?
Reg’s reaction
A disability pension is converted into a regular pension representing the amount you would have received had you continued to work until the day before your 62nd birthday and then retired under the non-disability provisions of the FERS. The total service used to calculate your pension will be a combination of your actual service and time spent on the disability roll. High 3 when retired with disability is increased by an increase in all her FERS cost of living that was in effect while she was receiving disability benefits.
For example, if you were eligible for your regular FERS pension in September, you were eligible for your first pension payment on October 1st.
Have a question for a Federal Times expert? Contact us at fedexperts@federaltimes.com.
A charter member of Senior Executive Services, Reg Jones is the Federal Times’ resident expert on retirement and federal government. From 1979 to his 1995, he served as Assistant Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, handling recruitment and testing, white- and blue-collar pay, retirement, insurance, and other issues. The opinions expressed are his own.
