Federal employees applying for Federal Disability Retirement are required to also apply for SSDI, and the two benefits interact directly. If approved for SSDI, OPM offsets the disability retirement annuity to account for it. Because SSDI requires total disability, approval also affects the retiree's ability to work and earn income.
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Federal employees who apply for Federal Disability Retirement are required to apply for SSDI as part of the process. What a lot of people don't realize is that the two benefits don't operate independently of each other, and not understanding how they interact can lead to some unexpected changes in your income.
SSDI, or Social Security Disability Insurance, is a separate federal benefit from your FERS Disability Retirement annuity. If you're receiving both, they interact in ways that affect how much you get from each. Specifically, if you're approved for SSDI, the OPM will offset your Disability Retirement annuity to account for it. It's also important to know that because SSDI is for those with total disability, it will alter your ability to work and earn money.
If you're receiving SSDI or thinking about applying, understanding how it affects your overall income picture beforehand, rather than finding out after the offset happens, is really worth the time.
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