Last updated 2026-07-09
TL;DR
Federal employees can claim up to four separate disability programs: SSDI through Social Security, FERS or CSRS disability retirement through OPM, workers' comp through OWCP if the injury is job-related, and VA disability if they're veterans. Each has its own eligibility rules, payment amounts, and forms. You can collect some combinations at once, but offset rules cut what actually lands in your account.
What federal disability benefits actually exist?
Four main systems exist, and most people who ask whether a federal employee can get disability benefits don't know all four are on the table.
First, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), run by the Social Security Administration. Most federal workers hired after 1983 pay into Social Security and qualify, assuming they have enough work credits and a medical condition that meets SSA's definition of disability. Workers hired before 1984 under the old Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) do not pay Social Security taxes on federal wages, so many CSRS employees have no SSDI coverage from that job. Prior private-sector work may still give them credits [1].
Second, federal employees have their own pension-based disability retirement. FERS (Federal Employees Retirement System, covering workers hired from 1984 onward) and CSRS both include a disability retirement benefit run by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). This is separate from SSDI, though the two interact in ways that shrink your combined payment.
Third, if a disability comes from a job-related injury or illness, the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) under the Department of Labor administers the Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA). FECA pays wage replacement and medical costs and stays entirely separate from the retirement systems [2].
Fourth, federal workers who are also veterans may claim VA disability benefits for veterans through the Department of Veterans Affairs. VA compensation is based on service-connected conditions and has no income or work-history test beyond the service connection itself.
None of these is easy to use. The paperwork for OPM disability retirement alone runs to a stack of forms. But figuring out which system applies to your situation is the first decision, because filing under the wrong program wastes months.
Who qualifies for SSDI as a federal worker?
SSDI covers most federal civilian employees hired after December 31, 1983, because that's when FERS brought federal workers into the Social Security system [1]. If you're under FERS, you pay the standard 6.2% Social Security payroll tax, so you build work credits the same way any private-sector worker does.
SSA wants two things. Enough work credits (generally 40 credits, 20 of them earned in the 10 years before your disability onset, though younger workers need fewer) and a medical condition severe enough that you cannot do any substantial gainful work for at least 12 months or that is expected to result in death [3]. In 2025, the substantial gainful activity (SGA) threshold is $1,620 per month for non-blind applicants and $2,700 per month for blind applicants [3].
The medical standard is identical for federal workers and everyone else. SSA measures your condition against its Listing of Impairments (the "Blue Book"). If your condition meets or equals a listed impairment, SSA presumes you're disabled. If it doesn't, SSA runs a five-step sequential evaluation that ends with whether you can perform any job existing in significant numbers in the national economy, factoring in your age, education, and work history.
CSRS employees, many of whom lack Social Security coverage from federal work, should pull their full record. If you worked in the private sector before federal service, you may have enough credits. A free visit to ssa.gov or a phone call to SSA can produce your earnings record and tell you exactly where you stand.
One practical note. SSA's initial SSDI decision takes three to six months, and about 67% of initial applications are denied [4]. Most people who eventually win benefits do so at the hearing level, which can run two or more years from the original filing date. That timeline shapes which benefit you apply for first.
How does OPM disability retirement work for FERS and CSRS employees?
OPM disability retirement is the program most specific to federal civilian workers. It isn't Social Security. It's a pension-based benefit paid by the retirement fund you've been paying into.
For FERS, the basic rules are three: at least 18 months of creditable federal service, a medical condition that stops you from performing useful and efficient service in your current position, and a condition expected to last at least one year [5]. Your agency also has to certify that it cannot accommodate you and that no vacant position in the same commuting area at the same grade exists for reassignment.
Payment under FERS disability retirement comes in two phases. For the first year (after any FECA coverage ends), you get 60% of your high-3 average salary, minus 100% of any SSDI benefit you receive. From the second year through age 62, that drops to 40% of your high-3 average salary, minus 60% of any SSDI benefit. At 62, OPM converts the benefit to what your regular retirement annuity would have been, crediting the disability retirement years as if you had kept working [5].
CSRS disability retirement runs on a different formula. You get the higher of either 40% of your high-3 average salary or the annuity earned with your actual service years. CSRS employees usually don't collect SSDI (if they have no covered earnings), so the offset picture looks different.
The OPM application process is slow. You file SF 3107 (FERS) or SF 2801 (CSRS), along with the medical documentation on SF 3112 series forms. OPM's processing times have historically run 90 to 180 days or longer after your agency submits the complete package, and incomplete applications add months. You can file while still employed, or within one year of separation.
One thing people miss: you must apply for SSDI as part of the FERS disability retirement process. OPM requires FERS applicants to file for Social Security disability and to report what SSA decides. The offset calculation depends on it [5].
What is OWCP and when does federal workers' comp disability apply?
OWCP is the federal workers' compensation system. It pays when a federal employee gets hurt on the job or develops an occupational illness from federal employment. The governing law is the Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA) [2].
FECA covers two situations: traumatic injuries (a specific event on a specific day) and occupational disease (a condition built up over time from work exposure). Both require you to show a causal link between your federal employment and the condition.
Wage replacement under FECA is either 66 2/3% of your pay (no dependents) or 75% of your pay (with dependents), tax-free. No SGA cap applies the way it does with SSDI. OWCP also pays all reasonable medical costs tied to the accepted condition, with no deductibles [2].
Here's the key distinction. FECA and OPM disability retirement don't run at the same time. You can't draw FECA wage-loss benefits and an OPM disability retirement annuity simultaneously. Most workers who qualify for both pick FECA first because the payments run higher and stay tax-free. FECA has no time limit for total disability as long as you stay disabled, though periodic medical reviews apply. When FECA ends or you elect to stop it, you can switch to OPM disability retirement.
FECA does not interact with SSDI the way OPM does. If you're getting FECA wage loss compensation and also receive SSDI, your FECA payment is not automatically offset (there are nuances depending on your state and your specific situation, so getting competent guidance matters here).
Filing a FECA claim takes Form CA-1 (traumatic injury) or CA-2 (occupational disease), filed with your employing agency within three years of the injury or the date you knew about the disease [2].
Can federal workers collect SSDI and OPM disability retirement at the same time?
Yes, you can get both, but the offset rules mean you rarely pocket the full amount of each.
For FERS employees, OPM reduces its annuity dollar-for-dollar by your SSDI payment in the first year, then by 60 cents for every SSDI dollar after that. So if your FERS annuity is $2,000 per month and SSDI pays $1,500, you receive $2,000 total in year one (SSA pays $1,500, OPM tops it up with $500). You don't lose money. You just don't stack both payments in full.
CSRS retirees sit in a different spot, because many CSRS employees have no SSDI coverage from their federal job at all. Those who do have SSDI coverage from other work used to face the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). Congress repealed WEP effective January 2025, so that reduction is gone [1] [6].
VA disability compensation stacks cleanly. VA benefits are not reduced by SSDI or OPM payments, and SSDI and OPM are not offset for VA disability. A federal employee who is also a veteran with a service-connected disability can receive VA compensation on top of SSDI and OPM retirement with no penalty (SSA does not count VA compensation as income).
For a closer look at what monthly payments actually come to, see social security disability benefits pay chart and how much will i receive from social security disability.
How does the Windfall Elimination Provision affect federal workers?
It doesn't anymore, and that's the headline. Congress repealed WEP for all workers effective January 2025 through the Social Security Fairness Act (Public Law 118-210, signed December 21, 2024) [6]. WEP used to cut Social Security benefits for workers who held a pension from a non-covered job (like CSRS federal service) plus Social Security earnings from other work. The repeal means CSRS employees with Social Security credits from private-sector work no longer take that hit.
The Government Pension Offset (GPO), which reduced spousal and survivor Social Security benefits for people with government pensions, went away in the same law [6]. SSA began recalculating affected benefits in early 2025 and paying retroactive amounts back to January 2024.
If you're a CSRS employee or retiree who got a reduced SSDI or Social Security benefit because of WEP, contact SSA. You may be owed back payments. SSA has been working through these adjustments, but the volume is large and not every account updates automatically.
What if your disability is from military service?
Federal civilian employees who are also veterans can claim VA disability benefits for veterans independently of any civilian benefit. VA disability compensation is based on a service-connected condition rated on a scale of 0% to 100% in 10-point steps [7].
In 2025, monthly VA disability payments for a veteran with no dependents run from $175.51 (10% rating) to $3,831.30 (100% rating) [7]. A veteran rated below 100% who is found individually unemployable (TDIU) can still collect at the 100% rate.
Some federal civilians become disabled through both military service and a civilian job condition, and they end up filing with VA, OPM, OWCP, and SSA at once. That's a real and messy scenario. The good news: VA compensation does not get offset by SSDI or OPM retirement. You can receive all three with no automatic reduction between them. For more on what 100% ratings mean in practice, see 100 disabled veteran benefits.
Military retirees who later become federal civilians face their own tangle under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) and concurrent receipt rules. Those sit outside this article, but they're worth a specific OPM or VA consultation.
How do you apply for federal disability benefits step by step?
The path depends on which program you're filing under, and in practice you usually file more than one.
For SSDI: apply online at ssa.gov, by phone at 1-800-772-1213, or in person at a local Social Security office. Bring your medical records, work history, and your condition's onset date. SSA sends the case to a state Disability Determination Services (DDS) agency for the medical review. About 67% of initial applications are denied [4]. If denied, you request reconsideration (another high denial rate at that stage), then an Administrative Law Judge hearing, then the Appeals Council, then federal district court. Most people who win do so at the ALJ hearing.
For OPM disability retirement (FERS): your agency HR office handles submission. You complete SF 3107 and the SF 3112 series (especially SF 3112A, your personal statement, and SF 3112C, the physician's statement). Your supervisor also files a statement. The package goes to OPM after your separation, or you can start it while still employed. Apply within one year of separation. FERS applicants must file for SSDI at the same time [5].
For OWCP/FECA: file CA-1 (traumatic injury) or CA-2 (occupational disease) with your agency's workers' compensation coordinator as soon as you can after the injury or diagnosis. Your agency forwards the claim to OWCP. If OWCP accepts it, medical payments begin quickly, and wage loss benefits follow if you're off work more than three days.
For VA disability: file at va.gov, in person at a VA regional office, or with an accredited VA claims agent or attorney. You need a nexus between your current condition and military service, backed by medical evidence and your service records.
Juggling several filings at once, a tool that tracks which forms you've submitted and what's still outstanding can save you from expensive delays. DisabilityFiled's guided intake walks you through each program's requirements and produces a claim summary you can hand to an attorney or HR coordinator.
For SSDI specifically, see apply for social security disability for a full walkthrough of the online and paper process.
What medical evidence do you actually need?
Each program sets its own medical standard, and sending the identical package to all four without tailoring it is a common, costly mistake.
For SSDI, SSA wants clinical findings, laboratory values, imaging reports, treatment history, and functional assessments that match the Blue Book listings or, if no listing fits, that support a residual functional capacity (RFC) finding showing you can't sustain work [8]. Your treating physician's records carry more weight than a one-time evaluation. Longitudinal records over six to twelve months showing consistent findings beat a single report by a wide margin.
For OPM disability retirement, the standard is different and often easier to hit. You don't need to prove you can't do any work in the national economy. You need to show you can't do useful and efficient service in your current federal position and that no vacant position at your grade exists for reassignment. The SF 3112C physician's statement needs to speak directly to your functional limits as they relate to your specific job duties [5].
For OWCP, you need medical evidence of the diagnosis, a physician's statement linking the condition to the specific job incident or work exposure (the causal nexus), and documentation of lost work time. The treating physician's opinion on causation carries real weight.
For VA, the nexus between your current diagnosis and a service event is the whole ballgame. A private nexus opinion from a qualified physician is often the difference between approval and denial, especially for conditions never diagnosed in service.
One thing that trips people up: the four programs define "disability" differently. OPM's standard is occupation-specific. SSA's standard is economy-wide. VA's standard is service-connected. You can meet one and fail another. Get medical statements written to the exact standard of the program you're filing under.
What do federal disability benefits actually pay in 2025?
Here's an honest side-by-side, because the numbers swing hard from program to program.
| Program | Basis | 2025 typical monthly amount |
|---|---|---|
| SSDI | Earnings record | $1,580 average; maximum $4,018 [3] |
| FERS disability retirement (yr 1) | 60% of high-3 salary, minus SSDI | Varies; median federal salary ~$102,000 = ~$5,100/mo before offset |
| FERS disability retirement (yr 2+) | 40% of high-3 salary, minus 60% of SSDI | Varies |
| CSRS disability retirement | Higher of 40% of high-3 or earned annuity | Varies |
| OWCP/FECA (with dependents) | 75% of pay, tax-free | Varies; no cap |
| VA disability (100% rating) | Schedular rate | $3,831.30 [7] |
The average SSDI benefit for a disabled worker in 2025 is $1,580 per month, per SSA data [3]. The maximum SSDI benefit for someone who earned the taxable maximum for a full career is $4,018 per month at full retirement age.
The FERS and CSRS figures ride entirely on your salary history. OPM publishes calculator guidance, and your agency HR office can run an estimate from your actual SF 50 records. A federal worker earning $90,000 a year has a high-3 average in that range, so first-year FERS disability retirement lands around $4,500 a month before the SSDI offset kicks in.
FECA/OWCP often pays the most in the short term because it's 75% of gross pay, tax-free, with no SGA limit. That's why most attorneys and HR advisors push FECA first when the disability is clearly job-related.
For a closer look at SSDI payment levels by earnings history, see social security disability benefits pay chart.
What about SSI, and can federal workers get it?
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a separate program from SSDI. SSI is needs-based, so it demands limited income and resources no matter your work history. The 2025 federal SSI benefit rate is $967 per month for an individual [9].
Federal employees collecting OPM disability retirement, FECA, or VA disability compensation almost always have income above SSI's limits. In 2025, countable income above the federal benefit rate knocks you out of SSI entirely. An OPM annuity of even $1,000 a month would likely end SSI eligibility for most people once exclusions are applied.
SSI matters in one scenario. A federal worker with minimal SSDI coverage (not enough work credits), no OPM annuity because they left federal service quickly, no FECA because the disability isn't job-related, and very low income and assets. There, SSI might be the only federal disability payment on offer. For more on SSI, see disability benefits.
What happens to your federal health insurance if you go on disability retirement?
You keep it, and that's one of the strongest reasons to prefer OPM disability retirement over private disability insurance. You can hold your Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) coverage in retirement as long as you were enrolled in FEHB for the five years right before your retirement (or from your first chance to enroll, if that's less than five years) [10]. FEHB in retirement keeps you in one of the best group health pools in the country, with the federal government still paying its share of the premium.
If you go on FECA/OWCP wage loss compensation instead of retiring, FEHB continues through your employing agency for up to 365 days. After that, continuation-of-coverage rules apply, and eventually you have to elect retirement to keep FEHB long term.
Medicare interaction: most FERS disability retirees receive SSDI, and after 24 months of SSDI receipt, they qualify for Medicare Part A and B regardless of age [3]. Many FERS disability retirees pair FEHB with Medicare, using Medicare as the primary payer and FEHB as the supplement, which can slash out-of-pocket costs.
For CSRS employees without SSDI, Medicare eligibility rides on whether they have enough Medicare-covered quarters from other jobs. Some CSRS retirees hold Medicare Part A (hospital coverage) but not Part B, because they never enrolled. Check this before you retire.
What are the most common mistakes federal employees make when filing for disability?
Missing the FECA filing deadline is the most expensive one. You have three years from the date of injury or the date you learned of an occupational disease to file a FECA claim [2]. Miss that, and you lose the right to FECA compensation for good, even if your condition is obviously job-related. File CA-1 or CA-2 immediately, even if you're not yet sure how serious the condition is. You can always withdraw a claim. You can't reopen one filed too late.
Not applying for SSDI when you file OPM FERS retirement is the second big one. OPM requires it, and skipping it can stall your annuity approval. Many people assume that because OPM handles the disability retirement, they can ignore SSA. They can't.
Getting a doctor's statement written to the wrong standard. For OPM, it needs to say you can't perform your specific federal job duties. For SSA, it needs to address RFC limitations and functional capacity across all work. A generic "this patient is disabled" letter satisfies neither.
Waiting too long to separate. OPM disability retirement applications must be filed within one year of separation from federal service [5]. Some people stay on extended leave, hoping to return, and blow past the window.
Not coordinating benefit elections. If you're on FECA and then elect OPM retirement, the timing shapes your FEHB, your life insurance, and the SSDI offset calculation. A one-month gap or overlap can cost you thousands.
If you're running multiple filings at once, a service like DisabilityFiled can track documents, deadlines, and which forms each program needs before you hand everything to an attorney or HR benefits specialist. On whether to bring in legal help, see long term disability lawyer.
Are federal disability benefits taxable?
It depends on the program, and getting it wrong can hand you a surprise tax bill.
SSI is not federally taxable, period [11].
SSDI benefits are taxable if your combined income (adjusted gross income + nontaxable interest + half of your SSDI benefits) tops $25,000 for a single filer or $32,000 for married filing jointly. Between 50% and 85% of SSDI benefits can land in taxable income, depending on how far over the threshold you are [11].
OPM disability retirement annuities are taxable as ordinary income to the extent of the employer's contribution, which for most annuitants means the large majority of each payment gets taxed. Your own after-tax contributions come back tax-free over a recovery period OPM calculates.
FECA/OWCP wage loss payments are not subject to federal income tax under 5 U.S.C. section 8117 [2]. That's one of FECA's biggest edges over OPM retirement.
VA disability compensation is not federally taxable under 38 U.S.C. section 5301 [7].
For a full breakdown of which benefits get taxed, see are disability benefits taxable.
Frequently asked questions
Can a federal employee get disability benefits?
Yes. Federal civilian employees can qualify for up to four separate programs: SSDI through Social Security (for FERS employees who pay Social Security taxes), OPM disability retirement through their FERS or CSRS pension, OWCP/FECA workers' comp if the disability is job-related, and VA disability compensation if they're also veterans. Each has different eligibility rules, application forms, and payment amounts.
Can you collect SSDI and federal workers' comp disability benefits at the same time?
Generally yes, but the interaction has nuances. FECA/OWCP does not automatically offset SSDI the way OPM disability retirement does. Some states have workers' comp offset rules that touch SSDI, and the full picture can get complicated. You cannot draw FECA wage-loss payments and an OPM disability retirement annuity at the same time; you have to choose one. Talking to an OWCP-experienced attorney or HR specialist before you elect is worth the time.
How long does it take to get approved for OPM disability retirement?
OPM's processing time after it receives a complete package has historically run 90 to 180 days, and longer if the package is incomplete. Your agency HR office has to assemble the file first, which can add weeks. Total time from filing to first annuity payment is commonly six months to a year. FERS applicants receive an interim annuity from their agency after separation while OPM finalizes the case.
What is the FERS disability retirement income limit?
FERS disability retirees can earn up to 80% of the salary of the position they retired from in any calendar year through gainful employment. Earning more than 80% can end the disability annuity. This is the 80% earnings test. SSA's SGA limit (currently $1,620/month in 2025 for non-blind applicants) applies to your SSDI separately and can affect whether your SSDI continues.
Does the Windfall Elimination Provision still reduce Social Security for federal workers?
No, not since January 2025. The Social Security Fairness Act (Public Law 118-210), signed December 21, 2024, repealed both the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset. CSRS federal workers and retirees whose Social Security benefits were cut by WEP or GPO should contact SSA to confirm the recalculation and claim any retroactive payments owed back to January 2024.
What forms do you need to apply for FERS disability retirement?
The core forms are SF 3107 (Application for Immediate Retirement under FERS), SF 3112A (Applicant's Statement of Disability), SF 3112B (Supervisor's Statement), SF 3112C (Physician's Statement), and SF 3112D (Agency Certification of Reassignment and Accommodation Efforts). Your agency HR office coordinates submission to OPM. You also have to file for SSDI at ssa.gov at the same time.
Can CSRS employees get SSDI?
CSRS employees do not pay Social Security taxes on their federal wages, so their federal job generates no SSDI work credits. But if a CSRS employee also worked in Social Security-covered private-sector jobs and earned enough credits (typically 40 credits, 20 in the last 10 years), they can still qualify for SSDI. The Social Security Fairness Act's WEP repeal now means their SSDI benefit is no longer cut by the CSRS pension.
Is federal workers' comp the same as SSDI?
No. Federal workers' comp (FECA/OWCP) is run by the Department of Labor and covers only injuries or illnesses caused by your federal job. SSDI is run by the Social Security Administration, funded by payroll taxes, and covers any qualifying disability regardless of cause. FECA pays 66 2/3% or 75% of wages tax-free and covers all medical costs. SSDI pays a benefit based on your earnings history and can be taxable.
How does VA disability affect a federal employee's SSDI or OPM benefits?
VA disability compensation does not reduce your SSDI or OPM disability retirement annuity, and those benefits do not reduce your VA payment. SSA does not count VA compensation as income. A federal employee who is a veteran can receive VA disability pay, SSDI, and an OPM annuity at the same time with no automatic offset between them. VA compensation is also not federally taxable.
What happens to FEHB coverage when a federal employee goes on disability retirement?
Federal employees who retire on disability can keep their Federal Employees Health Benefits coverage if they were continuously enrolled in FEHB for the five years right before retirement (or from their first chance to enroll). The government keeps paying its share of premiums into retirement. After 24 months of SSDI receipt, the retiree also qualifies for Medicare, which many pair with FEHB to cut out-of-pocket costs.
What is the FECA filing deadline for federal workers?
You must file a FECA claim within three years of the date of a traumatic injury (CA-1) or within three years of the date you first became aware of a work-related disease (CA-2). Miss the deadline and you permanently forfeit FECA coverage for that condition. File immediately even if you're unsure how serious the injury is. OWCP accepts claims before the full extent of a condition is known.
Can a federal employee be denied SSDI because they have an OPM pension?
No. Having an OPM disability retirement annuity does not disqualify you from SSDI and is not treated as SGA. SSA judges SSDI eligibility on your medical condition and work credits, not on pension income. As of 2025, though, SSA does count most other income toward SSI (not SSDI) eligibility, so a large OPM annuity could knock you out of the needs-based SSI program.
How do federal disability benefits compare to private-sector disability insurance?
Federal workers generally have stronger disability protection than private-sector workers. FECA provides tax-free wage replacement with no coverage cap and full medical coverage. OPM disability retirement gives a pension floor with FEHB continuation. SSDI adds a separate Social Security layer. Private-sector employees typically have only employer short/long-term disability insurance (often 60% of salary, taxable) plus SSDI, with no government pension backup.
What's the difference between FERS disability retirement and regular FERS retirement?
FERS disability retirement is available at any age with 18 months of service if you have a qualifying medical condition. Regular FERS retirement requires age 62 with 5 years of service, the Minimum Retirement Age (57 for most workers born after 1969) with 30 years, or MRA with 10 years at a reduced rate. The formulas differ too: disability retirement pays 60% of high-3 in year one, then 40%, while regular retirement is 1% or 1.1% of high-3 per year of service.
Sources
- Social Security Administration, Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP): CSRS federal employees do not pay Social Security taxes on federal wages and therefore don't earn SSDI credits from that employment; WEP previously reduced SS benefits for those with non-covered pensions
- U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, Federal Employees' Compensation Act: FECA pays 66 2/3% (no dependents) or 75% (with dependents) of pay tax-free; covers all reasonable medical costs; CA-1 and CA-2 must be filed within three years
- Social Security Administration, Disability Benefits: 2025 SGA threshold $1,620/month non-blind, $2,700 blind; average SSDI benefit $1,580/month; maximum $4,018/month; Medicare eligibility after 24 months of SSDI receipt
- SSA Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program: Approximately 67% of initial SSDI applications are denied at the initial determination stage
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Disability Retirement: FERS disability retirement requires 18 months of service, an occupation-specific medical standard, and a condition expected to last one year; pays 60% of high-3 in year one minus SSDI, then 40% minus 60% of SSDI; FERS applicants must file for SSDI
- Social Security Administration, Social Security Fairness Act: Public Law 118-210, signed December 21, 2024, repealed both the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset effective January 2025; SSA paying retroactive benefits to January 2024
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Disability Compensation Rates: 2025 VA disability rates range from $175.51/month (10%) to $3,831.30/month (100%) for a veteran with no dependents; VA compensation is not federally taxable
- Social Security Administration, Disability Evaluation Under Social Security (Blue Book): SSA evaluates medical conditions against Listing of Impairments; if not listed, SSA performs RFC analysis to determine ability to work in the national economy
- Social Security Administration, SSI Federal Payment Amounts: 2025 federal SSI benefit rate is $967 per month for an individual
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program: Federal employees can carry FEHB coverage into retirement if enrolled for the five years immediately before retirement or from first opportunity to enroll
- IRS Publication 915, Social Security and Equivalent Railroad Retirement Benefits: Up to 85% of SSDI benefits may be taxable if combined income exceeds $25,000 single or $32,000 married filing jointly; SSI is not taxable