Can the FERS Supplement for a Spouse be Lost?

If an employee remains retired but the spouse works and makes more than 15k, does the FERS supplement drop out?

Q: I am searching for a detail on the FERS Special Retirement Supplement – I understand that the employee loses some or all of the benefit once they retire if they return to work before reaching age 62. My question concerns the effect of a working spouse on the benefit – if the employee remains retired but the spouse works and makes more than 15k, does the supplement drop out?

A: No. It’s only your earnings.

About the Author

John Grobe is the former President of Federal Career Experts, a firm that provides pre-retirement training and seminars to a wide variety of federal agencies.