Social Security, Medicare and the FERS Annuity Supplement

 

Course Highlights and Objectives

This course is designed to provide HR Specialists with a sound understanding of the Social Security and Medicare programs for Federal employees including information needed to counsel employees, survivors, as well as how Social Security benefits are calculated. In addition, the course will provide participants with the information needed to manually compute and counsel FERS employees and survivors regarding the annuity supplement portion of their retirement benefits. The course covers:

• A discussion of the basic principles underlying the Social Security program;

• A comprehensive review of Social Security retirement benefits, including eligibility requirements, how retirement benefits are computed, and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP);

• Eligibility for spousal benefits and how the benefits are affected by the Government Pension Offset (GPO);

• Social Security disability benefits including eligibility requirements, how the benefits are computed, how the benefits may be affected if CSRS or FERS benefits are also payable;

• A discussion of Social Security survivor benefits (for current spouses, former spouses and children) and how the benefits payable to a spouse or former spouse may be affected by the GPO;

• The Social Security earnings test; and

• Medicare Part A and B, including a discussion of when to enroll, Medicare premiums and deductibles, and coordination of coverage between Medicare and FEHB. 

• When retirees and survivors are eligible for the annuity supplement under FERS;

• When the supplement begins and ceases; 

• How to compute annuity and survivor supplement estimates; and 

• How a retiree’s outside earnings can affect his or her annuity supplement

 

Who Should Attend

Any HR Specialist who provides counseling and estimates to employees and survivors who wants to know more these important topics.

 

Course Dates and Locations

This course is offered by GRB for on-site presentation at your agency. GRB can design or tailor courses to meet your unique needs. If you do not have a sufficient number of employees at your agency to justify on-site training, you may wish to sponsor on-site training for other Federal employees in your geographic area.