Can You Collect Both FERS Pension and Social Security?

Updated April 2026 | 9 min read

The Short Answer: YES!

If you're a FERS employee (hired after 1983), you can absolutely collect both your FERS pension AND Social Security benefits in retirement. This is one of the key advantages of the FERS system.

Good News for FERS Employees: Unlike CSRS employees, FERS employees paid into Social Security throughout their careers. This means you're fully eligible for both benefits without most offsets.

The Three Pillars of FERS Retirement

FERS was specifically designed as a "three-legged stool" with three income sources:

Pillar 1: FERS Basic Annuity

Defined benefit pension based on years of service and high-3 salary
Formula: 1% × High-3 Average Salary × Years of Service (or 1.1% if retiring at age 62+ with 20+ years)
Paid monthly for life with annual COLA increases

Pillar 2: Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)

401(k)-style defined contribution plan
You contribute pre-tax or Roth dollars
Agency matches up to 5% of your pay
You control investments and withdrawal timing

Pillar 3: Social Security

Federal retirement program funded by payroll taxes
You paid 6.2% Social Security tax throughout your career
Benefits based on your 35 highest-earning years
Available as early as age 62 (reduced) or full retirement age (full amount)

CSRS vs FERS: Key Differences

Feature	CSRS	FERS
Social Security Coverage	NO (didn't pay SS taxes)	YES (paid SS taxes)
Can Collect Both?	Limited (WEP/GPO apply)	YES (full benefits from both)
TSP Matching	No matching	Up to 5% agency match
Pension Formula	More generous (up to 80% replacement)	Less generous (designed to work with SS)

When Can You Start Collecting Each Benefit?

FERS Pension

Immediate Retirement: Age 62 with 5 years, Age 60 with 20 years, MRA with 30 years
Early Retirement (Voluntary Early Retirement Authority): Age 50 with 20 years, or any age with 25 years
Deferred Retirement: Can start later if you postpone

Social Security

Earliest: Age 62 (reduced by up to 30%)
Full Retirement Age: Age 67 for those born 1960 or later
Late Retirement: Up to age 70 (increased by 8% per year after FRA)

Strategy Tip: Many FERS retirees start their pension at MRA (Minimum Retirement Age) but delay Social Security until age 70 to maximize the 8% annual delayed retirement credits.

Do WEP and GPO Affect FERS Employees?

WEP (Windfall Elimination Provision)

Generally NO. Since FERS employees paid Social Security taxes, WEP typically does not apply. However, if you also worked in a non-Social Security job (e.g., some state/local government positions), WEP could affect benefits from that separate employment.

GPO (Government Pension Offset)

Generally NO. Same reasoning as WEP—FERS employees are covered by Social Security, so GPO doesn't apply to spousal or survivor benefits based on a spouse's work record.

Example: Total Retirement Income for FERS Employee

Meet Sarah: Retiring at age 62 with 30 years of FERS service, high-3 salary of $80,000, and average lifetime earnings for Social Security.

FERS Pension: 1% × $80,000 × 30 years = $24,000/year ($2,000/month)
Social Security: Estimated $18,000/year ($1,500/month) at age 67
TSP Balance: $400,000 (with 5% employee + 5% agency contributions over 30 years)
Total Annual Income: $42,000+ from pension and SS, plus TSP withdrawals

Calculate Your Combined Benefits

Use our calculators to estimate your total retirement income from all three pillars:

FERS Retirement Calculator TSP Growth Calculator SS Offset Calculator