How to Figure Out Your Disability Benefit Under CSRS

The assured minimum benefit under CSRS is the lesser sum of the two following numbers:

40% of your average high-3 earnings or;

The benefit you would have earned if you worked up the age of 60.

For those that are getting benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs or a military pension, your disability benefit will be calculated on the benefits you have earned under CSRS. If the total of this benefit, along with your military payments, comes out to be under the assured minimum benefit, you will be given a difference to meet the minimum amount.

To calculate your earned annuity benefit under CSRS, this number comes from the average of your high-3s, which must be three back-to-back years of your base pay, and the number of years you worked your federal post.

This is how your earned annuity benefit is calculated: 0.015 times your high-3 times your initial five years of time worked, plus 0.0175 times your high-3 times the following five years of time worked, plus 0.02 times your high-3 times the years and complete months left that you have served.

If you are the minimum age of 60 and have a minimum of 22 years of time worked in your federal position that is creditable, your disability annuity will be equivalent to your earned benefit.

For those federal workers that are under CSRS Offset, are qualified to receive a Social Security benefit, and goes into retirement on disability, your disability benefit will be offset or reduced by the amount you receive from SS. The overall amount you will get will not change, but the amount will come from two different sources, which is from Social Security and the Office of Personnel Management.

For disability benefits, you will receive a yearly cost of living adjustment (COLA), no matter when you retired. This adjustment will be the same percentage as standard CSRS retired employees.