Social Security vs OPM survivor benefits for my nephew - can he receive both after federal employee death?

sory to hear bout ur loss, my cousin went thru something similar. he got both benefits for his kids but that was like 10 yrs ago so rules mighta changed

I'm sorry for your family's loss. The HR department is partially correct, but they explained it poorly. Under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), your nephew is eligible for a children's survivor annuity from OPM. However, there's something called the "FERS Survivor Benefit Offset" - the OPM benefit is reduced by the amount of any Social Security benefits he receives. So technically, he can receive both, but the OPM portion will be reduced dollar-for-dollar by whatever he gets from Social Security. You definitely should apply for both, as the combined maximum benefit would be whichever is higher (OPM or SSA). Regarding who chooses - they don't really choose for you, but the offset is automatic once both agencies share information. I recommend your sister apply for both benefits as soon as possible.

The GOVT is ALWAYS trying to cheat people out of benefits that are RIGHTFULLY theirs!!!! I had to fight for 14 MONTHS to get my deceased husband's pension from his federal job. They will lie straight to your face about what you're entitled to. DOCUMENT EVERYTHING and get names of everyone you talk to!!!!!

I went through this exact situation when my wife died (she was a postal worker under FERS). You need to apply for both benefits. Here's what happens: 1. Social Security will calculate the survivor benefit for your nephew based on your brother-in-law's earnings record 2. OPM will calculate their survivor annuity amount 3. Your nephew will receive the full Social Security amount 4. The OPM benefit will be reduced by the Social Security amount If the Social Security benefit is higher than the OPM amount, he'll just get the Social Security payment. If the OPM benefit is higher, he'll get the Social Security payment PLUS the difference between the two from OPM. The HR person was wrong about not having a choice. You absolutely should apply for both.

My husband works at OPM (not in benefits though) and he says definitely apply for both! The max benefit is whichever is higher. Also the 22 age limit for OPM is only if your nephew is a full-time student after 18, otherwise it stops at 18 just like Social Security. Make sure your sister knows that for future planning!

Has your sister been able to reach Social Security yet? I ask because their phone lines are absolutely swamped these days. My brother died last year and my niece had to wait almost 3 weeks just to get an appointment to apply for survivor benefits. If your sister is still struggling to reach someone at SSA, I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an agent in under 20 minutes after I'd been trying for days. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU For a situation like this where time is important and your sister needs to coordinate between two different benefit systems, getting through quickly to SSA can make a big difference. The survivor benefit application has to be done by phone or in person, and appointments can be weeks out.

wait i just remembered something, doesnt matter how long ur bro in law worked for govt, for social security his kid gets benefits if he had 40 quarters (10 yrs) total work anywhere right?

Update: We finally got through to SSA yesterday and started the application. The representative confirmed what several of you said - my nephew can receive both benefits, but the OPM benefit will be reduced by whatever he gets from Social Security. She estimated his monthly SS benefit will be around $1,875. We also got the OPM paperwork started with a benefits specialist (thank you for that suggestion!). They're estimating about $2,140 monthly, so if those numbers are accurate, he would get the full SS benefit ($1,875) plus the difference from OPM ($265). Thank you all SO much for the help and guidance. This has been an overwhelming time and your expertise made a huge difference.

I'm so sorry for your family's loss. As someone who works in federal benefits administration, I want to emphasize how important it is that you got the correct information from SSA. The HR person's initial explanation was misleading - while technically your nephew can't receive the "full" amount of both benefits simultaneously due to the offset, he absolutely should apply for both to ensure he receives the maximum possible benefit. One additional thing to keep in mind: make sure your sister understands that these benefits will continue until your nephew turns 18 (or 19 if still in high school). The OPM benefit can extend to 22 if he's a full-time college student, but the Social Security portion stops at 18/19. This might affect financial planning for his later college years. Also, definitely follow up on the FEGLI suggestion - federal employees often have basic life insurance that's separate from these survivor annuities, and that could provide additional financial support for your nephew's future.