Retiree COLA Reminder

Federal retirees will receive cost-of-living adjustments in their January payments, with those retired under CSRS getting 2.1 percent and those retired under the FERS system getting 2 percent on the FERS portion of their benefit, assuming they are eligible for a COLA (COLAs for FERS retirees don’t begin until age 62 except for disability, survivor benefits and special provisions for certain occupations; there is no minimum age requirement under CSRS). A 2.1 percent COLA also will be paid on Social Security benefits-mainly of interest to FERS retirees, although some CSRS retirees qualify for at least a partial Social Security benefit as well. Also, FERS retirees who have CSRS components in their annuities-for example, if they switched from CSRS to FERS during one of the open seasons when that was allowed, or if they were rehired under FERS following a break in service from CSRS-covered employment-will get the 2.1 percent adjustment on the CSRS portion of their annuities.