Double dip

People who retired at age 62 before 1985 were eligible for something called double dipping or tripple dipping. People who worked for the federal government before 1987 were part of the civil service system. They had their own benefit programs. People hired after that time became part of a new system called FERS (federal employee retirement system). It was possible to work 20 years under civil service and then 5 years under FERS and then 10 years under social security and collect pension benefits from all three. In 1983 congress enacted the Windfall Elimination Act which curtailed this type of dipping. There are about 2.8 million people currently eligible for double dipping under the old rules who are not getting benefits because of the 1983 Act and congress has introduced a bill called Windfall Elimination Provision which would negate the 1983 Act and allow these people to double dip. Under today's rules a person receiving a civil service pension will have their social security reduced by two-thirds. For example if you receive a civil service pension of $3,000 per month and are eligible for $2,400 from social security your SS benefit will be reduced by $2,000 and you will end up with $3,000 from CS and $400 from SS. If the new law is enacted you will get your $2,000 back.