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Level 2
March 31, 2021
Question

Question on SSA exempt status for retired postal worker

  • March 31, 2021
  • 3 replies
  • 29 views

My father-in-law is a retired postal worker, and I am helping him with his taxes.  

 

I am not sure how to answer the SSA exempt status question.

 

Here is the information that I received online.

SSA exempt employment is not covered by the federal SSA, which means the worker did not pay Social Security taxes and is not eligible for Social Security benefits based on that employment.

Almost all employment is covered by the federal SSA.

The most common instances of pension and retirement benefits from employment that is not covered by Social Security are police and firefighter retirees, some federal retirees covered under the Civil Service Retirement System and hired prior to 1984, and a small number of other state and local

    3 replies

    ReneeM7122
    Level 9
    March 31, 2021

    Current postal workers and those hired after 1983 pay into the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) and are eligible for Social Security benefits.  It sounds like your father was hired before then and falls into the category of federal employees covered under the Civil Service Retirement System and hired prior to 1984.

     

    Here is a link to the USPS retirement information page.  

    Here is a TurboTax article about retirement.

    Level 2
    March 31, 2021

    Thanks.

    I would select no for SSA Exempt benefits then, correct?

     

     

    DaveF1006
    Level 15
    April 1, 2021

    Yes, that is correct if he was hired after 1983.

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