Military Careers, Retirement - Air Force Times

Social Security

Reservists contribute to Social Security from their military and civilian pay. As a rule, they can receive Social Security coverage for retirement, survivors’ income, disability income, Medicare and burial expenses. All military retirees can receive military and Social Security retirement checks; neither retirement package is reduced because the other is received.

Eligibility for Social Security programs is determined by the number of credits (formerly known as quarters) earned while working.

Social Security retirement benefits are based on a complex formula that takes into account lifetime earnings and inflation. For most military retirees, this means the benefit will be affected by their earnings between the time they leave active duty and the time they begin to collect Social Security.

Social Security’s disability program operates under different rules. A person can be classified as fully disabled by the military, but not by Social Security, and vice versa.

Social Security officials now provide Personal Earnings and Benefit Estimate Statements (Form SSA-7004) automatically to every working citizen age 25 and older. These estimate retirement, survivor and disability benefits. They also provide a year-by-year breakdown of earnings and Social Security taxes paid since 1951.

Contact: To request Form SSA-7004, call (800) 772-1213 or visit www.ssa.gov.