SSA reports your SSDI payments to OPM, but only if you work for the federal government

Yes, the Social Security Administration (SSA) shares information about your SSDI payments with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) — but only in one specific situation. If you are a current or former federal employee with a pension from the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) or the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), SSA is required by law to report your SSDI benefit amount to OPM. OPM uses that figure to calculate whether your SSDI reduces your federal pension under the Government Pension Offset (GPO) rule.

If you have never worked for the federal government, or if you worked for the federal government but do not receive a pension from CSRS or FERS, SSA does not report your SSDI to OPM. Your SSDI income remains between you and SSA. Private employers, state and local government employers, and non-pension federal work do not trigger this reporting requirement.

Key Takeaways

  • SSA reports SSDI amounts to OPM only if you receive a federal civilian pension from CSRS or FERS.
  • The Government Pension Offset rule allows OPM to reduce your federal pension by two-thirds of your SSDI benefit, so OPM needs to know the exact amount you receive.
  • If you never worked for the federal government or do not have a federal pension, your SSDI information stays with SSA and is not shared with OPM.
  • SSA and OPM coordinate this reporting automatically; you do not need to report your SSDI to OPM yourself.
  • The GPO reduction applies only to your federal pension, not to your SSDI benefit itself.

How the Government Pension Offset works

The Government Pension Offset (GPO) is a federal law that reduces certain retirement or survivor benefits if you also receive a pension from work that was not covered by Social Security. For federal employees, that pension is CSRS or FERS. The GPO rule says OPM must reduce your federal pension by two-thirds of your SSDI benefit amount.

Example: You receive $1,200 per month in SSDI and $2,000 per month in a CSRS pension. Two-thirds of $1,200 is $800. OPM reduces your pension by $800, so you receive $1,200 in SSDI and $1,200 in pension, for a total of $2,400 instead of $3,200.

For OPM to calculate this reduction correctly, they must know exactly how much SSDI you receive each month. That is why SSA is required to send OPM your SSDI benefit amount. This is not a privacy violation — it is a legal requirement built into how the GPO rule operates.

When SSA sends your SSDI information to OPM

SSA reports your SSDI to OPM in two situations. First, when you file for SSDI and SSA approves your claim, SSA checks whether you have a federal pension on file. If you do, SSA sends your approved benefit amount to OPM. Second, if your SSDI benefit amount changes — because of a cost-of-living adjustment, a medical review, or a work-related change — SSA notifies OPM of the new amount.

You do not need to report your SSDI to OPM yourself. SSA and OPM exchange this information automatically through their systems. However, if you believe OPM has the wrong SSDI amount on record, you can contact OPM's Retirement Services office and ask them to verify the figure with SSA.

If you are unsure whether you have a federal pension that would trigger the GPO rule, check your pension paperwork or contact your federal agency's human resources or benefits office. They can tell you whether you are covered by CSRS, FERS, or neither.

What happens if you do not have a federal pension

If you worked for the federal government but do not receive a pension — for example, you worked for fewer than five years, or you left federal service before becoming vested in the pension system — then the GPO rule does not explore to you. SSA will not report your SSDI to OPM because there is no pension for OPM to reduce.

Similarly, if you worked for a state or local government, a private employer, or a non-profit organization, your SSDI information is not shared with OPM. Only federal civilian pensions trigger the reporting requirement. Military pensions, state pensions, and local government pensions operate under different rules and do not receive GPO reductions based on SSDI.

Your privacy and the information SSA shares

SSA shares your SSDI information with OPM under the authority of federal law, specifically 42 U.S.C. § 1320a-8, which requires SSA to disclose information needed to administer federal benefit programs. This is not optional — SSA must report your benefit amount if you have a federal pension.

Beyond OPM, SSA also shares SSDI information with other agencies in limited circumstances: the Internal Revenue Service (for tax purposes), state Medicaid agencies (to determine your coverage), and Medicare (to coordinate your coverage). In each case, the sharing is required by law and limited to the information needed for that specific purpose.

You have the right to request what information SSA has shared about you. You can file a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with SSA or contact your local SSA office to ask what records they maintain about you and who they have disclosed information to.

What to do if you think OPM has incorrect information

If you receive a pension statement from OPM and the SSDI amount listed appears wrong, contact OPM's Retirement Services office directly. You can reach them by phone at 1-888-767-6738 or through their website at opm.gov. Have your Social Security number and pension account number ready.

OPM will verify your SSDI amount with SSA. If there is a discrepancy, OPM can request an updated report from SSA. If SSA's records are wrong, you will need to contact SSA to correct your benefit record. You can reach SSA at 1-800-772-1213 or visit your local Social Security office.

Keep copies of your SSA benefit statements and OPM pension statements for your records. These documents show what each agency believes you are receiving and make it easier to spot errors quickly.

How SSDI and federal pensions interact with other programs

If you receive both SSDI and a federal pension, you should also understand how these income sources affect other programs you may use. Medicare coverage, Medicaid may be able to access, and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) all have different rules about how they count your income.

For Medicare, receiving SSDI automatically makes you may be able to access for Medicare after 24 months of SSDI benefits, regardless of your age or federal pension. Your federal pension does not change this timeline.

For Medicaid, the rules vary by state. Some states count your federal pension as income when determining Medicaid may be able to access; others do not. Contact your state Medicaid agency to learn how your specific situation is handled.

If you are receiving SSI (Supplemental Security Income) in addition to SSDI, your federal pension counts as income and will reduce your SSI benefit. SSA will coordinate this automatically, but it is worth understanding how much your SSI payment may decrease if you also have a federal pension.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does SSA report my SSDI to my private employer or state government employer?

No. SSA only reports SSDI information to OPM for federal civilian employees with CSRS or FERS pensions. Private employers and state or local government employers do not receive reports about your SSDI from SSA. Your SSDI is your personal income and is not automatically shared with your employer.

Can I ask SSA not to tell OPM about my SSDI?

No. If you have a federal pension, SSA is required by law to report your SSDI amount to OPM. You cannot opt out of this reporting. However, you can contact OPM if you believe the amount they have on record is incorrect and ask them to verify it with SSA.

Will my SSDI be reduced because of the Government Pension Offset?

No. The GPO rule reduces your federal pension, not your SSDI benefit. Your SSDI payment stays the same. Only the pension payment from OPM is reduced by two-thirds of your SSDI amount. If you think OPM has calculated the reduction incorrectly, contact OPM's Retirement Services office.

What if I receive SSDI and a military pension instead of a federal civilian pension?

The Government Pension Offset does not explore to military pensions. If you receive a military retirement pension and SSDI, OPM does not reduce your military pension based on your SSDI amount. SSA does not report your SSDI to the Department of Defense for this reason.

How often does SSA update OPM about my SSDI amount?

SSA reports your SSDI to OPM when your benefit is first approved and whenever your monthly benefit amount changes. Cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs), which usually happen once per year in January, trigger an update. Medical reviews or changes in your work activity that affect your benefit also trigger a report to OPM.