A FERS employee who claims Social Security at 62 instead of waiting until 70 gives up 76% of the monthly benefit increase she would have earned through DRCs. On a $2,800 PIA, that is the difference between collecting $1,960/month at 62 (permanently reduced) and $3,472/month at 70 (permanently increased) — a gap of $1,512 every month for life. For a couple where both spouses have federal careers and earned their own Social Security credits, claiming strategy alone can move total retirement income by $30,000-$50,000 per year.

Social Security is not a bonus check that arrives on top of FERS and TSP. It is the second leg of the three-legged stool, and understanding how the benefit is calculated, how timing affects the amount, and how the 2025 Fairness Act changed the rules for non-covered pension holders is essential to competent federal retirement planning.