Do new hire federal employees have to pay into social security by having it deducted from their check.?

Question

I have heard that Federal employees do not pay into social security therefore they do not deduct it from their check. Any truth to that.

Answer 1

Federal employees hired since 1983 pay into Social Security like other people along with the current and the Federal Employees Retirement System.  Employees hired before then do not pay Social Security unless they opted into the program and are covered by a different retirement system.

Answer 2

See above answer - Pre-1983, they were under CSRS, the Civil Service Retirement System.  Longtime federal employees are still under CSRS, and do not pay into Social Security in connection with their federal employment.

More recent federal employees, like myself, are under FERS - Federal Employees Retirement System.  FERS is a less generous benefit, and we pay into Social Security.  The theory (koff) is that FERS and Social Security will both be there when I'm old.

Mmm hmm.