Practical help with your FERS disability retirement application

We identify your current stage, the applicable agency or former-employee application route, and the parts completed by you and others. We discuss access to ORA and identify requests that should begin promptly, including agency documents, provider information and the SSDI application requirement.

Your progress: You know whom to contact, what you are requesting and which steps need attention first. You begin your own requests and progress notes.

We explain the relevant ORA retirement-application questions and SF3107 information, as applicable. Topics include your service history, personal information, supporting documents and questions about retirement elections that need answers from your benefits office or another qualified adviser.

Your progress: You work through your own application information and identify facts or decisions that still need clarification. You make your own elections.

We walk through SF3112A’s questions and discuss how to describe your own experience in clear, factual language. We focus on actual job duties, what happens when you try to perform them, relevant dates, attendance or conduct issues, and accommodation history.

Your progress: You create your own first draft, using your words and accurate examples rather than generic phrases.

You bring your draft for a verbal walkthrough. We discuss whether your answers address the questions, whether dates and descriptions are consistent, and where a reader might need a clearer factual explanation.

For example: “When you say this task is difficult, what actually happens, and how often?”

Your progress: You make your own revisions and identify unanswered factual questions. The aim is a clear account, not scripted language or a prediction of approval.

We review what SF3112C asks the treating clinician to address and how your position description can help explain your work. We discuss questions you can ask about documented limitations, treatment, prognosis and expected duration.

Provider requests should already be underway when appropriate; this session need not delay an appointment.

Your progress: You prepare your own appointment questions and know which information to discuss with your clinician. The clinician independently writes their findings and opinions.

We explain the purposes of SF3112B, SF3112D and SF3112E, including the supervisor’s statement and agency accommodation/reassignment certification. We talk through the status of your requests and how to ask for factual updates.

We also revisit the separate SSDI application requirement and the application receipt or other documentation needed.

Your progress: You know which office is responsible for each outstanding item and can make your own follow-up requests. Agency forms remain the agency’s responsibility.

Using the current official instructions and your own checklist, we discuss unanswered prompts, inconsistent dates, required signatures and documents still outstanding. You practice checking that the materials you intend to submit are readable and identifiable.

Your progress: You make your own corrections, assemble your materials and distinguish finished items from unresolved ones. This is a preparation walkthrough, not certification that your medical evidence meets OPM’s standard.

We walk through the current ORA/agency submission route applicable to you, how to retain confirmations, and how to monitor notices and requests. If your application is not ready, we use the session to identify the remaining actions rather than rush a submission.

Your progress: You either complete your own submission through the appropriate route when ready, or leave knowing what remains, who is responsible and how you will follow up.

Agency requests, medical appointments and processing delays can change the sequence. A deadline should never be postponed to fit the coaching schedule.