Caution must be exercised when a disabled annuitant who retired from civil service prior to October 20, 1969, applies for SS retirement benefits. Such an annuitant may have had their OPM benefit computed under the guaranteed minimum 40 percent of salary provision which does not directly credit pre-1957 MS, thus permitting SS wage credits.

If the annuitant elected a reduced annuity with survivor benefits in order to provide for surviving spouse benefits upon death, the potential surviving spouse benefit is always based on the 55 percent of earned annuity formula, regardless of the basis for the annuitant's benefit. The earned annuity formula credits any pre-1957 MS; therefore, we may not grant wage credits for SS retirement (or any other benefit) purposes, even though the surviving spouse benefits will not be paid by OPM until the annuitant dies. It is the determination that such benefits are payable (even though not paid yet) that bars our wage credits.

If the disability began after October 19, 1969, any surviving spouse benefit has the same basis as the disabled retiree's annuity; thus, if the latter did not involve pre-1957 MS, neither will the former.