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OPM.gov / Retirement / Benefits Officers Center
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Benefits Officers Center

 

Overview

What's New in Retirement Benefits

Online Retirement Application (ORA)

The Online Retirement Application (ORA) is OPM’s secure online system for submitting retirement application packages electronically. ORA streamlines the retirement process by allowing agencies to review, manage, and submit retirement packages through a secure, digital system.

HR Specialists play a key role in the ORA process. Their responsibilities include:

  • Verifying employee eligibility for retirement
  • Ensuring all required information is included and accurate
  • Reviewing and approving employee-uploaded supporting documents
  • Submitting applications through ORA for payroll review and final processing

Agency Benefits Officers support successful use of ORA by ensuring the appropriate staff have access to the platform and are prepared to carry out their retirement processing responsibilities.

If you are an HR Specialist and need access to ORA or have questions about processing a retirement application using ORA, please contact your Agency Benefits Officer.

The ORA platform has a dedicated Help page that contains useful information and instructional videos for applicants, HR Specialists, and Payroll Offices. For ORA technical issues, please submit an ORA technical support ticket.

Retirement In Focus

Federal Ballpark Estimate

OPM developed the Federal Ballpark Estimate, a savings goal worksheet. You can use the Federal Ballpark Estimate to automatically calculate estimates of future Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) or Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) retirement benefits and Thrift Savings Plan account balances. It will also let you know how well you are doing in meeting your savings goal.

Retirement Financial Literacy and Education Strategy

OPM has developed a retirement financial literacy and education strategy for Federal employees. The plan is designed to educate Federal employees on the need for retirement savings and investment, provide information on how to plan for retirement and how to calculate the retirement investment needed to meet their retirement goals. View additional information on the Financial Literacy page.

Agency Benefits Specialist Notices Online Mailing List

Are you subscribed to the Agency Benefits Specialist Notices online mailing list?

The Agency Benefits Specialist Notices mailing list provides informational updates to subscribers on Benefits Administration Letter (BAL) publications, training announcements, and retirement guidance. While the primary customers for the Agency Benefits Specialist Notices are agency benefits officers, federal human resources professionals, and payroll providers, anyone with a government email can subscribe.

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Related Information

Training Videos

The Benefits Officers Development and Outreach (BODO) library of training streamed videos for human resources professionals are available on OPM’s YouTube Channel.

Future trainings and video publications will be announced through our Agency Benefits Specialist Notices mailing list. While the primary customers for the Agency Benefits Specialist Notices are agency benefits officers, federal human resources professionals, and payroll providers, anyone with a government email can subscribe.

Resources

Retirement Counseling Resources

Agency Retirement Case Accuracy Resources

Agency Retirement Case Accuracy Report – This report reflects the number of non-disability retirement application packages reviewed and the associated error rate for an agency that had at least 15 cases reviewed in a specified month in the current fiscal year.

The list below highlights key resources available to Human Resources Offices and Payroll Offices on preparing and submitting retirement application packages:

Benefits Administration Letters (BALs)

  • BAL 25-102, FEHB Enrollment Coordination for Married Federal Employees and Annuitants
  • BAL 24-103, Process Change for Retiring Employee Open Season Elections Effective After Retirement
  • BAL 24-103 Attachment 1: FEHB Enrollment Change in Package
  • BAL 24-103 Attachment 2: Instructions for FEHB Enrollment Change Cover Sheet and Assembling Retirement Application Packages
  • BAL 22-101, Changes to Acceptable Signature Requirements on Retirement Processing Forms
  • BAL 22-101 Appendix A: Acceptable Forms with Electronic Signatures from Agencies and Payroll Offices
  • BAL 22-101 Appendix B: Examples of Acceptable Electronic/Digital Signatures
  • BAL 22-101 Appendix C: Common Questions Concerning Permanent Changes to Acceptable Signature Requirements on Retirement Processing Forms
  • BAL 21-104, Additional Guidance Regarding Certification of Service Performed as a Law Enforcement Officer, Firefighter, Nuclear Materials Courier, Customs and Border Protection Officer (535 Service), or Air Traffic Controller
  • BAL 17-101, Additional Guidance on Military Deposits
  • BAL 16-102, OPM No Longer Accepting Corrections on Certain Benefits Election Forms
  • BAL 15-102, Additional Items to Report on Individual Retirement Records (IRRs) in Cases of Separation, Removal, or Resignation
  • BAL 14-105, Updates to the Data Exchange Gateway (DEG) and Important Reminders
  • BAL 14-105 Attachment 1: DEG Data Set
  • BAL 14-105 Attachment 2: FEHB Cover Sheet
  • BAL 14-103, Documenting a Retiring Employee’s Eligibility to Continue Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Enrollment into Retirement
  • BAL 14-103 Attachment 1: Instructions for FEHB Information and Certification Memorandum
  • BAL 14-103 Attachment 2: FEHB Information and Certification Memorandum
  • BAL 12-103, Submitting Healthy Retirement Application Packages - Revised
  • BAL 12-103 Attachment A: CSRS and FERS Development Checklist and Log
  • BAL 12-103 Attachment B: Annotated CSRS and FERS Development Checklist
  • BAL 12-103 Attachment C: CSA Document Order for Retirement Package Submissions
  • BAL 12-102, Acceptance of Photocopies of Signed Documents in Retirement Application Packages and other Agency Submissions
  • BAL 11-103, Authority to Redeposit Refunds under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS)
  • BAL 02-318, Additional Reporting Requirements for Offset Employees who Participate in HB-PC
  • BAL 02-304, CSRS Withholdings for CSRS-Offset Employees Who are HB-PC Participants
  • BAL 01-106, Action on SF 2806s and SF 3100s When There is a Payroll Office Change

CSRS and FERS Handbook for Personnel and Payroll Offices

  • Chapter 40 – Planning and Applying for Retirement
  • Chapter 42 – MRA + 10 Retirement
  • Chapter 43 – Early Voluntary Retirement
  • Chapter 44 – Discontinued Service Retirement
  • Chapter 46 – Special Retirement Provisions for Law Enforcement Officers, Firefighters, Air Traffic Controllers, and Military Reserve Technicians
  • Chapter 81 – Individual Retirement Records and Registers of Separations and Transfers

Information Sheets

Retirement and Insurance (RI) Forms

  • RI 38-86, Proof of Marriage for the Purpose of Obtaining Retirement Benefits

Training Videos

Suggestions for information and services that you would like to see added to these pages should be directed to the Benefits Officers Liaison and Development team at benefits@opm.gov.

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