Applying for Retirement

• How long does it take to process my retirement application? View more

  Retirement Services strives to complete retirement claims within sixty days. If we need additional information from you or your former employing agency, however, your claim could take longer to process. It may take more time than average if, for example, your retirement claim has special circumstances (e.g. applying a specific retirement law, evaluating a court order, etc.)

  It may also take more time if we need to contact you to make a benefit election (e.g. a service credit deposit), or your former employing agency for additional information, or another agency such as the Social Security Administration, if a benefit from them impacts your claim.

  See the publicly available link we update monthly to review our rolling two-year window of average processing times.

  https://www.opm.gov/about-us/budget-performance/strategic-plans/retirement-processing-status.pdf
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• When will I get my first payment? View more
  In most cases, as soon as we get all of your retirement records, we provide interim payments. These payments represent a portion of your final benefit and are usually made on the first business day of each month. We try to provide you with income until we finish processing your application.
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• How can I apply for retirement? View more

  To qualify for payments from the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) or the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), you must submit a retirement application. They are available on our website, as follows:

  • Application for Immediate Retirement (CSRS), Standard Form (SF) 2801 [1.2 MB]
  • Application for Immediate Retirement (FERS), Standard Form (SF) 3107 [1.0 MB]

  You should submit an application for immediate retirement as shown below.

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• Can I buy back my military leave? View more

  Complete information pertaining to military service can be found in the CSRS/FERS handbook at www.opm.gov/retire/pubs/handbook/C022.pdf.  If you are a current employee, contact your personnel office for information.

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• Who can receive an annuity? View more
  If you meet the eligibility requirements for a retirement benefit, you are eligible to receive an annuity based on your length of service and your high-3 average salary. The information in your application is used to determine if you are applying for a disability option, a regular or early-out option, or a discontinued service annuity. It is also used to check the service listed on your payroll records.
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• Can I speed up my processing time? View more

  You can help reduce delays in processing by submitting your application in advance and by making sure your Official Personnel Folder (OPF) is complete. If you submit your paperwork early, your personnel and payroll offices will be able to complete their action before your retirement date.

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• How do I know my claim was processed? View more
  When we receive your retirement application, we will notify you and will provide a civil service claim identification number (a seven-digit number preceded by "CSA"). You must use that identification number whenever you contact OPM about your annuity.
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• What happens after my personnel office processes my application? View more

  After your personnel agency takes action, your agency payroll office:

  • Authorizes your final pay check and lump sum payment for unused annual leave;

  • Prepares your "Individual Retirement Record," Standard Form 2806 (CSRS) or 3100 (FERS) which reflects service, salary history, and annual retirement contributions; and

  • Forwards all retirement documents to OPM.
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• Are any deductions withheld from my "interim payments"? View more
  We only withhold Federal income tax.  You may find that the Federal income taxes withheld from your first interim payment will be higher than the Federal tax withholdings from your subsequent interim payments and regular annuity.  We will make any necessary tax withholding adjustment when we finish processing your application.  Your health and life insurance coverage will continue while you are receiving interim pay.  We will begin withholding health and life insurance premiums retroactive to the commencing date of your annuity, when we finish processing your application.
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• How does my personnel office process my application? View more

  Your personnel office must take the following actions to process your retirement application:

  • Complete the "Agency Check List of Immediate Retirement Procedures," Standard Form 2801, Schedule D (CSRS) or 3701, Schedule D (FERS);

  • Prepare and obtain your signature on the "Certified Summary of Federal Service," Standard Form 2801-1 (CSRS) or 3701-1 (FERS);

  • Verify any service not fully documented in your OPF; [Note:If documentation is missing, verification may be obtained by contacting federal record centers. If the personnel office is unable to obtain verification, we will complete verification upon receipt of your retirement application and records. This process will cause a delay in processing of your claim.]

  • Certify and transfer your coverage under the Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) program to OPM;

  • Transfer your enrollment under the Federal Employees' Health Benefits (FEHB) program to OPM;

  • Prepare Standard Form (SF) 50, "Notification of Personnel Action."; and

  • Send all of your retirement materials to your payroll office.

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