Learn more about interim retirement pay
FAQs and answers about interim pay during federal retirement application processing.
Questions and answers
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. This is because we sometimes make necessary tax withholding adjustments when we finish processing your retirement application.
When we finish processing your retirement application, we'll begin withholding health benefits and life insurance premiums retroactive to the start date of your annuity.
Yes, your health benefits and life insurance benefits coverage will continue while you're receiving interim pay.
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A claim number is required to make a help submission.
If you are an annuitant, you can find your CSA or CSF claim number on your 1099-R, your annual COLA notice or your Benefits Booklet.
If you are unable to locate your CSA or CSF claim number, or you are not a retiree, former spouse of a retiree or a survivor of a retiree, or you are inquiring about the status of a refund application, please contact us on
1-888-767-6738 and one of our representatives will be able to assist you.
Contact us for more support
Report a Death
To report a death of a Retired Federal Employee or Current Federal Employee, please click the link below that applies:
Submit your information below and one of our Customer Service Specialists will begin working on your request. All fields are required. We usually respond within 3 to 5 business days.
Please be advised that the information submitted must be entered by the annuitant or on behalf of the annuitant by the Representative Payee.
Call us if you can't find an answer to your question on OPM.gov or if you can't sign in to OPM Retirement Services Online to manage your annuity account. You may also need to call us for special or complex cases, or because we directed you to.
Phone: 1-888-767-6738
TTY: 711
Hours: Monday thru Friday, 7:40 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET
Closed on federal holidays
Our busiest time is between 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. ET.
Please make sure your first and last name, phone number, email address, claim number, and signature are included in any inquiries or documents you mail to us. We usually respond within 1 to 3 weeks after we receive your mail.
Retirement Operations Center
U.S. Office of Personnel Management
Post Office Box 45
Boyers, PA 16017
Retirement Services Support Center
U.S. Office of Personnel Management
1900 E. Street, NW
Room 1323
Washington, DC 20415
Directions
Hours: Monday thru Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to
4:00 p.m. ET
Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET
Closed on federal holidays
OPM Retirement Services does not have a main fax number.
You should only fax us documents if an official OPM form or one of our Customer Service Specialists asks you to (the fax number will be provided on the form, or the Customer Service Specialist will provide you one.) Otherwise, you should mail us your documents.