Retiring from federal service involves more than choosing your last day of work. Your retirement application must move through several organizations before your pension is finalized. Understanding how the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) retirement application process works can help you avoid delays, set realistic expectations, and know what happens after you submit your paperwork.

As of July 1, 2026, OPM has officially ended paper-based retirement processing for nearly all employees, marking what the agency called its “Last Day of Paper.” Retirement applications are now submitted and processed almost entirely through OPM’s Online Retirement Application (ORA) — the only exceptions are a small number of intelligence agencies with distinct confidentiality requirements. While the application process is now digital for the vast majority of employees, your employing agency and payroll office still play critical roles before OPM can finalize your retirement claim.

Key Takeaways

• Your retirement application does not go directly to OPM.
• Your agency’s Human Resources office reviews and certifies your retirement package before forwarding it to payroll and then OPM.
• Nearly all federal employees now apply using OPM’s Online Retirement Application (ORA), following OPM’s July 2026 transition away from paper.
• OPM generally issues interim retirement payments while your claim is being finalized, and has committed to paying eligible retirees within seven days of retirement if their package is complete by their separation date.
• Complete and accurate documentation can help reduce processing delays.
• Understanding each stage of the process can make retirement less stressful and more predictable.

How the OPM Retirement Application Process Works

The retirement process generally follows five stages.

Step 1: Notify Your Agency

Most agencies recommend contacting Human Resources several months before your planned retirement date. Your HR office will help determine your retirement eligibility, explain required forms, review benefit elections, provide retirement counseling, and discuss your anticipated retirement timeline. Today, this process typically begins through OPM’s Online Retirement Application (ORA), which guides employees through the required forms and benefit elections while allowing supporting documents to be submitted electronically. OPM has also introduced a pre-retirement tool, sometimes referred to as Retire Ready, that lets employees begin working through their application with HR well before their separation date — so a fully completed package can reach OPM the day retirement takes effect, rather than starting the clock afterward.

Step 2: Complete Your Retirement Application

Depending on your retirement system, you’ll complete either Standard Form 3107 for FERS employees or Standard Form 2801 for CSRS employees, now generally submitted through ORA. The application includes decisions regarding survivor benefits, Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) coverage, Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance (FEGLI), federal tax withholding, direct deposit, and military service credit if applicable. You may also need to provide supporting documentation such as marriage certificates, divorce decrees, court orders, DD Form 214, or records showing military service deposits have been paid. Taking time to carefully review your application before submission can help prevent unnecessary delays later in the process.

Step 3: Agency Review

After you submit your application, your agency’s Human Resources office reviews the retirement package for completeness and accuracy. HR specialists verify your service history, retirement eligibility, leave balances, retirement coverage, high-three average salary information, and all required supporting documentation. If information is missing or inconsistent, HR will generally contact you before forwarding your retirement package for payroll certification. This review is an important quality-control step because incomplete retirement packages are one of the most common causes of processing delays.

Step 4: Payroll Certification

After HR completes its review, the retirement package is forwarded to your agency’s payroll office. The payroll office verifies your salary history, retirement deductions, sick leave balance, annual leave information, and payroll records. Once payroll certification is complete, the retirement package is transmitted to OPM for adjudication. Although employees often think OPM begins processing immediately after retirement, much of the work occurs before OPM ever receives the application.

Step 5: OPM Receives Your Application

Once OPM receives your retirement package, it establishes your retirement claim. During this stage, OPM assigns your Civil Service Annuitant (CSA) claim number, reviews the documentation submitted by your agency, calculates your retirement benefit, verifies your benefit elections, and contacts your agency if additional information is needed. Many retirees receive interim retirement payments while OPM completes the final review of their retirement claim.

What Happens While OPM Processes Your Claim?

One of the most common concerns among new retirees is the time between retirement and receiving their finalized annuity. While your application is under review, OPM generally begins interim retirement payments if you are eligible. These payments are temporary estimates until your retirement benefit has been fully calculated. As part of its July 2026 modernization push, OPM has committed to issuing a retiree’s first payment within seven days of retirement for applicants who submit a complete package by their separation date. OPM also continues processing your retirement records, verifies service history and benefit elections, coordinates your health insurance if you are eligible to continue FEHB coverage, and calculates any retroactive payment owed once your claim is finalized. Because every retirement case is different, processing times can vary significantly depending on the complexity of the claim.

How Long Does the Process Take?

There is no single timeline that applies to every retirement application, but the shift to digital processing has narrowed the range considerably. As of May 2026, claims submitted digitally through ORA were taking about 66 days on average to process, compared with roughly 105 days for paper-based claims submitted the same month. Simple retirement claims may be finalized well within a few months after OPM receives a complete application. More complex cases involving military service, prior federal employment, court orders, survivor benefit elections, or missing documentation often require additional review. The time spent at your employing agency before your application reaches OPM also varies by agency and payroll provider. Rather than focusing on a specific number of days, retirees should understand that the process involves several organizations working together before retirement benefits can be finalized.

The following example illustrates how a typical retirement application progresses. Every retirement case is unique, so actual timelines will vary.

 

 

Tips to Help Avoid Delays

There are several steps employees can take before retirement that may help reduce processing delays. Review your electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF) to verify your service history and personnel records. Confirm that any military service deposits have been completed. Review beneficiary designations for retirement benefits, life insurance, and the Thrift Savings Plan.

Gather supporting documents such as marriage certificates, divorce decrees, military records, and court orders before submitting your application. Meet with your Human Resources office several months before your planned retirement date to identify and resolve any issues early — and consider starting your application through OPM’s pre-retirement tool if it’s available to you, so your package is ready to submit the moment you separate. Finally, review every section of your retirement application carefully before submitting it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I send my retirement application directly to OPM?

Most current federal employees submit their retirement application through their employing agency, generally through ORA. The agency reviews and certifies the application before forwarding it to OPM.

Will I receive payments while OPM processes my retirement?

Many retirees receive interim retirement payments while OPM completes the final adjudication of their retirement claim. OPM has committed to issuing a first payment within seven days of retirement for retirees whose packages are complete by their separation date.

What is the Online Retirement Application?

The Online Retirement Application (ORA) is OPM’s electronic retirement application system that allows employees to complete retirement forms online and submit supporting documentation digitally. As of July 1, 2026, ORA handles nearly all federal retirement applications, with paper processing now limited to a small number of intelligence agencies with distinct confidentiality requirements.

What causes retirement processing delays?

The most common causes include incomplete applications, missing documentation, military service issues, prior federal service, court orders, survivor benefit elections, and other complex retirement situations.