Federal employee retirement checklist

• Verify your Service Computation Date (SCD). Request your official SCD from HR or confirm it on your most recent SF-50 (Box 31). Errors in your SCD are common and can affect both your eligibility date and your pension calculation.
• Pay your military service deposit. If you have active duty military service, paying the deposit now is far cheaper than waiting — interest accrues at the variable Treasury rate. Calculate the deposit amount through your agency payroll office and set up payments. The deposit must be paid before you separate.
• Verify FEHB enrollment continuity. Confirm you have been continuously enrolled in FEHB (or covered as a family member) for the 5 consecutive years before your planned retirement date. A gap — even one pay period — can permanently disqualify you from retiree FEHB. Check your enrollment history through your agency's EBIS system or Employee Express.
• Run your numbers with the estimator. Use the FERS pension estimator to project your retirement income for every possible retirement year. Understand which milestones (MRA+30, age 60+20, age 62+5) apply to you and what the income difference is between each.
• Maximize TSP contributions. The years immediately before retirement are your last opportunity for tax-advantaged saving. If you're not at 5%, increase to capture the full match. If you can afford more, consider increasing toward the annual limit.
• Review your TSP fund allocation. With 3–5 years to retirement, many employees shift some allocation from equity funds (C, S, I) toward more stable options (G, F). The right allocation depends on your pension income floor and risk tolerance.
• Request a Social Security Statement. Create a my Social Security account at ssa.gov and review your estimated benefits at ages 62, 67, and 70. These numbers feed into your FERS annuity supplement calculation if you qualify.
• Consider a high-3 strategy. Your FERS pension is based on your highest 36 consecutive months of basic pay. If you can time a promotion or grade increase in this window, it may permanently increase your pension. Locality pay is included in basic pay for FERS purposes.

• Request a formal retirement estimate from your agency HR. Ask your HR Benefits Specialist for an official retirement estimate based on your projected separation date. This is different from the HighThree estimator — it's OPM's calculation. Compare it to your own estimate to catch discrepancies.
• Review your eOPF (electronic Official Personnel File). Access your eOPF at hr.defense.gov or through your agency's equivalent. Verify that all SF-50s are present, your service history is complete, and there are no gaps or errors. Correcting record errors now is far easier than doing it after you separate.
• Confirm your creditable service computation. Understand exactly which periods of service count, which are excluded, and whether any prior federal service was refunded. If refunded service can be redeposited, now is the time to calculate whether the redeposit makes sense financially.
• Review your FEGLI (life insurance) options. Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance coverage changes at retirement. Basic coverage continues at a reduced government contribution; optional coverage (Standard, Additional, Family) can be maintained at your own expense or reduced. Decide which coverage levels to keep based on your family situation and private insurance alternatives.
• Check your sick leave balance. At retirement, your sick leave is converted to additional service credit at 174 hours per month for pension calculation purposes (not eligibility). A balance of 2,000 hours adds roughly 11.5 months to your service credit, modestly increasing your pension. There is no benefit to burning down sick leave before retirement.
• Begin estate planning review. Review your beneficiary designations on TSP, FEGLI, and any other accounts. Confirm your will, power of attorney, and healthcare directive are current. TSP beneficiary designations override your will.

• Decide on the survivor benefit election. The survivor benefit (SBP) allows a designated survivor — typically a spouse — to continue receiving 25% or 50% of your unreduced pension after your death. In exchange, your pension is reduced by 5% (for the 25% option) or 10% (for the 50% option). Declining the survivor benefit requires your spouse's notarized consent. This is an irrevocable election made at retirement — think through it carefully with your financial advisor. An election of 50% survivor benefit costs you ~10% of your pension annually but provides a lifetime income stream for your spouse.
• Verify your FEHB plan and enrollment type. Confirm the FEHB plan you want to continue in retirement. You don't need to change plans at retirement, but many retirees review their options during Open Season (typically November–December) before their retirement date.
• Evaluate TSP withdrawal strategy. Decide how you plan to take TSP income in retirement: installment payments, lump sums, life annuity, or rollover to an IRA. Each has different tax and flexibility implications. Review with a financial planner if your balance is large.
• Plan your health insurance bridge if needed. If you will retire before age 65 and have FEHB, your coverage continues. But if you face a gap for any reason (insufficient FEHB enrollment, MRA+10 postponed retirement, or leaving before eligibility), confirm your alternative coverage plan before your final day.
• Confirm Social Security filing strategy. Decide when you plan to claim Social Security (62, your Full Retirement Age, or age 70). If you retire before 62 under MRA+30, your FERS Annuity Supplement bridges the gap. If you retire at 62 or later, coordinate your SS claim with the estimator to see total income by age.

• Submit your retirement application to HR. Complete OPM Form RI 92-19 (Application for Immediate Retirement under FERS) or your agency's electronic equivalent. Your HR Benefits Specialist will review it, compute your benefit, and forward the package to OPM. Typical processing time at OPM is 2–6 months after receipt of a complete application — expect interim payments while full adjudication is pending.
• Set a specific retirement date. Many employees retire on the last day of a pay period or the last day of a month. Retiring at the end of a month means your annuity begins the first of the following month, minimizing any payment gap. Your HR specialist can confirm the optimal date for your specific situation.
• Notify your supervisor and manager. Some positions require extended notice for transition planning. Federal custom varies by agency and position, but 30–60 days is typical. More is generally better for senior or hard-to-backfill positions.
• Check your annual leave balance. At retirement, you receive a lump-sum payment for all unused annual leave at your current rate of pay. Unlike sick leave (which converts to service credit), annual leave is paid out in cash. This payment is taxable and can be substantial for employees with large balances.
• Complete TSP beneficiary update if needed. Verify your TSP beneficiary designation at tsp.gov. After retirement, you will no longer have payroll access — make any changes now.
• Request your retirement package from HR. Ensure all required forms are in your packet: SF-2801 series (or RI 92-19), life insurance elections, health insurance enrollment verification, and survivor benefit election.

• Confirm your separation date in the HR system. Verify that your last day of work, last day in pay status, and official retirement date are all recorded correctly in your agency's HR system.
• Understand the interim payment period. After separation, OPM will issue interim annuity payments (typically 80–90% of your estimated final benefit) while your claim is fully adjudicated. Full adjudication and your final annuity rate may take several months. Budget for this transition period — many retirees wait 3–6 months for their final annuity rate to be established.
• Return government property. Return PIV/CAC cards, government equipment, access badges, vehicles, and any other government property on or before your final day. Failure to return property can complicate your separation paperwork.
• Download personal data and contacts. Before your government email and system access is terminated, save any personal contacts, documents, or information you want to keep. Government systems are typically locked on or shortly after your final day.
• Set up direct deposit for your annuity. OPM will pay your annuity by direct deposit to your bank account. Confirm your banking information is correctly on file with OPM — do this during the application process.
• Keep a copy of your complete retirement package. Save copies of all retirement forms, your official retirement estimate, your SF-50 final, and any correspondence with HR and OPM. These documents can be critical if questions arise later.

• Verify your final annuity rate. Once OPM finishes full adjudication, your annuity will be increased to your final computed amount (retroactive to your retirement date). Verify the amount against your retirement estimate. If there are discrepancies, contact OPM immediately — errors are not uncommon.
• Enroll in Medicare Part B at age 65. If you are not yet 65 at retirement, mark your calendar for your 65th birthday. Enroll in Medicare Part B during your Initial Enrollment Period (IEP — the 7 months around your 65th birthday). With FEHB as a retiree, Medicare becomes the primary payer and FEHB secondary, typically resulting in lower out-of-pocket costs. Missing the IEP triggers a permanent 10% surcharge per year of delay.
• File for Social Security when you're ready. If you retired under MRA+30 before age 62, your annuity supplement is paying until 62. At 62, the supplement stops and you can start Social Security if you choose. Apply online at ssa.gov about 3 months before you want benefits to begin.
• Review FEHB Open Season each November. As a retiree, you can change your FEHB plan each year during Open Season. Review plan options annually — especially when your health situation changes — as plan offerings and premiums shift each year.
• Understand your COLA timeline. FERS retirees under age 62 do not receive COLA adjustments. Once you turn 62, COLA adjustments begin with the next applicable December increase. COLAs are applied to your annuity effective December 1 and paid in January. The first COLA after you retire may be prorated based on when in the year you retired.
• Set up TSP income distributions. If you have not already, establish your TSP withdrawal elections. Installment payments can be set up online at tsp.gov. Review the tax withholding on your TSP distributions alongside your annuity to avoid underpayment penalties.
• File taxes correctly. Your FERS annuity, TSP withdrawals, and Social Security may all be taxable. OPM will send a 1099-R for your annuity. The TSP will send a 1099-R for distributions. Review your federal and state tax withholding settings — you can adjust OPM withholding through Services Online at servicesonline.opm.gov.

Gather and save copies of these documents before your retirement date:

1. Submitting the retirement application too late. OPM processing takes time. If your application is incomplete or has errors, it can take 6+ months for your final annuity to be established. Submit early and follow up with HR to confirm receipt.
2. Dropping FEHB in the 5-year window. Letting FEHB lapse even once in the 5 years before retirement permanently disqualifies you from retiree health coverage. This is the single most costly and most common mistake made by employees considering retirement or job changes.
3. Not paying the military service deposit in time. Once you separate, the window to pay your deposit closes permanently. Employees who realize they should have paid the deposit after they've already retired have no recourse.
4. Choosing the wrong survivor benefit election. Declining the survivor benefit or choosing the wrong percentage is irrevocable. Think through this decision carefully before you sign.
5. Retiring mid-year and losing your high-3. If you're within 12–24 months of a salary increase that would boost your high-3, waiting for the raise before retiring increases your pension permanently.
6. Overlooking the earnings test on the annuity supplement. If you retire before 62 under MRA+30 and work in retirement, earnings above the Social Security exempt amount (~$22,320 in 2025) reduce your supplement by $1 for every $2 earned. Working part-time and earning above the limit can eliminate the supplement entirely.
7. Forgetting to enroll in Medicare Part B at 65. With FEHB in retirement, Medicare and FEHB coordinate to provide comprehensive coverage at lower out-of-pocket cost. Missing the Initial Enrollment Period results in a permanent 10% surcharge per year of delay.
8. Misunderstanding interim payments. OPM pays an interim annuity (typically 80–90% of the estimated benefit) while adjudicating your claim. Some retirees assume interim is the final rate and are surprised by the larger retroactive payment. Budget conservatively during the transition.