The role of your agency in your retirement request

Reg Jones

As I pointed out last week, it is important to plan for retirement in advance. Ideally, you would do this a year before the day you want to retire. However, if you don’t have a lot of time, you will have to work in the time that you have. Last week I explained what you need to do to smooth the path to retirement. This week, I’m going to walk you through what your agency needs to do. ()

A warning to those who think that this next step will be instantaneous and that your application will speed up to OPM for the auction and a quick start of your annuity: it does not work that way.

The length of the process only within your agency will depend on several factors, such as the workload of your agency staff and payroll offices. If they are understaffed due to COVID-19 and / or are buried under a pile of pension requests, it may take longer.

Once your personnel office receives your retirement request, it will determine whether 1) you meet the age and service requirements to retire on the date you set, and 2) you will be eligible for your benefits. Federal Employee Health Service (FEHB). membership and / or federal employee group life insurance (FEGLI) until retirement.

If there are no issues, your personnel office will generate a Certified Federal Service Summary, which will list your Federal Civilian Service and Military Service, if applicable. When they send you a copy, you will need to verify it for accuracy and make changes if necessary.
As the date you choose to retire approaches, your personnel office:

• certify your FEGLI coverage to OPM, if you are eligible to continue this coverage;

• transfer your FEHB registration to the OPM, if you are eligible for continued coverage;

• forward any current beneficiary designation that is in your OPS;

• process an SF 50 (Personal Action Notification) to separate you from the service;

• complete and certify the personnel office part of your retirement application; and

• forward your pension application and related files to your agency’s payroll office.

Your payroll office:

• authorize your last salary payment after you retire. It will also authorize any lump sum payment owed to you for unused vacation leave. If you have been offered a “buy-back”, it will also authorize that payment;

• certify and close your individual retirement file (IRR), the official statement of your current service, rates of pay, sick leave credits not used for retirement purposes, etc .; Because the IRR contains a list of your retirement deductions for your last period of service, it cannot be closed until your last paycheck has been issued;

• certify your annual base salary for the purposes of FEGLI life insurance, if you have any at retirement; and

• send your retirement package to the OPM.

Your agency’s payroll department will usually notify you when your file has been sent to the OPM. This notice will include the register number, the dates of transmission and dispatch and the number of your pay office. This information is important if you need to check the status of your case after it has been sent to the OPM. If your agency doesn’t notify you, you’ll need to follow up with them.

Now you know what your agency is supposed to do. Next week, I will explain the role of OPM to you.

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