The Final Approach
Your Last Year Before Retirement
Clear checklists, system checks, and lessons learned from others who've flown this route before
Your final year in federal service sets the tone for everything that follows. This isn't just about picking a date and submitting paperwork — it's about positioning yourself for a smooth, accurate, and stress-free transition into retirement. Let's walk through it like a pilot preparing for landing.
📆 Your Final Year Countdown
This is your mission timeline. Each milestone on this countdown isn't optional — it's essential.
- 12 Months Out: Request your official retirement annuity estimate from HR. Start verifying your records by checking your SF-50s against your Service Computation Date (RSCD). Discrepancies in your RSCD can lower your annuity.
- 6 Months Out: Attend pre-retirement counseling. Review your insurance to ensure you meet the 5-year requirement for FEHB and FEGLI to carry them into retirement.
- 3–4 Months Out: Select your retirement date. Begin completing SF-3107, the formal Application for Immediate Retirement.
- 30–60 Days Out: Submit your completed retirement packet to HR, including supporting documents like SF-2809 (FEHB) and SF-2818 (FEGLI). Verify that HR certifies your eligibility before forwarding the packet to OPM.
- Last Day on the Job: Download your full eOPF and final leave statement. Confirm that your packet was transmitted to OPM and ask for confirmation of delivery.
📝 Choosing Your Retirement Date (Yes, It Really Matters)
This is one of the most strategic decisions you'll make. Why? Because FERS pensions start on the first day of the month following your retirement date. Retiring even one day into the month can cost you a whole month of pension.
What's a "Super Date"?
A "Super Date" is when the end of the month and the end of a pay period fall on the same day. This lets you get your full final paycheck (with full leave accrual) and trigger your pension immediately the next day. Example: December 31 (in most years).
| Retirement Date Strategy | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Good: The Last Day of Any Month | Minimizes the gap between your final paycheck and your first interim annuity payment. Your pension starts the very next day. | You may forfeit the sick and annual leave accrued during that final, partial pay period. |
| Better: The Last Day of a Pay Period | You receive credit for all leave accrued in your final pay period. | May create a gap of several weeks between your last paycheck and your annuity start date if it's not at the end of a month. |
| "Best": The "Super Date" | Maximizes both your final paycheck and your leave accrual, with no pension gap. Often used for tax planning (e.g., Dec 31st). | These dates are rare. The December 31st date is notoriously popular, leading to massive OPM backlogs. |
🔁 Real-World Tip: Don't Chase Pennies and Miss Your Freedom
Some federal employees obsess over getting every last dollar. But waiting until December 31 might net you an extra $2,000–$5,000 in leave and a few more dollars monthly, but it might also delay your OPM processing by 2–3 months, add stress, and create a longer period of interim pay limbo. Sometimes it's smarter to walk away when you're ready, not just when it looks best on paper.
🗂️ Preparing and Submitting Your Retirement Packet
Retiring from federal service doesn't just mean turning in your badge — it means submitting a carefully completed packet of forms that triggers your entire retirement process. If anything in that packet is missing, incomplete, or inconsistent, it can delay your pension, survivor benefits, or health coverage.
📝 What You're Responsible For
You, not your HR office, are ultimately responsible for completing your retirement application. HR will help certify your service history and benefits eligibility — but it's your job to complete, sign, and assemble the forms.
Here's what goes in your retirement packet:
| Form | Purpose |
|---|---|
| SF-3107 | Main application for FERS Immediate Retirement |
| SF-3107-2 | Spousal consent if you're waiving a full survivor annuity |
| SF-2809 | FEHB Health Benefits continuation form |
| SF-2818 | FEGLI Life Insurance continuation election |
| RI 92-19 | Military service deposit confirmation (if applicable) |
| W-4P | Federal tax withholding for your pension |
| TSP-70 or TSP-77 | TSP withdrawal or transfer instructions (optional, handled with TSP) |
📌 Best Practices When Submitting
- 1. Triple-Check for Signatures: A huge number of retirement applications are delayed due to missing signatures. Some forms (like the SF-3107-2) require both your signature and your spouse's.
- 2. Verify Supporting Evidence: If you're continuing FEHB or FEGLI, make sure you've attached proof showing you've had it for 5+ years.
- 3. Get a Submission Receipt: Ask your HR office to give you a signed confirmation or receipt that they've sent your retirement packet to OPM.
📤 How the Packet Is Transmitted
Once you've completed everything and turned it into HR, your agency's retirement specialist will certify your service history, validate your eligibility, and submit the package to OPM. Follow up within 3–4 weeks to confirm OPM has received it by calling 1-888-767-6738 or checking your status through the OPM Services Online portal.
🧠 Real-World Tip: Use a Personal Checklist
Retirees who report a smooth transition all had one thing in common — they didn't rely on HR to catch mistakes. Print or build your own checklist and verify every required form is present, all signatures are complete, coverage dates are correct, and you have copies of everything.
🛡️ Common Mistakes That Delay or Deny Processing
| Mistake | Impact |
|---|---|
| ❌ Missing FEHB proof | Health insurance may be denied or temporarily dropped |
| ❌ Unsigned spousal consent | Application returned or put on hold for clarification |
| ❌ Omitted military deposit info | Pension recalculated without credit for service |
| ❌ Wrong RSCD or not validated | Pension underpaid or delayed |
📝 Your Final Year Master Checklist
Here's a full checklist — broken down by timeline — to use as your "do not proceed until complete" list.
📅 12 Months Before Retirement
- Request retirement annuity estimate from HR
- Review RSCD, SF-50 history, and creditable service
- Begin verifying military deposit or redeposit status
- Check FEHB and FEGLI eligibility (5-year rule)
- Begin thinking about best retirement dates
📅 6 Months Before
- Attend pre-retirement counseling (if available)
- Review your TSP strategy and withdrawal options
- Begin budgeting for the pay gap after retirement
- Confirm survivor benefit decisions with spouse
- Reconfirm you have all necessary retirement forms
📅 3–4 Months Before
- Choose retirement date and notify supervisor
- Start filling out SF-3107 (Retirement Application)
- Complete SF-2809 (Health), SF-2818 (Life), SF-3107-2 (Spousal Consent)
- Update TSP beneficiaries and personal records
- Confirm buyback deposits are complete and documented
- Scan/download your eOPF, pay stubs, and leave statements
📅 30–60 Days Before
- Submit your complete packet to HR (and keep copies)
- Get written confirmation that HR forwarded packet to OPM
- Reconfirm direct deposit details for annuity payments
- Print last SF-50 and keep LiteBlue login active
- Prepare "retirement bridge" savings for interim pay gap
📅 Last Week on the Job
- Finalize all digital records (LiteBlue, eOPF, TSP.gov)
- Save last pay stub and current leave balance
- Say farewell, log off with confidence 😎
🧠 Your New Responsibilities as a Retiree
After you walk out, you're not done. You are now responsible for:
- Monitoring the OPM Services Online Portal
- Responding to OPM if they request additional documents
- Confirming that your first interim payment arrives (4–8 weeks post-retirement)
- Watching for your final adjudication letter and backpay
- Filing taxes using the 1099-R provided by OPM
- Updating your W-4P for proper tax withholding
⚠️ The Pay Gap Warning
Many federal retirees go 30 to 60 days with no income at all before interim pay kicks in — and then spend months on reduced income. You must be financially prepared for this. Ideally, you should build a savings buffer, use your annual leave payout to cover this gap, and delay major expenses for 3–6 months.
🧮 Tools to Help You Plan
Don't leave your retirement date to chance. Use our calculators to optimize your transition:
📅 Retirement Date Optimizer
Find the best retirement date based on your specific situation:
Date Optimizer Tool