To retire from federal service you file a retirement application, the SF 3107 for FERS or the SF 2801 for CSRS, which most agencies now submit through OPM's Online Retirement Application; in September 2026 OPM processed digital claims in an average of 56 days and paper claims in 149 days (OPM, retrieved 2026-10-11).
You spend a career earning a federal pension. Claiming it takes a stack of forms, a few certified documents, and a handoff between three offices that do not always talk to each other quickly. Most delays come from missing pieces, not from the rules themselves.
This guide walks through the application from start to first check: the forms, the Online Retirement Application, a realistic timeline, the documents to gather, how interim pay works, and OPM's most recent processing times.
Think of your retirement application as a relay race. You run the first leg, your HR office runs the second, payroll runs the third, and OPM runs the anchor. A dropped baton at any handoff adds weeks, so your job is to hand off a complete package.
01What forms do you need to apply for federal retirement?
The core form is the SF 3107, Application for Immediate Retirement, for FERS employees, or the SF 2801 for CSRS employees. Around it sit supporting schedules and elections that together make up the retirement package.
- SF 3107 (FERS) / SF 2801 (CSRS)The application itself: your service history, marital status, survivor election, and annuity start choices.
- Supporting schedulesAttachments to the application for details such as military service, where they apply to you. HR tells you which ones you need.
- SF 3107-1Certified Summary of Federal Service, completed with your HR office.
- SF 3107-2Spouse's consent to a reduced or no survivor annuity. It still requires a physical, notarized signature, even when the rest is filed online (GovExec, retrieved 2026-10-11).
- SF 2818Continuation of FEGLI life insurance as an annuitant, where you choose the 75%, 50%, or no reduction for Basic. If you do not file it, Basic defaults to the 75 percent reduction (OPM, retrieved 2026-10-11).
- FEHB continuationYour health enrollment carries into retirement through your agency if you meet the five-year rule.
Survivor and beneficiary forms are separate and worth updating at the same time. Our beneficiaries guide covers SF 3102, SF 2823, and the TSP designation.
02How does OPM's Online Retirement Application work?
Most federal agencies now submit retirement applications through OPM's Online Retirement Application (ORA) instead of paper. If you are still employed, your HR office starts the application and sends an invitation to your personal email, which must be linked to a Login.gov account (OPM, retrieved 2026-10-11).
- 01
HR initiates
When you tell HR you are ready to retire, it opens your application in ORA.
- 02
You sign in
You accept the email invitation, link your Login.gov account, and create a digital signature PIN.
- 03
ORA prefills your record
Service history and high-3 salary data are loaded in, and ORA shows an annuity estimate as you make choices.
- 04
You upload documents
A marriage certificate, DD 214, and similar records go in as uploads.
- 05
You certify and submit
Your digital signature PIN certifies the application, and HR reviews and forwards it.
ORA has limits. It does not process deferred or postponed annuities that begin more than 30 days after separation, disability retirements, TSP withdrawals, or Social Security benefits (OPM, retrieved 2026-10-11). If you have been separated for more than 30 days, you submit directly to OPM. A few agencies with independent payroll systems, including the Postal Service, were brought into ORA on a later schedule, so ask HR which process applies to you.
03How long does OPM take to process retirement claims?
OPM processes digital claims much faster than paper ones. In September 2026, OPM received 8,080 new retirement claims, 6,746 of them digital, and processed digital claims in an average of 56 days and paper claims in 149 days (OPM, retrieved 2026-10-11).
The backlog swings with the calendar. Retirements cluster at the end of the year, so OPM's inventory typically peaks early in the following year.
| Month | Claims received | Claims processed | Inventory | Average days, all claims |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 2026 | 31,240 | 18,149 | 65,237 | 71 |
| May 2026 | 11,286 | 19,433 | 38,547 | 87 |
| July 2026 | 10,538 | 17,841 | 24,784 | 109 |
| September 2026 | 8,080 | 13,227 | 8,814 | 66 |
Source: OPM CSRS/FERS New Claims Monthly Processing Times, retrieved 2026-10-11. OPM updates the report monthly.
04What is a realistic retirement application timeline?
A realistic timeline starts about a year out, with the heavy paperwork in the final few months. Your agency's lead time is the controlling date.
- 01
12 months out
Request an annuity estimate from HR. Review your SF-50s and service history for gaps. Check that you meet the five-year rules for FEHB and FEGLI.
- 02
9 to 6 months out
Settle any military or civilian service deposits. Gather certified documents. Decide on your survivor election with your spouse.
- 03
6 to 3 months out
Tell HR your date. Complete the application in ORA or on paper as your agency directs. Update beneficiary forms.
- 04
Final month
Confirm your last day, final leave balances, and TSP plans. Your agency sends separation data to payroll.
- 05
After your last day
Payroll sends final records to OPM. OPM assigns your claim number and starts interim pay.
- 06
Weeks to months later
OPM finalizes your annuity and switches you to full payments.
Your retirement date affects when your annuity starts. Under FERS, the annuity generally begins the first day of the month after you retire (OPM, retrieved 2026-10-11), which is why many FERS employees choose the last day of a month. CSRS retirees who retire on the first, second, or third of a month start the next day.
05What documents should you gather?
Gather certified copies of every document that proves a fact on your application. Missing documents are one of the most common reasons claims stall.
- Marriage certificate for your current spouse, if you are married.
- Divorce decrees and court orders for every prior marriage, especially any that award a former spouse part of your annuity or a survivor benefit.
- DD 214 and records of any military deposit paid, if you are claiming military service.
- Records of civilian deposits or redeposits for service where contributions were not made or were refunded.
- Birth certificates for children who may qualify for survivor benefits.
- Your SF-50s, especially the ones showing service computation dates and any breaks in service.
- Proof of FEHB enrollment history if your five-year eligibility might be questioned.
- Bank account details for direct deposit.
The fastest retirement claim is the complete one. Every missing page is a letter from OPM and a wait.
06How does interim pay work while you wait?
While OPM finalizes your annuity, it usually pays you interim payments, which are partial payments based on an estimate of your annuity. Interim pay typically begins after OPM receives your records from payroll and assigns your claim number. When your case is finalized, OPM moves you to your full monthly annuity and pays any difference owed back to your annuity start date.
Interim payments are usually lower than your final annuity, and deductions such as FEHB premiums may be handled differently during the interim period. Plan a cash cushion for the gap between your last paycheck and your full annuity.
Worked example: planning the cash gap
- 01
Last day of work
December 31. Under FERS, your annuity starts January 1 and the first payment for January arrives in February.
- 02
Final paycheck and leave payout
Your agency pays your final salary and any lump-sum annual leave on its normal schedule after you leave.
- 03
Interim pay
Suppose OPM's interim estimate is 80 percent of your expected $3,000 monthly annuity: about $2,400 a month.
- 04
Processing
If digital processing takes about 60 days from receipt, you might receive two or three interim payments before your full annuity starts.
- 05
Back pay
When finalized, OPM pays the $600 monthly difference for each interim month.
Your record, not our example
Want this run on your own numbers?
A Federal Retirement Consultant (FRC) works through your own records with you 1:1. The review is free and nothing is booked until you choose a time.
07What causes delays, and how can you avoid them?
Most delays come from incomplete packages, unresolved service credit questions, and court orders that need review. Digital claims move faster partly because ORA checks data automatically, so fewer cases are missing information (OPM, retrieved 2026-10-11).
- Unpaid deposits. Military deposits in particular must be paid before you separate to count toward FERS service.
- Gaps in service history. An SF-50 that does not match your actual history needs correcting before you go.
- Spousal consent missing. If you elect less than a full survivor annuity, the notarized SF 3107-2 must be in the package.
- Prior marriages. Any court order affecting your annuity has to be reviewed before OPM finalizes your benefit.
- Year-end timing. Retiring at the end of December puts your claim in OPM's busiest season.
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08What happens after OPM finalizes your annuity?
OPM sends you an annuity statement showing your gross annuity, deductions, survivor reduction, and net payment. You use your claim number to set up OPM Retirement Services Online, which uses the same Login.gov account you used for ORA (OPM, retrieved 2026-10-11).
09Moving forward with your application
Retirement paperwork rewards early, boring preparation. Checking your SF-50s a year ahead, paying deposits before you leave, and filing digitally do more to speed your first full check than anything you can do after you separate.
From here, confirm your service dates with our SF-50 guide, update your designations with the beneficiaries guide, and see what your unused sick leave adds in our sick leave conversion tool.
FFEBA is an education organization. If you want someone to look at your own numbers, we can match you with a Federal Retirement Consultant (FRC), a professional trained on federal benefits. The FRC designation is listed with FINRA. The first review is free, nothing is booked until you choose a time, and you are never obligated to work with anyone we introduce. Get matched with an FRC.
10Questions federal employees ask
How long does OPM take to process a retirement application?
In September 2026, OPM processed digital claims in an average of 56 days, paper claims in 149 days, and all claims in an average of 66 days. The fiscal year 2026 average for all claims was 79 days (OPM, retrieved 2026-10-11).
What is the SF 3107?
The SF 3107 is the Application for Immediate Retirement under FERS. The SF 2801 is the CSRS equivalent. Most agencies now complete both through OPM's Online Retirement Application rather than on paper.
Do I get paid while OPM processes my retirement?
Generally yes. While OPM finalizes your annuity, it usually pays interim, or partial, payments based on an estimate. When processing is complete, OPM switches you to your full annuity and pays any amount owed back to your retirement date.
When should I submit my retirement application?
Ask your HR office for its lead time, since agencies set their own. Many ask for the package several months before your retirement date so they can review it, certify your records, and send it to your payroll office and OPM.
Can I use the Online Retirement Application for a deferred annuity?
No. ORA does not process deferred or postponed annuities, meaning annuities that begin more than 30 days after separation, and it does not process disability retirements. Those still follow other procedures (OPM, retrieved 2026-10-11).
What is a retirement claim number?
It is the CSA number OPM assigns after it receives your records from your payroll office. You use it to set up your OPM Retirement Services Online account and in all correspondence about your annuity.
Reviewed by the FFEBA education team. Last reviewed October 2026.
Sources
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management, CSRS/FERS New Claims Monthly Processing Times (October 2025 to September 2026), retrieved 2026-10-11
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Online Retirement Application (ORA), retrieved 2026-10-11
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Apply for Retirement: application tips, retrieved 2026-10-11
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management, FEGLI: life insurance benefits and retirement (SF 2818), retrieved 2026-10-11
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management, FERS survivor benefits, retrieved 2026-07-05
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Voluntary Early Retirement Authority (FERS annuity commencement), retrieved 2026-10-11
- GovExec, OPM's digital retirement application is live: what it means for feds planning to retire (July 2025), retrieved 2026-10-11
Every government figure on this page carries its source and retrieval date. Worked examples are educational estimates on the assumptions shown, not a projection of any person's benefit. FFEBA is an education organization, not a financial advisor.
