Inputs you will enter
- Retirement dateThe date you plan to separate. Use the retirement date finder if you are still choosing.
- Work scheduleMonday to Friday, or a compressed schedule.
- Pay period anchorOptional, the end date of any recent pay period, from your Leave and Earnings Statement.
How we compute it
We count every calendar day between today and your date. For workdays, we skip weekends and the federal holidays set in 5 U.S.C. 6103, using OPM's observance rule: a holiday on Saturday is observed Friday, and on Sunday is observed Monday (OPM, retrieved 2026-10-11). Pay periods are counted in two-week blocks from your anchor date. Milestones are placed by working back from your date.
A worked example
If you pick December 31 as your date, the countdown shows the federal holidays in between, the pay periods left, and that the date sits near the end of the leave year, which affects how much annual leave you carry into your lump sum. It also places your application milestone a few months earlier. Educational estimate on the assumptions shown.
What to do with your countdown
Check the retirement application guide for the forms and order, see what your leave is worth with the annual leave lump sum calculator, and confirm your date with the retirement date finder. The full holiday table is on the federal holidays page.
The last year before retirement goes fast.
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.
Questions about this calculator
How many pay periods are in a federal year?
Most years have 26 biweekly pay periods. Every 11 years or so, a calendar year contains 27 paydays because of how the two-week cycle falls. The countdown counts the actual pay periods between your dates.
When should I submit my federal retirement application?
Many agencies ask for it 60 to 90 days or more before your retirement date, and OPM processing can take months after that. Check your agency's deadline with your HR office.
Do federal holidays count as workdays?
No. The countdown skips the federal holidays set by 5 U.S.C. 6103 (OPM, retrieved 2026-10-11), and moves a weekend holiday to the Friday before or the Monday after, as OPM does for most employees.
Can I save my countdown?
Yes, if you are a free FFEBA member. Your date and milestones are saved with your other calculator results, and you can print them.
Reviewed by the FFEBA education team. Last reviewed October 2026.
Sources
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management, federal holidays (5 U.S.C. 6103), 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.
