To qualify for payments from the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) or the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), you must submit a retirement application. They are available on our website, as follows:

• Application for Immediate Retirement (CSRS), Standard Form (SF) 2801 [1.2 MB]
• Application for Immediate Retirement (FERS), Standard Form (SF) 3107 [1.0 MB]

You should submit an application for immediate retirement as shown below.

If you are still working, submit it to your employer.

If you have been separated from federal service for more than 30 days, submit your application to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

If you meet the eligibility requirements for a retirement benefit, you are eligible to receive an annuity based on your length of service and your high-3 average salary. The information in your application is used to determine if you are applying for a disability option, a regular or early-out option, or a discontinued service annuity. It is also used to check the service listed on your payroll records.

Both the personnel and payroll office in your agency and OPM are responsible for processing your annuity claim.

You can help reduce delays in processing by submitting your application in advance and by making sure your Official Personnel Folder (OPF) is complete. If you submit your paperwork early, your personnel and payroll offices will be able to complete their action before your retirement date.

Your personnel office must take the following actions to process your retirement application:

• Complete the "Agency Check List of Immediate Retirement Procedures," Standard Form 2801, Schedule D (CSRS) or 3701, Schedule D (FERS);

• Prepare and obtain your signature on the "Certified Summary of Federal Service," Standard Form 2801-1 (CSRS) or 3701-1 (FERS);

• Verify any service not fully documented in your OPF; [Note:If documentation is missing, verification may be obtained by contacting federal record centers. If the personnel office is unable to obtain verification, we will complete verification upon receipt of your retirement application and records. This process will cause a delay in processing of your claim.]

• Certify and transfer your coverage under the Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) program to OPM;

• Transfer your enrollment under the Federal Employees' Health Benefits (FEHB) program to OPM;

• Prepare Standard Form (SF) 50, "Notification of Personnel Action."; and

• Send all of your retirement materials to your payroll office.

After your personnel agency takes action, your agency payroll office:

• Authorizes your final pay check and lump sum payment for unused annual leave;

• Prepares your "Individual Retirement Record," Standard Form 2806 (CSRS) or 3100 (FERS) which reflects service, salary history, and annual retirement contributions; and

• Forwards all retirement documents to OPM.

When we receive your retirement application, we will notify you and will provide a civil service claim identification number (a seven-digit number preceded by "CSA"). You must use that identification number whenever you contact OPM about your annuity.

If you need to contact us before you receive your claim number, first contact your former payroll office to find the date your records were transferred to OPM. Your payroll office should provide you with the number and date of the Register of Separations and Transfers. You will also need your Payroll Identification Number.

We only withhold Federal income tax.  You may find that the Federal income taxes withheld from your first interim payment will be higher than the Federal tax withholdings from your subsequent interim payments and regular annuity.  We will make any necessary tax withholding adjustment when we finish processing your application.  Your health and life insurance coverage will continue while you are receiving interim pay.  We will begin withholding health and life insurance premiums retroactive to the commencing date of your annuity, when we finish processing your application.

OPM takes the following steps to process your claim for retirement benefits.

• Obtains missing information from your retirement documents;
• Determines your eligibility for an annuity and continued health and life insurance coverages;
• Computes the amount of your annuity;
• Sends you materials concerning:
  • your survivor benefit election;
  • the alternative form of annuity;
  • rollover to an IRA; or,
  • if you are a FERS MRA+10 retiree, your annuity commencing date.
• Authorizes your annuity payment by the Department of the Treasury; and
• Sends you an annuity statement.

If your retirement records are complete upon receipt and an election of a benefit is not required, the processing of your claim will be completed in approximately five weeks. An additional three to four weeks may be added if a benefit election is required.