Use these standard retirement forms to complete your package and apply for retirement. Your agency may have other clearance, personal property transfers, and security forms that must be completed. If you don't complete the local clearance forms your first retirement check will be withheld until you turn it in with your keys, cell phone, and other property that was assigned to you including your government credit card.
If you and your family were enrolled in a group health insurance program for the last five years your enrollment will automatically continue. Helpful publications are also listed below.
Many agencies are now refusing to accept retirement application forms that have corrections on them where the applicant either lined or crossed out the information and annotated the correct information above or beside the correction. They now require you to submit a form without and corrections. Use the pdf fill-in forms which are easy to amend. If you do have a hard copy and make a correction you may have to resubmit the document; only submit forms that are error free.
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Don’t confuse your “Retirement Date” with your “Date of Final Separation” that you list in block 2, Section B of either the SF-2801 CSRS Retirement Application or SF-3107 FERS Retirement Application forms. This can have a major impact on your first COLA adjustment. If you look at either forms block 2 of Section B reads “Date of Final Separation,” not "Date of Retirement." When you think about this is makes sense. Your retirement starts the day after you separate. Review our section on COLAs to see what date would be best for you.
To apply for federal retirement and to qualify for payments from the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) or the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), you must submit a retirement application, Standard Form 2801 Application for Immediate Retirement (CSRS) or Standard Form 3107 (PDF file) Application for Immediate Retirement (FERS).
Both the personnel and payroll office in your agency, and OPM are responsible for processing your annuity claim. All three work together to provide the information needed to perform the final adjudication of their retirement.
Delays in processing can be reduced by submitting your application several months in advance of your departure date and by reviewing your Electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF) to ensure it includes all of your service time from all sources. Some agencies may still only have hard copies of your OPF and you will have to request they send it to your supervisor so that you can review it. Submitting your paperwork early allows the personnel and payroll offices to complete their review and actions before your retirement date.
If you are still working, submit it to your employer, the earlier the better. 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)
U.S. Office of Personnel Management
Retirement Operations Center
Post Office Box 45
Boyers, PA 16017
These forms are in PDF format and you must have the PDF reader to view them. You can fill them out on your computer, however, you can't save the form with the data on them unless you have the full version of Adobe Acrobat Reader. You can print out the blank forms and compete them by hand if you so desire. I suggest that you have all of the data you need in front of you when you do the forms so you can print them out that day. You will need your spouse's social security number, military discharge information, etc. Review the form thoroughly before starting.
You will need the PDF ADOBE reader to view and complete these forms. Click on the Adobe Reader graphic to download a free reader. Visit https://opm.gov/forms/ for additional forms and guidance. It is important to use the most current forms that are available. Always check the OPM web site before completing these forms to verify that you have the latest version.
Use these forms to apply for retirement through the federal government's Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) & the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). You can also complete you FEGLI elections, and make deposits or redeposits if necessary. The PDF forms can be filled in on your computer and printed out.
CAUTION: If you have a SF 2801 CSRS retirement form that is older than the current June 2013 edition it can't be used. Check the form you have on your computer and make sure it is listed in the lower right hand corner of the page "Revised June 2013, Previous editions are not usable. The SF-3107 for FERS employees was updated May 2014, use the newest version available when you submit you Application For Immediate Retirement.
OPM Publications
IRS Publications
The publication links that follow will take you to the IRS web site where you can select the most current publication you desire from the list provided. The IRS publications listed below are available from this link:
IRS Publications (Click this link for the IRS master publication list)
TSP Forms & Publications
If you are already receiving your federal benefit payment by direct deposit, and would like to have your payments sent to a different account use the procedures that follow to make your change.
To enroll in Direct Deposit or to change your enrollment to a new account, OPM needs to know the routing number of the financial institution and your account number. The financial institution will provide this information. Once you have your account and routing numbers call OPM at 1-888-767-6738 or 1-202-606-0500 to make this change by phone or initiate it online through OPM's retirement system. To process your request online you have to first establish an account using your Civil Service Annuity number.
To help you sign up for Direct Deposit, OPM provides the following options:
The financial institution can also submit a SF 1199A form, available from the Treasury Department, to OPM for processing your direct deposit. Use the new form dated August 2012.
Financial institutions must fax the form to 1-724-794-6633 or send the completed form for retirees to the address listed below , active federal employees have to provide the banking institution with their agency's payroll office address.
U.S. Office of Personnel Management Federal Employees Retirement System
P.O. Box 440
Boyers, PA 16017-0440
