EEasy Filing Hub

Federal Employment

OPM Federal Retirement Application Worksheet

Organize your federal retirement benefits packet.

We'll guide you through it, step by step

  • ✓Simple questions in plain language — no legal jargon
  • ✓We fill in the official form and check for common mistakes
  • ✓Private — no document uploads

Free to start • No credit card • Official form

Not sure this is the right form? Take the free eligibility check

Estimated fee

No government fee

View official fee calculator ↗

Typical timeline

3 to 5 months for final adjudication

Category

Federal Employment

Who qualifies

Civilian federal employees approaching retirement under FERS or CSRS who meet minimum age and service requirements, including voluntary, deferred, or early retirement.

The step-by-step roadmap

  1. 1

    Verify Service History

    Gather all personnel records to verify creditable civilian and active military service time.

    Watch out: Unpaid military service deposits can permanently reduce your final annuity.
    Common rejection reason: Discrepancies between recorded service dates and actual agency payroll records.
  2. 2

    Calculate Annuity and Survivor Elections

    Estimate your monthly pension and choose the survivor benefit option for your spouse or insurable interest.

    Watch out: Electing less than a full survivor annuity requires notarized spousal consent.
    Common rejection reason: Missing spousal signature or incomplete notary acknowledgment on survivor elections.
  3. 3

    Confirm Continuing Insurance Coverage

    Check whether you qualify to keep your FEHB health benefits and FEGLI life insurance into retirement.

    Watch out: You must be enrolled in FEHB for the 5 continuous years immediately before retiring.
    Common rejection reason: Losing health coverage eligibility due to a break in enrollment within the 5-year window.
  4. 4

    Submit to Agency HR Office

    Turn in your completed application packet to your employing agency benefits officer for final certification.

    Watch out: Do not send forms directly to OPM; your agency must complete its portion first.
    Common rejection reason: Forms submitted directly to OPM bypass agency sign-off and get returned unprocessed.

Documents you'll need

  • Standard Form 50 (SF-50) Records

    Copies of all personnel actions showing your career appointment history and retirement plan coverage.

    Note: Include your first and last actions plus any changes in work schedules.

  • Certified Summary of Federal Service

    Agency-certified document listing creditable service periods (SF 3107-1 for FERS or SF 2801-1 for CSRS).

    Note: Prepared with your agency human resources representative.

  • Military Discharge Documentation (DD-214)

    Official documentation verifying active military service and proof of completed service credit deposits.

    Note: Required only if you claim active military service toward retirement.

Ready to start?

Run the free eligibility check first, then get your personalized roadmap and document checklist.

Check my eligibility

Fees and timelines are as published by the relevant agency and may change — verify before filing. This guide is general information, not legal advice.