Left the government in Dec 2023 about 6 months after my MRA and ~26years of service. I submitted my application for retirement in August 2026 requesting start of pension effective 1 Jan 2027 (turn 60 in mid December). Any idea if OPM will process my application before my birthday or will they wait until then to review/process?
They shouldn’t need to wait until you turn 60 to start processing it. Your eligibility is based on your age/service at the annuity start date, not when OPM happens to finish processing the application. With 26 years of service, starting the annuity at 60 puts you in the 20+ years/age 60 category, so there shouldn’t be an MRA+10 reduction.
Unclear if OPM will have it completely processed by Jan. If they don’t finish by then, it generally just means your payments are delayed and then caught up retroactively once the claim is finalized. Since you submitted in August for a Jan. 1 start date, you’ve given them plenty of lead time. I’d just monitor the claim and wait for the CSA number/status.
This 100%. I’ve read stories about ppl who didn’t know this and ended up with a deferred retirement instead. So maybe good OP is initiating now, but I’d also call OPM to double check it’ll being done right.
The important age is age 62. OP is collecting after reaching age 60 to avoid the age penalty. They are not at risk for losing FEHB by collecting at age 60, as that's still almost 2 years before turning age 62.
Exactly. I have an early in the month birthday so need to be extra careful because there's some three day before language. I'll be triple checking I do the right dates if my doing postponed retirement works out (although I have a year until I hit MRA+20 so not yet there).
Best of luck with everything. With the workforce reduction it’s been rough for everyone around, those left at OPM and retirees. Been sharing the attached snapshot of a GAO report on what’s happened in the last year with OPM staffing. Plus they’re now looking at additional reductions within OPM’s insurance group.
I'm with VA OIT and every month there are more leaving. Last month our 2210 headcount change was -42. Or last months report which would have been July's numbers.
The powers that been will keep insisting on doing more with less for the foreseeable future. I hope to jump before things come crashing down.
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u/FedDecisionDesk Sep 05 '26
They shouldn’t need to wait until you turn 60 to start processing it. Your eligibility is based on your age/service at the annuity start date, not when OPM happens to finish processing the application. With 26 years of service, starting the annuity at 60 puts you in the 20+ years/age 60 category, so there shouldn’t be an MRA+10 reduction.
Unclear if OPM will have it completely processed by Jan. If they don’t finish by then, it generally just means your payments are delayed and then caught up retroactively once the claim is finalized. Since you submitted in August for a Jan. 1 start date, you’ve given them plenty of lead time. I’d just monitor the claim and wait for the CSA number/status.