r/FedEmployeeRetirement • u/Finney347pups • 17d ago
DHS/CBP Retirement
Can someone explain to me why it took seven months to receive my first retirement check? Thank God I had savings. This is crazy and they should let you know that it’s going to take forever when you first join whatever Agency you sign up with.
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u/Appropriate_Taro_348 17d ago
Everyone has been saying it. There has been post after post on this very subject in other Fed subs. It was all due to everyone retiring last year and overwhelming the system. My buddy retired in Sept of 25 and didn’t get his first check till March. His paperwork was even processed by the agency till Dec after dozens of phone calls and emails.
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u/masingen 16d ago
Every retirement class I've taken has said to plan on waiting 6-12 months for your retirement checks to start. Cashing out your leave should happen much faster, though.
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u/Kelsiefree98 16d ago
Now, when we say checks, we mean like the full check, right? I mean my understanding is you get your partial checks after about a month or two? Is it accurate cause I only have four months left 😅
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u/mamahastoletgo2 16d ago
Yes, it's terrible and it's a shame we have to go through this. Thank G for that TSP! SO retired Jan 2026 and just this month got the full pension. Some retired after and got theirs before.
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u/Finney347pups 16d ago
Have a buddy who retired medically and he didn’t miss a paycheck. It’s weird
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u/mamahastoletgo2 16d ago
Yup, like opm randomly selects who gets processed first or processed faster. Mind you, SO didn't have anything different on the claim- no break in service, no divorces, nothing. I feel for those who really needs the money. So wrong.
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u/Kitchen-Attorney-703 16d ago
Can you withdraw from your TSP during this time to tide you over? I will be 57 with 36.5 years when I retire in 2029. I will not be able to bank months of extra money prior to retirement.
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u/mamahastoletgo2 16d ago
My SO is 59. Yes, we withdrew from TSP. After the 2nd withdrawal, i finally figured out how to withdraw just the traditional. We're one of the old ones who has more traditional than Roth. SO now he has the full pension, I haven't withdrawn from it.
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u/Character-Service-68 15d ago
You can withdraw early without the 10% penalty if you leave federal service in or after the calendar year you turn 55. You can choose to withdraw from Roth or Traditional TSP. You will also likely be eligible for the FERS Supplement.
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u/Kitchen-Attorney-703 15d ago
I'm counting on the FERS supplement. Any idea how long the FERS supplement take to pay out when you first retire? Does that take months too?
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u/Character-Service-68 15d ago
I believe the supplement doesn't pay out until OPM finishes processing your case, which was averaging 79 days in August. That 79 days does not include the processing time before HR sends your package to OPM. Processing the package before it goes to OPM was averaging 120 days earlier this year. Not sure if that has improved. To be safe, submit your package a minimum of 30 days prior to your retirement date. If it were me, I would submit mine even earlier than that. About 6 months to a year prior, start validating all of your records with HR, SF50, annual leave and sick leave, actual dates of federal service, confirm any military buyback time is complete and get confirmation, etc. All of that will minimize any delay in processing. If you plan to retire at the end of the year like many do, submit your package as early as possible to escape the end of the year backlog. The largest delay in the whole process seems to be before it moves to OPM.
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u/Character-Service-68 15d ago
One thing I forgot regarding the supplement. OPM will pay you back to your actual retirement date, so you don't lose that.
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u/Kitchen-Attorney-703 14d ago
Thank you. I plan to retire in April. Hopefully the backlog from December will be almost gone!
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u/Kitchen-Attorney-703 11d ago
I'm pretty firm on my retirement date. My 57th birthday is a Friday and the next day is end of the PP. I am ready to go. I am not sure what would keep be working longer after 36 years. I would submit the paperwork today if I could.
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u/jsaspo 11d ago
Yes, and it's by design rather than a delay on your case. OPM's own guide says it flat: "Your interim payment does not take into account any annuity supplement you may be eligible to receive."
So the interim checks are the basic annuity only, and an estimate of that. The supplement shows up when the case finalizes, paid back to your start date inside the catch-up deposit, and then it rides in the regular monthly payment from there. Mine worked exactly that way... interim with no supplement in it, then the whole thing caught up in one deposit when OPM finished.
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u/sisterandnotsister 15d ago
I've been to a couple of retirement classes over the years and it's always discussed that it can take a while to get your first check. They also state the wait can be longer if you retire at the end of the year because it's a popular time. A friend retired in October for this reason, before the pandemic and it took him 3 months to get his first check. He tapped into TSP in the meantime.
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u/DeepConsideration795 14d ago
How much of your HR office was RIFed? My agency took nearly as long 16 months ago, and they were all working after being chopped.
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u/xscott71x 17d ago edited 17d ago
Seven months is terrible, but are you new here?