Retirement paperwork is rarely difficult in itself. It becomes stressful when records are scattered, outdated, or requested in the final week. Starting a document folder a year before your date prevents most problems.
Service and Pay Records
- Your Standard Form 50 (SF-50) personnel actions that show your appointments and changes.
- A written service history that lists each period of federal employment.
- Pay statements or salary records covering your highest three consecutive years.
- Military service documents, if any service may count toward retirement.
Benefit and Beneficiary Forms
- Current beneficiary designations for TSP, FEGLI, and retirement benefits.
- Survivor annuity election information, reviewed with your household.
- Marriage, divorce, or court documents that may affect survivor rights.
Health and Income Documents
- Health benefits enrollment details and the rules for continuing coverage.
- Social Security statements showing your earnings history, available through your Social Security Administration account.
- Bank information for direct deposit of your future payments.
A Simple Timeline
Gather records and review them about twelve months before your planned date. Use the final six months to confirm details with your human resources office and the official OPM Retirement Services site, and your TSP account at tsp.gov. The Retirement Planning checklist places each step on a timeline.
A Fuller Checklist by Category
Identity and personal records
- Birth certificate or other proof of age, and your Social Security number on file.
- Marriage certificate, divorce decrees and court orders that affect benefits.
- Names, dates of birth and addresses of beneficiaries and your spouse or former spouse.
Service and retirement records
- SF-50 personnel actions and a written service history.
- Records of military service, deposits, redeposits and any service credit payments.
- Sick leave and annual leave balances from your latest pay statement.
Forms and designations
- The retirement application for your system. OPM generally directs applicants to its online application, and paper forms such as SF 3107 (FERS) and SF 2801 (CSRS) are also referenced in OPM materials.
- Beneficiary forms: Standard Form 2823 for FEGLI, the TSP designation of beneficiary form, and the retirement and unpaid compensation designations used by your agency.
- Direct deposit details and tax withholding preferences.
The Final Month
- Confirm your retirement date and last day in pay status with your human resources office.
- Complete and submit your retirement application, and keep a copy of everything you send.
- Check that your health and life insurance elections are in place.
- Review your TSP account and decide how and when you will withdraw.
- Tell your family where your records are stored and who to call.
Ten Records People Forget
- Proof of earlier federal or military service.
- Evidence of a prior marriage or divorce.
- Past deposit or redeposit receipts.
- Previous retirement refund records.
- Old beneficiary forms.
- Court orders affecting your TSP or annuity.
- Health plan enrollment history for the five years before retirement.
- Life insurance enrollment history.
- Bank details for the account that will receive payments.
- Contact information for your human resources benefits specialist.
Questions to Ask Your Human Resources Office
- Which retirement system and coverage category does my record show?
- Is my service history complete, and are there any deposits or redeposits I should know about?
- What is the last day I can submit my application for my planned retirement date?
- What will my final paycheck, leave payout and benefits look like?
- How do I confirm that my insurance enrollment history meets the five-year requirements?
Write down the answers, with the name of the person who gave them and the date. If a question is complicated, ask for the answer by email so you have a record.
Frequently Asked Questions
How early should I begin?
About twelve months before your planned date, so that missing records can be tracked down without pressure.
What if I cannot find an old record?
Ask your human resources office, your former agencies and the National Archives where relevant. Start early, because some requests take weeks.
Where should I keep the documents?
In one secure place, with digital copies protected by strong passwords and a trusted family member who knows where they are.