Another of many who are finally getting some good news. Retired 9/30, package went to specialist at OPM on 12/29, finalized 5/12. My monthly annuity is ~30% higher than I had estimated. I was on the financial ropes before; I'll survive now. Best wishes to all of you who are still waiting!
DRP 1, (Former IRS, feels good to say that), DEC 31 retirement. Case finalized on May 8, 2026. OPM booklet amount is actually more than I expected for the VERA supplement. Awaiting a large back pay amount, before the regular payments begin. FINALLY FREE!!!!
The proposal will also hurt veterans.
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/03/05/2026-04377/reduction-in-force
OPM’s proposal to radically change the decades-old formula by which agencies carry out reductions-in-force (RIFs).
Currently, in a RIF, agencies are supposed to prioritize objective criteria, such as length of service. But OPM’s proposal would give more weight to subjective and potentially discriminatory performance evaluations.
Recently, OPM proposed a forced ratings distribution system, which will require more employees to receive lower ratings no matter how well they actually perform. OPM also separately proposed to remove employees’ and unions’ ability to challenge RIF decisions at the Merit Service Protection Board.
Comments close May 4, 2026.
I’ve been reading experiences here for months, so posting to share my experience. OPM email notifying me that my application was Finalized arrived 05/07/2026, a day shy of one year after my last work day. Retired 09/30/2025 and the path to finalized was as long and nerve wracking as getting hired in the mid-90s!
29+ years with the same agency, FEHB with same insurance for majority of career (changed during open season 2025), no military service, no part time service, one divorce with no entitlement.
04/2025: DRP 2.0 signed/GRB submitted
05/2025: Admin Leave started
09/30/2025: VERA Retirement
10/2025: Annual leave lump sum payment
11/18/2025: OPM notification of retirement received
11/20/2025: OPM retirement application received
01/13/2026: OPM assigned to specialist
01/15/2026: OPM interim pay issued (approximately ⅓ of projected annuity)
05/07/2026: Retirement at OPM finalized
05/08/2026: Retroactive payment received
06/01/2026: Projected first annuity deposit
High 3 was slightly less than what GRB projected resulting in slightly lower monthly annuity. FEHB change from BCBS to MHBP during 2025 open season was not included in benefit calculation, nor is FEDVIP so need to contact OPM about those issues.
I called OPM monthly starting in 12/2025. Initially told to expect final within 4-6 weeks and was so excited. Subsequent calls was told 2-3 or 3-4 more weeks. Always a moving target. In 03/2026, I was told my application was being reviewed by the court order branch. In 04/2026, I was told it was being processed and then would go to audit. The OPM representative couldn’t tell me what those two terms meant and did say they were in Pennsylvania and my application was being worked in DC. All but one of the OPM representatives that I talked to were polite and I always thanked them considering they were just the messengers.
Contacted my congressman in 03/2026 and was told it could be up to 60 days before they received any information. Contacted them 05/05/2026 requesting status and they confirmed that they “created a case using the preferred method OPM suggests and I waited 2 weeks to allow them to view and assign the case to an agent.” They contacted them every 2 weeks thereafter with no movement, hence, their action had no bearing on my application. I do still recommend contacting your congressman on the off chance that it accelerates your application!
I still don’t understand why OPM doesn’t have a first in/first out (FIFO) policy as I was increasingly deflated seeing news of those with post 09/30/2025 retirement dates being finalized prior to us with 09/30/2025 date.
Wishing you all the best if you’re playing this waiting game. Keep the faith and be persistent! Make sure your former teammates know it may take 6-9 months for retirement to be finalized and that it’s no joke. Thank you for your service and cheers to a healthy, rewarding retirement!
I am a 9/30 retiree whose file was received at OPM mid-January. I've been receiving 50% interim payments, but have seen no other movement with my case. Somewhat on a whim, I decided to call OPM today (2:30 on a Friday afternoon) and to my surprise was able to get into the hold queue. They said it would be "more than 10 minutes" and it took 45, but a live person eventually picked up the phone. She indicated it had not yet been assigned to a specialist, but able to confirm that there was no specific reason at this point for the delay in processing my case other than the general backlog and understaffing problems. Her assessment was that my case was taking a bit longer than average but not out of the ordinary (alas).
While this information unfortunately does not help my checking account balance, I am surprised by what a sense of relief I have felt since that call, and therefore wanted to post here to encourage others in a similar position to consider calling as well. My biggest concern has been that OPM had not received some piece of information it needed from my agency, and I would be sitting in limbo forever not knowing. At least I know that's not the reason for the holdup, and that I just need to wait my turn. (Even if others who retired after I did are for some reason getting processed ahead of me. Grrrrr).
In short, having a live human confirm that my case is in the queue for processing -- in what is now month 8 of my retirement -- was unexepctedly reassuring. The OPM specialist was extremely professional and candid, which I appreciated. I thanked her for her service, noting that hers must not be a very fun job these days. I'm glad to see more reports here of 9/30 retirees getting their cases finalized, and look forward to being able to report the same myself, someday.
Anyone else in this same boat? I see a lot of 12/31 colleagues being finalized, but I’m still waiting.
IRS DRP 2.0 retirement date 9/30.
Not married, no kids, no changes in anything, no break in service and I was just finalized today 5/11.
I wish luck to everyone still waiting especially the ones with a 9/30 date!
🥳🥳🥳🎉🎉🎉
This post is to provide hope for those retired from IRS with no progress. HANG IN THERE!!!
Today, Thursday, May 7, 2026, over a year since I walked out and took DRP, my retirement was finalized, 219 days since official retirement, 371 days since DRP! 🎉🎉🎉
My package would be considered 'simple' IMHO. 1 marriage, FEHB with same insurance for 24 years (changed during open season 2025), no FEGLI, no military service, no part time service. All paperwork uploaded in ORA.
04/2025: DRP 2.0 signed/GRB submitted
05/2025: Admin Leave
07/15/2025: ORA initial submission
08/31/2025: ORA final submission (made some benefits election changes)
09/30/2025: VERA Retirement
01/07/2026: Paperwork uploaded to ORA by HR Specialist, including correct High 3, Correct Estimate
01/08/2026: Finalized ORA application - Moved to Step 3 - NFC to review
01/21/2026: TSP marked as Separated
02/02/2026: Annual Leave Payout (125 days after retirement)
02/21/2026: Per HR Rep - NFC assigned case to a retirement specialist
03/26/2026: Application left NFC and moved to OPM (77 days at NFC, 177 days after retirement)
03/28/2026: OPM Services Account available and setup
04/01/2026: First makeup Interim payment received (183 days after retirement, 6 days after receipt at OPM), Taxes withheld
05/01/2026: Second Interim payment received (213 days after retirement) No taxes withheld - made election on services online to NOT withhold taxes
05/07/2026: Retirement at OPM finalized. Total days at NFC: 77; Total days at OPM: 42 days; Have NOT received makeup payment yet. Edit: Received within 24 hours.
Some numbers for you:
* Gross Interim pay was 71% of actual annuity
* Taxes were withheld from bulk interim gross annuity (approx. 19% of gross Interim)
* Spreadsheet calculation matched TO THE PENNY the OPM calculation: https://www.reddit.com/r/fednews/comments/1bdfhgb/high3_and_pension_calculation_spreadsheet/ Shout out again to https://www.reddit.com/user/NeuroDawg/ Thank you!
For those still waiting, dream of your day to write your celebration post. It will come. 🤗🍀💯🙏☮️
I want to thank those who have shared their experiences and nuances of their stories here. It has provided hope and connection in a painful end of a career. It is contrasted with the beautiful beginning to the rest of my/our lives. May each of you enjoy the road to be traveled and focus on the future, not the past. Good luck everyone! 🍀
Edit: Makeup Interim payment received 5/8!
IRS TDRP 2.0 retirement date 10/17/2025. Got an email two days ago that my application finally moved to OPM. Got a deposit from Treasury yesterday. Just curious if there is a way to see a breakdown of how the number was calculated. I am guessing insurance was taken out but I'm not sure and just want to see if there is any way to find out. I'm super excited that at least something is happening!
DRO 2.0 - 30 SEP 25 retirement date.
I received a really nice call from OPM today, my pension has been made more complicated because my wife passed away last month. The OPM rep could not process anything because my certified marriage certificate was missing. I told her I had attached it in my initial paperwork and she said that many files are missing the marriage certificate and she does not know why that particular document has not been passed on to OPM. I sent the certificate right away. I don’t know the percentage of missing documents, so I don’t want everyone to panic - maybe just make sure you have an electronic copy handy in case you get the same call I did.
IRS DRP 2 retired Oct 1 2025…So, I received an *interim payment but no booklet. I have a claim number assigned but don’t know anything more than that! Don’t know what will happen next…anyone else in my shoes?
DOL - DRP 2.0 retirement date 12/31/2025. 5/7/2026 received email that Digital Booklet was available online. June 1, 2026, will receive full pension (less deductions) plus FERS supplement.
Full timeline:
4/15/2026 - application moved from NFC to OPM
4/23/2026 - received interim payments for January, February, and March
5/1/2026 - received interim payment for April
5/7/2026 - received email that digital booklet was available. Per booklet retroactive benefit amount sent to financial institution.
Update: Finalized with booklet available this morning. Hallelujah!
This evening I received an email from OPM saying the status of my retirement package had changed. I logged in, and it says "Case Finalized", but the right-hand column still says "Incomplete". Any insights into what that likely means? Did I jump onto OPM.gov too soon? Thanks!
I am DRP 2.0 and have been receiving Interim Payments since January. I received notification March 20th that I am assigned to an OPM Specialist. Have not heard anything since. But A question that me and a few other friends who will receive the Annuity Supplement from 57-62. We will get that from the start date of our Retirement once pension is finalized. I have a friend who just got finalized and got 1st pension check with the annuity supplement 57-62, they caught up their Health Insurance Payments but there was no backpay to October 1st for the Annuity Supplement from 57-62. Do we get back pay for that supplement retroactive to October 1st?
Received an unexpected deposit in my checking account in the amount of $440.76 from USDA. That was my payroll provider before I retired. I’ve been receiving my monthly pension checks through OPM. Wondering if this might be repayment for me sending a check after receiving a “demand notice” for FEHB? This amount is about $100 less though? Anyone else receive a similar deposit? This was on May 6. Thanks.
I believe that there’s a lot of confusion going on for the people who are processing the FERS refund applications.
I sent my application in December.
It was logged Jan 15.
Someone from another Reddit was logged Jan 13 and received their refund a week ago.
I called them April 28th, and they said my application was finally being reviewed.
I called them today May 4th and they’re saying they’re still working on applications from December 20th so it’ll be another 25 days before anyone see mine.
None of this is making sense!
UPDATE: 5/4 MY DEPOSIT JUST HIT
I retired in December 31, 2025. Regular retirement after 34 years of service, FDA (HHS). I am receiving interim payments since Jan 30, 2026. Now OPM added a new decription/stage of the process: Development 🙄. It seems that my retirement package is under review since 2/19, but it does not indicate that it has an assigned specialist. I am just venting my frustration through here. Happy Mothers Day (tomorrow) for all the federal mothers 🙂.
I'm not too religious but this might help:
That is all. (and honestly, I am committing myself to stop checking. I am so done with it.)
I am a DRP 2.0 retiree who submitted my retirement paperwork spring 2025 for a retirement date of 12/31/2025.
In the fall during open season I switched healthcare plans.
I did not communicate to my agency's retirement contacts that I changed healthcare plans.
I received a letter recently regarding an annuity adjustment and discovered that my annuity is withholding for the old insurance, not the new one.
I spoke to OPM retirement this morning and they said I need to send paperwork to prove I switched during open season. I do have a document dated in November from the old health insurance I left, and I do have insurance cards and a welcome letter from the new of health insurance, but that welcome letter isn't dated.
I will send those in, but has anyone been in the same situation and can predict what may happen next? Eeeks.