Retirement Processing Times
Find our current processing times for the retirement and survivor benefit types listed below.
The processing times are averages, which means your application may take more or less time depending on your individual circumstances. For example, if your case involves a court order, special computation, workers’ compensation, missing documentation, or is a deferred or postponed application it may take longer to process.
The Retirement Quick Guide can also provide you with information about the overall retirement application process when you retire from Federal service.
Processing days reflect the cases processed in the month of September 2025.
Retirement-Related Applications
Interim pay is authorized for applicants who apply for immediate retirement. Interim pay processing starts once OPM receives the complete retirement application package from the agency. There are rare situations where an applicant may not be authorized to receive interim payments.
Immediate retirements include voluntary, early voluntary, and discontinued service/involuntary separation retirements. This also includes disability retirement applications approved by OPM. This processing time does not include deferred or postponed retirement applications.
Survivor Benefit Applications
Monthly survivor annuity benefits are payable to a current or former spouse, a minor child, disabled dependent child, and/or an adult child prior to age 22 attending school full-time. Survivor claim processing starts once OPM receives the complete application for death benefits package.
Survivor lump sum payments are issued following the order of precedence when a monthly survivor annuity is not payable. Survivor claim processing starts once OPM receives the complete application for death benefits package.