Retirement

Pre-Retirement - (5 years out)

• See the OPM Retirement Overview page
• Review OPM Retirement page resources
• Planning for retirement in 5 years - see this overview
• Ask your local OPM contact about pre-Retirement course availability (can take twice in last 5 years)
• Review how your high-3 average salary determines retirement payment
• Get estimate on pension from OPM
• Start reading weekly retirement advice articles in Government Executive
• Investigate phased retirement
• Consider membership in the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE). This organization welcomes members from current and retired federal employees. NARFE fights for benefits and general welfare of federal workers.
• Review an issue of NARFE Magazine and decide if you want to subscribe - great source of retirement advice for Feds
• Explore phased retirement possibilities
• GRB - Government Retirement & Benefits Platform. This is where you can request free of charge (up to 2 times) a retirement estimate and verify retirement dates and service comp dates.

Pre-Retirement - (1 year out)

• Steps when one year from retirement
• Determine best calendar date to retire - it matters! Government Exexutive magazine publishes an article on this topic annually
• Review OPM's Retirement FAQs
• Begin archiviving your career's photos. Decide what you should simply keep for personal records and preserve them for yourself. Photos with agency value should be transmitted to whoever your District desginates, and/or uploaded to the Corps Lakes Photo Album
• Begin archiving your career's documents/electronic communications. Discuss with your local manager how these files should be preserved. If you have GETS or Lesson's Learned that should be added to the NRM Gateway, now is the time to submit.

Pre-retirement (6 months out)

• Steps when 6 months from retirement
• Prepare a Continuity Book - see Louisville District Continuity Book template
• GRB - Government Retirement & Benefits Platform. This is where you submit your retirement paperwork. Its recommended to submit 6 months prior to your retirement date.

Pre-Retirement (2 months out)

• GRB Retirement Application Package (GRB RAP) Employee Guide
• Steps within 2 months of retirement
• Apply for retirement
• Check with Army Benefits Center-Civilian (ABC-C) on schedule for informational sessions, Final Retirement Counseling. These sessions are tailored toward employees who are retiring within the next 30 - 60 days and will be held monthly.
• Make sure you understand process and have enough resources to carry you until the first full retirement payment comes

Retirement

• Last day on the job - turn in keys/electronics/IDs per local policy and directions Celebrate! Hopefully you have someone in your local office helping with the official send-off. There are now various on-line options for farewells, such as Kudoboard, virual happy hours via webcast, etc. to supplement in-person gatherings.
• Plug into network of retirees. One option is the the Corps-Keep-in-Touch community on Facebook.
• Adjusting to life without office hours can be difficult - there are a lot of online resources. Here's just one article on the topic
• Keep reading weekly retirement advice articles in Government Exercutive
• NARFE Magazine - Keep reading - great source of retirement advice for Feds

Post-Retirement

• If you still want to work, check out Reemployed Annuitant opportunities
  • Reemployed Annuitant flyer
  • OPM Guidance
  • Social Security and Rehired Annuitants
• Join the Corps-Keep-In-Touch page on Facebook
• Get an America the Beautiful National Park and Federal Recreational Lands Senior Pass
• Volunteer with the Corps or another Federal agency
• Become a Park Attendant - opportunities are published in the WorkKamper News
• Participate in the Corps Foundation
• NARFE Magazine - great source of post-retirement advice for Feds and updates on proposed and enacted legislative changes affecting benefits