Likely driven by ongoing efforts to shrink the federal workforce, the number of retirement applications submitted to OPM increased sharply in May. According to OPM data, they received 15,048 applications, an influx that pushed the backlog to 21,483. The average monthly processing time remains at 49 days, unchanged from last month. An indication of how steep the spike was, the number of applications received in March and April was 7,803 and 8,332, respectively.
On June 3rd, the OPM announced that it had launched the new Electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF) platform and completed the migration of more than 400 million files and over five million user accounts, a significant step in modernizing federal human resources systems. This advanced eOPF system replaces the legacy Official Personnel Folder (OPF) system that was decommissioned at the end of May. The new platform delivers a modern, intuitive experience. Key enhancements include:
- Files can be viewed directly in the platform without downloading PDFs.
- A cleaner, more intuitive interface for seamless access to personnel records.
- Streamlined options for printing and downloading documents.
This is part of a larger push to simplify and streamline the retirement process.
A May 7th memorandum from Charles Ezell, Acting Director of the OPM, announced “a modernized, efficient, and expedient retirement process.” Effective June 2, 2025, all retirement applications and supporting documents must be submitted electronically. Paper retirement packages will no longer be accepted and will be sent back to the agency for digital resubmission. This applies to agencies serviced by the National Finance Center (NFC) and the Interior Business Center (IBC). July 15, 2025, marks the date that all applications will be facilitated through the OPM’s new Online Retirement Application (ORA). This new, entirely digital process promises to provide a more efficient and improved experience by drastically reducing the amount of time involved in retirement processing.
Through the end of May, nearly 57,000 federal employees have submitted retirement applications. If you’re considering retirement, but aren’t sure if you’re ready, speak with a Federal Retirement Consultant (FRC®) who can help develop a plan that best fits your needs.
