The average processing time for federal retirement applications has risen to 76 days, a 6-day increase from August’s 70-day average. This comes as OPM faces a wave of 35,000 retirement applications that are expected to hit the Retirement Operations Center within the next 2-3 weeks.
September saw 6,095 employees file for retirement, a decrease from the 9,416 applications received in August. Despite this dropoff, OPM was only able to process 7,902 claims in September, a significant reduction (nearly 30%) from the 11,195 claims processed in the previous month. This leaves a backlog of over 23,000 applications.
OPM is expanding its Interim Pay program to reduce financial uncertainty for new retirees. Under the updated system, employees will receive at least 80% of their estimated annuity within 30 days of OPM receiving their application, with final adjustments made once the full review is complete. The agency is also hiring additional staff, improving customer service tools, and strengthening coordination with agency HR offices to reduce errors and speed processing times.
Here’s how the numbers stack up YTD*:
January 2024: 12,997
January 2025: 16,101
Increase: 23.9%
February 2024: 8,794
February 2025: 9,637
Increase: 9.6%
March 2024: 7,943
March 2025: 7,803
Decrease: 1.8%
April 2024: 6,901
April 2025: 8,332
Increase: 20.7%
May 2024: 6,751
May 2025: 15,048
Increase: 122.9%
June 2024: 6,919
June 2025:13,430
Increase: 94.1%
July 2024: 6,451
July 2025: 8,295
Increase: 28.6%
August 2024: 7,083
August 2025: 9,416
Increase: 32.9%
September 2024: 5,618
September 2025: 6.095
Increase: 8.5%
Jan – September 2024: 69,457
Jan – September 2025: 94,157
Increase: 35.6%
Mistakes or missing information in federal retirement applications can significantly delay processing, postponing your access to full benefits. The most common mistakes include incomplete personal identification details, incorrect marital status documentation, and discrepancies in federal service records.
Not sure if you’re retirement ready? Overwhelmed by navigating the complex process of federal retirement? Reach out to a Federal Retirement Consultant (FRC®) who understands your unique benefits.
*https://www.opm.gov/retirement-center/retirement-statistics/retirement-processing-status.pdf
