Are you a recent federal retiree who is still getting a partial annuity check each month? Federal Times would like to hear from you. We’d like to find out how long you’ve been waiting for your full check, how much less you’re getting paid than what you’ve earned, and what you’ve heard from OPM when you inquired about the problem.
E-mail me at slosey@federaltimes.com. If you’d like to speak off the record or not have your name used in my story, that’s certainly fine.
27 Comments
Retired (FERS) Jan 30 (age 61);
Received funds for interim status Mar 1 and the first of Apr, May, June, July and Aug (6 mos); no FERS supplement paid (~$900/month);
OPM entered my name into their system to do the paperwork for final pay on Aug 9;
Received retroactive FERS supplement funds mid-August;
Started final pay Sept 1.
I started calling them in May . . . was told I’d be on final pay in June . . . in June was told it would be Aug or Sept . . . continued to call to check . . . was very frustrating . . . did not expect to have to wait that long.
Retired 5 months ago under FERS from USPS. Still receiving interim payments until OPM figures my annuity and SS supplement {I’m 61years old until March}. M interim payment is deposited into my bank account 1st off each month. I have health and life insurance taken from this payment but I don’t even know for sure how much I’m drawing before they are taken out because I get no pay stub. Called OPM to find when I could expect my full annuity and supplement and back pay. Got the runaround, glut of retirements, understaffed etc. What a way to run a railroad!
This doesn’t sound good from the other comments. I retired in July 2010 and have gotten two interim payments so far. CSRS with 37 years. I figure I am getting shorted at least $ 800.00 a month. Some folks can wait several months to get what they deserve and have worked so hard for. There should be no reason for this. I have no idea if any taxes have been taken out either since I have not even gotten a pay stub or statement. All I got was a notice about the interim amount. Sad isn’t it, no wonder this country is in trouble.
Retired Feb. 2010. STILL getting partial payments.
Retired 1Sep2010 from VA under CSRS with nearly 31 year service. Received 2 interim payments in Oct & Nov but only for ~30% of what the monthly annuity should be.
I retired 9/30/10 and I’m getting about half of what I should be getting. Another coworker who retired 5/30/10 is still getting about half of her retirement.
Why is this acceptable? The largest employer in the U.S. can’t figure out how to pay retirees? And yet federal workers get blasted in the press for pay and benefits. I wonder how many GM or Goldman Sachs retirees had to wait ten months for their full retirement?
I retired July 31,2010 from USPS after 32 years. I am CSRS offset. The interim payments are about 80% as expected, have arrived the 1st of every month in my bank account. It has been 5 months still no word from OPM.
Retired Sept 3rd, 2010. I am receiving about $1800 per month less than I am due. It is causing a financial hardship. Although Mr. Berry promised an increased in interim payments, my January 2011 payment remained the same. This is very frustrating.
Retired September 3, 2010, and my case was finalized the middle of January 2011. I was CSRS without a break in service.
I retired Oct 31, 2010, after 36 years service, under FERS. I’ve received an interim payment Dec 1 and Jan 1, both $664.00 each, which I’m sure doesn’t include the supplement I’m suppose to receive until I reach Social Security age. I spoke to OPM, and this lady said it would be some time in April, when my paperwork will be processed and finalized, and I should begin getting my annuity. She told me to call back in April, to check on the status. She also said I would receive another interim payment at the beginning of each month until then. She also said there had been a large number of postal service retirees, and that has delayed the process with so many retiring at the end of the year. Also, when I called last week, she said that were working on July’s paperwork, and here it is towards the last week in January. So, I plan to call about twice a month to check on the status, starting in mid February. In the mean time, I’m suppose to live off the interim of $664.00, my Thrift Savings monthly check, and whatever savings I have put up just in case there was going to be a delay. I can survive for at least another 5-6 months, before I’ll start to have a shortage on monies to survive on. So I’m expecting to wait a total of 6 months, after I spoke to friend at church today, and he told me he also had to wait 6 months, before he finally started to receive his monthly annuity. So that is my experience so far, as of January 30, 2010.
53 year old Law Enforcement Officer retired on June 30, 2010, after 25 1/2 years of service (without any break in service), had to contact OPM in mid-august regarding my first interim check (which I should have received on August 1, 2010). Within 2 weeks they sent me the check and shortly thereafter, I began receiving interim checks of approximately 60%, (FERS supplemental of $1001-not included). I called OPM approximately 3 weeks ago (after almost 8 months) and was told that my case (LEO) is special and has be handled by a “specialist” who should be working on it soon. They could not give me an estimate of how much longer I would have to continue waiting. It appears that there is no accountability in that agency. When I was employed, I had deadlines and had to adhere to those deadlines 99 % of the time.
Retired Oct 31, 2010, still nothing other than an interim check once a month. Not a word from OPM…
Retired from Air National Guard Oct. 31st 2010 and have received interim checks of about $770. / month since. That’s all! No SS supplement. Have tried many times to call the number I was given but ALWAYS get a busy signal. Where do you turn?
Well, On March 15, 2011, after 8 1/2 months of receiving interim checks, a direct deposit was made into my checking account of over $9,000 (including my FERS supplemental). Approximately 5 days later, I received the small blue booklet containing all the information that I will need for future reference. I am glad that the wait is over, and now I can replenish my savings account which was almost depleted.
At the end of June, 2011, it will be exactly 8 months since I retired. Received an interim check June 1st, and that’s all so far this month. No back pay. Haven’t heard a peep out of OPM. Still waiting…
Retired 1/1/2011 from DOD – still receiving interim checks – have not received any information from OPM.
After waiting 9 months and 4 days since retiring October 31, 2010, I finally received back pay, that was deposited in my checking account on August 4th. I will find out at the end of the month, whether I’ll start getting a regular monthly annuity. During that time of waiting, I’ve spoken to former co-workers, and informed them to be well prepared to have enough monies set aside, to carry them just in case there is a long delay. I feel for those who are still waiting, and for those who will be retiring in the near future. I did have to tap into my TSP to get me by, just in case there would be a much longer delay, and continue to pay my bills, take vacations, and enjoy my retirement. Good luck to those who are still waiting!
Opm has contracted out to 4 major and thousands of smaller accounting firms or people that don’t care about any of the retiree’s try this ask there name and business address see the run around they are not Opm employees they are private contractors you are just a number and you are not getting the correct amount they are not final agency determination you must call every day and ask do you have all paperwork do you have a calculator do you know what you are doing
I submitted my retirement papers Feb 15, 11 to retire May 31, 11. It is now Aug 31, 11 and I have only recieved interum payment which aren’t 89 or 75 percent of my annuity. I called OPM and was told on several occasions that the law said they have up to six months to complete process. I haven’t been able to find that law. I do not have six months of saving.
Retired July 1,2011 with 37 years CSRS. Called OPM middle of August to inquire when I might expect first annuity check. That was when I
Retired July 1,2011 with 37 years CSRS. Called OPM middle of August to inquire when I might expect first annuity check. That was when I first learned of the delay. I was told 7 months before I could expect full annuity. Shocked to say the least. No one in Human Resources even hinted it would take so long. I retired once before when taking an “early out” in 1997 with 25 years CSRS. Then was re-employed and worked an additional 12 years. I am receiving my original retirement annuity check. However, that amout is only 38% of what my new recalulated monthly amount should be. Currently, I have used up all my paid unused leave I received at retirement and now am tapping into TSP funds. After that’s gone, I’ll start using up IRA monies. Now, I have no choice but to return to work….oh well, so much for retirement. Really bothered and disappointed about this failure to give what is an entitlement. Who would work if their employer said they would have to wait months for their salary check?
Retired 3/31/2011. Started receiving interim checks June 2011. Called OPM in August 2011 and was told that they received my file on April 26, 2011 but it had not been assigned to anyone. Also told that it would be 4-6 months from receipt of file from agency before full annuity would be paid. It has almost been 6 months and no word yet.
I retired Jan 31, 2012 – I have only received interim checks and cannot get through to anyone at OPM who can provide any answers to my questions. I am receiving about $1000 per month less than I should be on my regular CSRS retirement. After over 37 years with the federal government, I feel I am owed much more in respect than I am currently receiving.
I too retire on January 31, 2012 under VERA. I was with USDA for 25 years and it was a great opportunity to leave and let someone else keep their job. However if I had know what the delay in retirement funds would be I would have kept my job. I have been receiving about $557.00 a month from OPM/FERS/interim, and I am really hurting. I am a single person, and I am struggling to keep my home. I too have notified OPM three times without a response. Has anyone applied for food stamps or state aid, or know if this is an option.
Retired March 30, 2012 — no interim check in April or May or June (it is now coming up on July), no reply from OPM to my emails or phone calls — no word at all.
Retired 12/02/2011 from the U.S. Postal service. I am still receiving an interim payment of about 25%. OPM says no interest will be paid. When I complained about the delay they said to contact my Congressman. I did about six weeks ago. Checked back with the Congressman’s office and was told when they have info they will contact me.
Still waiting for my money, retired on January 31, 1012…savings is gone, my house payment exceeds my monthly income…not to mention my utilities. I did notify my Congressman as suggested, but they are limited to what they can do. I have been told that our retirement is better than the private sector. I have a friend (in the private sector) that retired the same time and he received full retirement within 30 days of submission. I have to say that if I told any of my clients that they would not receive their payments for 6 to 8 months, I would have lost my job. Is there any accountability for OPM?