When I announced my retirement from the federal government, several people asked me what the process was actually like.
Not just the paperwork, but everything that came with it.
How long did it take? When did my pension start? What surprised me? And what did those first few months really look like?
If you’re considering federal retirement someday, or you’re simply curious about what happens after someone walks out the door for the last time, here’s how my journey unfolded.
This isn’t a guide to federal retirement. It’s simply one person’s experience. Yours may look different, but I hope seeing one real-world example helps remove a little of the mystery.
Part 1: Leaving the Government (July – September)
After 25 years in federal service, retirement suddenly became very real.
I “pushed the button” and submitted my paperwork under the Voluntary Early Retirement Authority (VERA) program in late July.
Once I clicked submit, there wasn’t much left to do except wait.
And wait.
I’ll admit, this was probably the most anxious part of the entire process.
Thankfully, I accepted my position with Markon in August. Knowing I’d have another opportunity waiting for me made the wait much easier.
Formal approval arrived on September 8.
My retirement ceremony followed on September 19, and my last day in government service was September 30.
After 25 years, the only full-time career I’d ever known was over.
One chapter had ended. I just didn’t know exactly what the next one would look like.
Part 2: The Transition (October – December)
The next few months became some of the most emotionally intense of my life.
On my last day as a federal employee, I drove to be with my father and my oldest sister. We spent his final days together before he passed away in early October. Looking back, I can’t imagine being anywhere else.
At the same time, I was transitioning into my new role with Markon. My company began my clearance crossover on October 1, moving as quickly as they possibly could.
Ironically, October 1 was also the day the federal government shut down.
What I expected to be a straightforward transition suddenly became weeks of waiting as the shutdown delayed the government approval process.
Retirement didn’t begin the way I imagined it would.
Instead of taking a celebratory vacation or easing into a new routine, I spent those first weeks saying goodbye to my father, helping my family, and waiting for the government to reopen so my crossover could continue.
I never would have chosen those circumstances. But the unexpected pause during the shutdown gave me the time and space to grieve my father’s passing, be present for my family, and process one of the biggest transitions of my life before stepping into a new career.
The day before my father’s funeral, I learned that my company had completed its part of the crossover. Once the government reopened in mid-November, the remaining approvals moved forward, and everything was finalized later that month.
By December 1, I picked up my contractor badge. The following day, I walked back into the same building, but this time as a contractor instead of a federal employee.
It was a fitting reminder that while one chapter of my career had ended, another had already begun.
Part 3: Becoming an Official Retiree (January – April)
By January, the waiting shifted from security clearances to retirement paperwork.
On January 16, my retirement case was officially transferred from my organization to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).
About a week later, my interim pension catch-up payment arrived—right around the timeframe my retirement specialists had estimated.
My first full interim pension payment followed on February 2, and my annual leave payout was deposited on February 5, exactly as the retirement team had predicted.
Another interim pension payment arrived on March 1, and on March 12, OPM finalized my retirement case.
Finally, on April 1, I received my first finalized pension payment, along with the remaining catch-up funding.
From the day I submitted my retirement paperwork in late July until I received my first finalized pension payment on April 1, the process took about eight months.
Every retirement is different, and timelines can vary depending on individual circumstances. But if you’re approaching federal retirement, I hope seeing one real-world example helps remove a little of the mystery.
Looking back, retirement wasn’t just a date on the calendar; it was a series of transitions.
Some happened exactly when I expected.
Others surprised me completely.
Together, they marked the end of a 25-year federal career and the beginning of a new chapter that I’m still writing today.
🐝 That’s the buzz for today!