Thread: Zebra's Story

One of the INSANE aspects of this whole unecessarily complex set of time consuming proceedures is, and I'll use my case as an example.

The DON HR office in Portsmouth Va will have had my retirement package for 6 months prior to my retiring on 31 Dec of this year. WTF are these POC people, and others like them in other agencies, doing with our paperwork PRIOR to us retiring? Let me guess NOT MUCH to NOTHING.

Then it takes OPM a (*&^*& year!

115 days and a countin!!

Originally Posted by Zebra

Zebra's story started 31 Dec 2010, but it looks like he has reach Beulah Land! I noticed this morning on the Services Online OPM webpage, for the the upcoming month 1 Oct. a full paycheck with all the deductions and so forth. I expect I should be receiving the glorious OPM package any day now. Well, I must say I didn't think it would take this long, but finally it is coming to the end. BTW, what I saw online was just a normal looking payday, I saw no catch me up type payment; maybe more new later about that! Anyway for those who are retiring now or soon, you best have patience because yours could take up to a year to finalize. Man OPM blows! Have I mentioned lately how OPM sucks dirty Canal Water????

Z I would think you should be getting your back pay before Oct 1. I know on Sept 1 I had 2 deposits to my checking account, one the usual partial annuity and the other the back pay. May want to have another look at your account to see if you got that second one. And there is nothing on the OPM site about the second check. It's all explained in the personalized booklet you get in the mail. But in any case, like you said, you have finally reached Beulah Land.

And I think I remember reading somewhere that OPM sucks dirty canal water. lol

Have a good one.

Originally Posted by Elgallo

One of the INSANE aspects of this whole unecessarily complex set of time consuming proceedures is, and I'll use my case as an example.

The DON HR office in Portsmouth Va will have had my retirement package for 6 months prior to my retiring on 31 Dec of this year. WTF are these POC people, and others like them in other agencies, doing with our paperwork PRIOR to us retiring? Let me guess NOT MUCH to NOTHING.

Then it takes OPM a (*&^*& year!

115 days and a countin!!

They have to hold onto it to make sure you don't change your mind about retirement. That's what my counselor at HRSSC told me. I just laughed, but she understood and was just following directions.

I'm guessing that since OPM like the rest of the Gov't work force, has had their pay frozen/cut, facing furloughs and RIFs, that their attitude is less than "I could give a Sh!t whether you get your retirement pay finally settled"..

Sorry for you Z ..hope they get it ironed out soon.

thanks Buster and brookmd, I did check my checking about and like brookmd said, there was a glorious second deposit, but nothing of this mentioned on the OPM Online Services. I suspect I should be getting the almighty retirees package in the mail any day now! If OPM was NASA, we would be still doing the rubber band aircraft experiments, eh?

It is finished!!!!!!!!!!!!! Today, Sept 14, 2011 I finally received the OPM's "Your Federal Retirement Benefits" package! What I review seemed to be actually correct, so I guess my retirement story has come to the end. Retired 31 Dec 2010 and 8.5 months later OPM completed my retirement. Good luck you guys and gals retiring this year. I will like to see your story and follow you to see how long they take this coming retirement season.

Good luck and happy retirement; I will check back on u from time to time if I have time; this retirement life is awesome and very busy! Roll Tide Roll!

About time Zeb!

There ya go Z. Just needed a little patience. And yep it will be interesting to follow those who take the big step this year. Hopefully after reading our posts they will be ready for whatever OPM throws at them. Guess you gonna get a bigger boat now you got all that back compensation. Enjoy.

HOT DAMN!...Good life and enjoy

Amen Brother! Now it's my turn 107 and counting!

Question if you don't mind. I understand that the more complicated ones career is the longer it take for OPM to adjudicate your retirement. By this I mean if one has divorce (s), name changes, many location changes throughout their career ect. these things slow the process down. Would you consider your career to be one such as that to account for the 8.5 months it took?

Again CONGRATS for makin it to the finish line, but don't stand there too long cuz this guys right behind ya!

Originally Posted by Elgallo

Amen Brother! Now it's my turn 107 and counting!

Question if you don't mind. I understand that the more complicated ones career is the longer it take for OPM to adjudicate your retirement. By this I mean if one has divorce (s), name changes, many location changes throughout their career ect. these things slow the process down. Would you consider your career to be one such as that to account for the 8.5 months it took?

Again CONGRATS for makin it to the finish line, but don't stand there too long cuz this guys right behind ya!

My two cents worth, it may or may not. I think those who were CSRS were processed quicker, but most FERS seems to take longer. A friend of mine who retired from the USPS about 18 months before I did suffered the same delay. He was retired Navy and only worked at the New Orleans PO and had no personal issues to affect his retirement. He was the one who advised me to be ready for the delay. Myself, I had about 18 months of civil service prior to enlisting in the AF back in 67. Retired from the AF in 87 and went to work with USPS. I worked in 3 different cities with the USPS. But HRSSC had all that documented before I retired and my package was forwarded to OPM. Once OPM got to my package I got a letter from them in August advising me what it would cost to add my early civil service time to my FERS time. And shortly after sending them the check my retirement was finalized.

Personally, I think the delay is the number of boomers retiring, the possibility of retirement being based on high 5 vs high 3 causing more people to retire, not enough people at OPM and not being able to get their new computer processing to work.

If I were you, I'd prepare as if this delay will still be the norm.