OPM Retirement Backlog Hits 8-Year Low: What It Means for You!
Exciting news for federal employees! The OPM retirement backlog has reached a milestone not seen since 2016, signaling a significant turnaround in processing times.
As we close in on November 2024, the total number of outstanding retirement claims at the Office of Personnel Management stands at a remarkable 13,844. To put this into perspective, the last time it dipped below this number was in June 2016 when it was recorded at 13,529.
In November alone, OPM received 6,808 new retirement claims and impressively processed 7,872 of them, taking an average of just 55 days to complete each claim. This is a clear indication that OPM is stepping up its game!
Throughout 2024, the average retirement backlog has hovered around 16,083. Federal employees are submitting about 7,558 retirement claims each month, with OPM processing an average of 7,599. These statistics showcase a steady and promising trend as we move forward.
The end of the year is traditionally a bustling time for federal retirements, making this drop in pending claims a significant boost for those planning to retire soon. It’s a relief knowing that the backlog is decreasing as we approach this peak retirement season.
However, let’s keep in mind that while many federal employees choose to retire at year-end, the real impact on processing is felt in January. Historically, this month sees the highest influx of claims, leading to a spike in the backlog. For instance, last January, we saw a staggering 46% increase in the retirement backlog!
Understanding Interim Retirement Payments for Federal Employees
Upon retirement, federal employees can expect to receive interim payments while OPM finalizes their retirement application. These payments cover a portion of the expected annuity and typically arrive on the first business day of each month.
According to OPM:
Interim pay is a portion of your estimated annuity payment (approximately 60–80% of your finalized net payment for most individuals). This is designed to help you manage your expenses while we work on your case.
- Keep in mind that interim payments do not include deductions for health benefits, life insurance, dental, vision, or long-term care.
- The only deduction from interim payments is for federal tax; state tax is not included.
- You’re responsible for managing your dental, vision, and long-term care insurance through BENEFEDS while receiving interim pay.
- Interim payments will not consider any annuity supplement you may qualify for.
As of now, OPM estimates that it will take about 3-5 months for federal employees to begin receiving their full annuity payments. However, this timeline can stretch longer if OPM faces delays in processing claims or if there are errors on retirement applications.
Just two years ago, the landscape looked quite different with the retirement claims inventory soaring over 30,000. In March 2022, for instance, it peaked at 36,349. Fast forward to November 2024, and we’ve achieved a staggering 163% reduction in inventory!
So, how has your experience been? If you’ve recently retired or are navigating the retirement process, we’d love to hear about your journey in the comments section below!
OPM Retirement Backlog Processing Status – November 2024
| Month | Claims Received | Claims Processed | Inventory (Goal: 13,000) | Average Processing Time (Days) | Year-to-Date Average (Days) |
| March 2023 | 8,354 | 8,929 | 22,925 | 69 | 81 |
| April 2023 | 8,298 | 10,839 | 20,384 | 70 | 79 |
| May 2023 | 6,096 | 8,355 | 18,125 | 71 | 78 |
| June 2023 | 4,854 | 6,609 | 16,370 | 74 | 78 |
| July 2023 | 7,261 | 6,584 | 17,047 | 85 | 78 |
| August 2023 | 7,383 | 6,467 | 17,963 | 74 | 78 |
| September 2023 | 6,768 | 8,879 | 15,852 | 70 | 77 |
| October 2023 | 6,924 | 6,098 | 16,678 | 73 | 73 |
| November 2023 | 5,207 | 6,059 | 15,826 | 66 | 69 |
| December 2023 | 5,662 | 7,196 | 14,292 | 68 | 69 |
| January 2024 | 12,997 | 6,467 | 20,822 | 66 | 68 |
| February 2024 | 8,794 | 10,025 | 19,591 | 47 | 62 |
| March 2024 | 7,943 | 10,711 | 16,823 | 55 | 61 |
| April 2024 | 6,901 | 7,647 | 16,077 | 61 | 61 |
| May 2024 | 6,751 | 8,793 | 14,035 | 60 | 61 |
| June 2024 | 6,919 | 5,614 | 15,340 | 64 | 61 |
| July 2024 | 6,451 | 5,994 | 15,797 | 65 | 61 |
| August 2024 | 7,083 | 7,702 | 15,178 | 64 | 61 |
| September 2024 | 5,618 | 6,302 | 14,494 | 63 | 62 |
| October 2024 | 6,872 | 6,458 | 14,908 | 62 | 62 |
| *November 2024 | 6,808 | 7,872 | 13,844 | 55 | 58 |
Disability determinations are included in the pending numbers upon approval. The Average Processing Time in Days reflects the duration from when OPM receives a retirement application to its final adjudication.
*Initial retirement cases completed in less than 60 days averaged a swift 36 days, while those taking more than 60 days averaged 116 days.
