Unpacking the new ORA (online retirement application) set to rollout on June 2, 2025. Hereā€™s what we know and how Fed Options can help!
Federal Retirement Application Process Moves Online this June
Since the 1970s, OPM has essentially had the same process for handling CSRS and FERS retirement claims. This paper-based method made several attempts at moving to digitization, but none had a high enough success rate. That is all set to change at the beginning of next month. Hereā€™s what we know so far about how the new ORA (Online Retirement Application) will work:
Electronic Application Email
First, federal employees should receive log-in instructions for signing into the new retirement system online portal. Hopefully, the rollout will go more smoothly than when TSP moved to a new online portal in the summer of 2022. This is especially important with the expected influx of retirement applications this year along. If employees no longer have access to their federal work email, having their personal email on file with OPM will be imperative.
Online Form Completion and Review with HR
Once logged into the new online system, employees will have to complete several online forms. After this is done, the ORA will be sent to the respective HR specialist in charge of reviewing their application claim. With reports that some employee have recently been unable to contact their HR managers, this review component could also become problematic for some federal employee looking to retire in 2025.
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Agency Review and Approval
The HR specialist is then responsible for submitting the electronic application to agency leaders to review and approve. All necessary forms, including redeposit certification and FEHB waivers of 5-year rule, must accompany the ORA at this time. Need to know which forms federal employee may need when applying for retirement? We can help!
OPM Submission and Final Confirmation
Once the above steps are complete, the ORA will at last get sent to OPM headquarters for final review and approval. It is unclear at the time how long the processing of applications will take, especially at the onset of the online program. This is why the deadline for paper applications is critical remember. If federal retirees submit the traditional FERS or CSRS application before July 15, then they can avoid any confusion or delays that the new ORA may cause.
Fed-Options offers one-on-one virtual meetings with financial professionals and their federal employee clients to ensure they've completed their OPM retirement applications error-free! You can become a member or pay as you go. Click here to explore our services!
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