Just an FYI for those approaching Retirement

[oldsoldier1976]

Originally Posted by ddeemo

I don't know about getting better - I turned my package in about 4 months prior yet they could not get it done in time for processing until almost 2 months after - almost 6 months for something that is supposed to take a month or 2.

Actually your case shows how good it has become. You submitted 4 months prior. OPM will not start it until the date on the packet. Done in two months is very good as some have taken 8 to 10 months after OPM starting the packet.

How it works is your packet is assigned a case worker. That person then crunches all the numbers and verifies dates and places. Then it is sent to a QC for verification and bang you get your blue book. In a lot of cases this goes quickly but then they run across agencies countries, types of service and that can slow the process down.

[MI-Roger]

Originally Posted by GearHeadDave

Exactly. I have these conversations with older people that grew up in the days when pensions were common. Employers won't offer pension at all in another 10 years. And the ones that are out there are likely to go belly up. Government will be the last holdout for pensions. Most of us are on our own at this point.

Originally Posted by AZPurdue

I'm with you. Nobody I know in the private sector gets a pension...including me. Most employers ditched those 20+ years ago.

If you said 10 years ago I would have agreed.

I chose a lump sum pension buy-out when I left my first employer 8 years ago because:

1) They had already reduced the pensions two or more times.
2) I did not trust them to continue paying the pension without future reduction(s) if I had selected that option. Note: they cancelled all Retiree life insurance only 2 months after I retired, and all Retiree Health Insurance after that.
3) I did not trust the company to remain solvent until my demise in 30 years, and my promised pension exceeded the PBGB maximum.

My second employer cancelled their pension plan shortly before I hired in

So yeah. Pensions are a rapidly dying breed but they do still exist.

[TheShadow]

We were required to submit our original retirement request 30 days ahead of our appointment. It's all very organized and I don't really understand what being a compulsive planner has to do with it. What prevented you from planning? Were you unsure of what the amount would be? Our pension office will give you a very accurate estimate of your pension amount if you ask, which really isn't necessary. If you know your pension formula, you can get pretty close on your own. A few dollars this way or that was not going to make a difference in my "planning".

During my meeting with our pension rep, I don't remember needing any documents at all, other than what was sent over to the pension office by my employer, and my photo ID. If I did, they were certainly things that were readily at hand in my "important document" file. I retired from a local municipal utility, but still had to go through the state retirement plan as they administer most local public employee pension programs within that state. My spouse came with me (as we was instructed to do) to sign any documents necessary for his signature. I also went to his state pension retirement meeting and it was a quick and simple process. We made our option elections, signed a few docs and left. Easy-peasy.

As for SS, I applied online 3 months ahead, it took 10 minutes. I needed some bits of info from my marriage certificate, and other readily available info, and that was about it. Never had to even go to their office.