OPM Announces Transition to Fully Digital Retirement, Deadline for Federal Agencies
In a May 7, 2025, memorandum, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) indicated it will be moving a fully digital retirement processing.
www.narfe.orgHere’s the latest I can share based on recent public reporting:
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OPM has rolled out a fully online retirement processing system (Online Retirement Application, ORA) across federal agencies, with the goal of replacing paper submissions and speeding up processing times. This modernization began in 2025 and is being implemented government-wide, including agencies served by the NFC and IBC. [Sources discuss ORA launch and agency onboarding steps] [cite ][cite ][cite ]
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Two key online self-service tools for retirees were introduced: (1) the ability to download 1099-R tax forms without logging into Retirement Services Online, and (2) access to real-time retirement processing times to track applications, enhancing transparency for retirees. [cite ]
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Public reporting through industry outlets highlighted ongoing modernization efforts, with discussions about the transition reducing backlogs and improving accuracy, though some reports noted delays during the transition period or related government shutdown backlogs. [cite ][cite ]
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Government and industry coverage in 2025-2026 continued to emphasize digitization of retirement processing, ongoing onboarding support for agencies, and integration with online tools like JANUS for annuity calculations. [cite ][cite ]
If you want, I can pull the most current official OPM page and summarize the exact steps, deadlines, and how to access the new ORA system, and provide a short, user-friendly checklist for retirees in Dallas, TX.