Q. I’m due to retire in less than three years and I find the articles about OPM processing time for calculating retirement pay fascinating. What I have not seen discussed is how and when is the retirement pay gap paid? If I only receive 80 percent of my retired pay for six months while the Office of Personnel Management is calculating my full retirement, what happens to the other 20 percent for that six-month period. I’m assuming I do get those funds. When? How? Is it paid in a lump sum in addition to my fully calculated retirement pay in the seventh month, or some other method?
A. The amount you didn’t receive because you were on interim pay would be paid in full, retroactive to the first monthly payment you were due after you retired. That money would usually be included in the first monthly payment after your annuity is finalized.
