Q. I am a rural carrier under FERS. How far in advance should you start the retirement process?
A. It’s a good idea to start the paperwork at least three months ahead of the date you plan to retire. That gives you, your boss, and your personnel office time to smoothly work through the process. You’ll find the Office of Personnel Management’s recommendations in their helpful publication, Planning for Retirement, at www.opm.gov/retirement-services/publications-forms/pamphlets/ri83-11.pdf.
