Standard Form 3107

Standard Form 3107 (SF 50), officially titled Application for Immediate Retirement (Federal Employees Retirement System), is a United States government form used to process an immediate retirement for government employees.

Submission

It is preferred that the form be submitted 60–90 days prior to retirement to allow sufficient processing time for an employee's agency to complete its requirements and transmit the completed form to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM, who handles the FERS retirement annuity). However, nothing prohibits an employee from submitting the form and retiring the same day, though doing so will likely delay OPM from finalizing the actual amount of the annuity.

A separate letter of retirement/resignation is not required; the form serves as notice of an intention to leave civil service.

Per OPM, an employee may withdraw the form at any time prior to actual retirement by simply informing his/her agency's personnel office of such withdrawal. However, the agency is not required to accept withdrawal but is required to state in writing the reason for refusal (e.g. the employee's position is being abolished or a replacement has been designated; however, in practice agencies will refuse withdrawal for a fabricated reason if they really want to permanently cut ties with the employee).

The Form

The first four pages of the SF 3107 provide instructions on the various sections and addendums to the form itself. The form itself begins on page five.

Section A (the first eight blocks) list the employee's name, prior names used, contact information after retirement, Social Security Number, date of birth, whether the employee is or is not a US citizen, and if the retirement is due to disability.

Section B asks questions about federal service. Block 2 is the "date of final separation", which is the last day the employee is on the payroll; the employee's retirement starts on the following day. Due to the FERS requirement that an employee be retired for a full calendar month before receiving an annuity (the annuity is paid on the first of the month for the preceding month), commonly this date is the final day of the month (and often is December 31). The final two blocks involve prior military service.

Section C involves marital status, which is important as Section D (annuity election) is often dependent on the answers to Section C (an employee must elect a full survivor benefit for a current spouse unless the current spouse affirmatively agrees to waive his/her rights, and depending on a court order may also be required to provide a survivor benefit to a former spouse or spouses). An employee may also elect to provide a survivor benefit for another person (such as a child, sibling, or domestic partner) but must provide proof of insurability.

Section E involves insurance benefits. For Blocks 1 (health insurance) and 2 (life insurance) an employee must have coverage at retirement and for the preceding five years (or, if the current tenure is less than five years, from the earliest date of enrollment). To continue life insurance coverage into retirement, a separate Standard Form 2818 must also be completed and submitted along with the SF 3107.

Section F involves other claims such as worker's compensation or prior retirement. Section G (which is optional) allows the employee to list dependent children.

Section H involves payment information. Traditional checks are no longer sent out; the employee must either provide financial account information, or agree to have the annuity payments placed onto a Direct Express debit card, unless the employee's future address is outside the United States and direct deposit or Direct Express is unavailable. Unlike paychecks, where Federal tax withholding is mandatory, such withholding is not mandatory on the annuity.

Section I is the employee's certification of accuracy, as well as a checklist for the employee's benefit.

After Section I are three Schedules: Schedules A and B involve military pay issues and Schedule C involves worker's compensation issues.

Following the Schedules (beginning on page nine) is an attachment, SF 3107-1, which is completed by the employee's agency. Section A is identifying information. Section B is a list of all Federal service from the employee's Official Personnel File. Section C lists (where applicable) any Federal service not subject to FERS annuity contributions (such as some part-time service). Section D is the agency certification of accuracy. Section E is where the employee (after reviewing the SF 3107-1) either concurs with what is shown or disagrees (and provides documentation).

The next page (page 10) is SF 3107-2, which is completed only if the employee is electing less than a full survivor annuity for a current spouse. Part 1 is completed by the employee and Part 2 by the current spouse (in the present of a notary who completes Part 3). This part is not completed if the employee is providing a full survivor benefit to a current spouse, or if the employee is not married at retirement.

The last three pages comprise Schedule D, comprised of two checklists to be completed by the employing office (Section A) and the payroll office (Section B).