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WASHINGTON, D.C. (7News) — A historic wave of federal retirements is straining the system meant to support longtime public servants — leaving thousands of retirees without income for months after their final day on the job.
Howard County, Maryland resident Felicia Jones is among them.
“Scary, nerve-wracking — just unbelievable that I’m in this situation right now,” Jones said.
Jones retired from the federal government on Sept. 30, 2025, after 38 years of service across six different agencies, most recently the Internal Revenue Service. Her final paycheck came in early October.
Since then, she says, nothing.
“It’s been more than 90 days,” Jones said. “I have not received any earned annuity payments, and my annual leave payout remains unprocessed. Both are retirement benefits that I’m entitled to — so I have no income coming in.”
A Record Surge in Retirements
New data from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) shows 112,679 federal employees retired between October 2024 and September 2025 — the second-highest number in a single year.
More than half of those retirements — 56,911 — occurred in just the final three months of that period, creating an unprecedented surge in applications.
As of the most recent report, more than 50,500 retirement claims are still awaiting full processing at OPM. That figure does not include applications stalled in the HR offices of federal agencies.
“That 50,000 number is now like, we own it,” OPM Director Scott Kupor said in an interview with 7News. “We’ve got to fix it.”
No Pay, No Timeline
Jones says the delay has reached what she describes as a “critical point” in her life.
“I’ve had to continue paying monthly obligations without having any money coming in,” she said. “Even with savings, I’m exhausting those funds.”
While financial experts often recommend retirees have three to six months of savings, Jones says even careful planning can only go so far.
“If the delays continue — another six months, another 12 months — I will have depleted most of my personal savings,” she said. “Just like other retirees, I’ll be put in a real, real bad situation.”
Jones says she has received little information about where her retirement application stands.
“I’m going to be completely honest with you — I’m completely in the dark,” she said.
She says she has emailed her assigned retirement specialist multiple times, copying a manager, and asking for status updates, clarification on remaining steps, and an estimated timeline.
“The response I received was basically, due to the backlog and large volume of retirement applications, we’re working as fast as we can,” Jones said. “We don’t have any information for you.”
Where the Process Breaks Down
Kupor explained that delays often happen before applications ever reach OPM.
“The three other places things could be is either the applicant hasn’t finished doing their part, the HR at the agency hasn’t done their part, or the payroll provider hasn’t done their part,” Kupor said. “Until those get completed, they don’t show up at OPM.”
Kupor confirmed that retirees who have not received interim retirement pay are likely still stuck at the agency or payroll level.
“That means it hasn’t even come to us yet,” he said.
Jones said conversations with former colleagues suggest she is far from alone.
“I’m in constant communication with my ex-coworkers,” she said. “Some had their retirement packages reviewed and sent to OPM back in November — and they’re still in limbo as well.”
OPM Points to Improvements — Once Paperwork Arrives
Kupor says OPM anticipated a surge in retirements and made changes to prevent retirees from going months without income once their applications are received.
Under a revamped interim pay system, OPM now places 75% of applications into estimated retirement payments immediately.
“Within seven days of us receiving an application, 100% of those have been processed for interim pay,” Kupor said. “That was really important to minimize the gap between a retiree’s last paycheck and when money starts coming in.”
However, those improvements do not help retirees whose paperwork never reaches OPM.
7News reached out several times to the IRS for comment about retirement processing delays but did not receive a response.
A Call for Accountability
After nearly four decades of federal service, Jones says she never expected to be left in this position.
“I loved my job. I absolutely loved working for the federal government,” she said. “We’ve dedicated most of our careers to public service.”
Jones says she agreed to speak publicly to bring attention to what she views as a growing crisis.
“This is a major crisis — not just for me, but for all of my fellow retirees,” she said. “I hope those in power prioritize the retirement application process.”
While she says she sympathizes with the workers tasked with processing retirement claims, she believes change is urgent.
“There needs to be accountability and immediate action to speed this up,” Jones said. “We need help. A lot of us are hurting. It’s really devastating.”
As retirements continue at historic levels, federal officials say improvements are coming. For retirees like Felicia Jones, however, the future remains uncertain — and the wait continues.