r/FERSrefund

Has anyone called today and found out what day they are working on? Unfortunately, for me, my information was received in may. : /

Payroll Center:
NFC

Separation Date:
09/2025

Method of SF3106 Submission:
Direct mail to OPM by self

SF3106 Sent Date to OPM:
12/01/2025

OPM Processed/Logged Date:
12/30/2025

OPM Assigned to Specialist Date:
03/2026

Paycard Received Date:
6/15/2026

Okay folks here’s my situation, after waiting months for my refund I was told on 6/19 that I should expect my refund in 2/3 weeks. Called today after three weeks and was told that they cancelled my refund because the leading zero was missing from my routing number. (Why they couldn’t just mail a check or call me is beyond me)

The Contact Rep took my bank info and sent a message to someone so that they would process my return with the corrected information but they said that they couldn’t give me an estimate for the refund.

Has anyone else been in this situation and could you give me an estimate of how long it will take? I’m getting desperate here.

I submitted a hardship letter with supporting documentation in mid-June. When I called today, they said there was no record of it in my file. Is this normal?

My refund is coming but I’m in the waiting game, and was wondering if there are lenders out there, commercial or private, who will do this?
For example I have approximately 17000 coming back and just want to borrow 5-6. My refund should hit in September by worst calculations or July by best calculations.

Was anyone else logged March 6th and where are you at the process?

Wanted to document my process for any folks digging through the sub for similar experiences. For the record, I was a DRP 2.0 employee with three years of service across two agencies.

Jan 9, 2026 - Mailed FERS refund paperwork to OPM. Waited a bit over 90 days from my Sept. 30, 2025 separation. I chose to have my interest go to my Roth IRA and the contributions to a HYSA (just easier that way for me. Rolling anything into TSP seemed like an additional paperwork nightmare).

Feb 6, 2026 - First called OPM to confirm if it was in their system. Phone lines were super busy at this time so I had to do that thing were you call 30-60 times consecutively to get a different automated greeting with menu options. Since FERS refund folks don't get a claim number, I chose the retirement annuity menu option and then asked to speak to an agent. I was probably on hold for 1.5 hours. After speaking to an agent, they confirmed my paperwork was logged and it would be around 15 weeks till I get a refund.

May 11, 2026 - Called after 15 weeks. Got an agent right away. Was told they needed my agency to confirm my separation and that they had contacted them already and were given 30 days to respond.

June 12, 2026 - Called a month later. Lines were busy again. Had to call a bunch to get the menu option and was then on hold for an hour. They confirmed that my agency responded and my refund was in its final stages of processing.

June 15, 2026 - Received a letter from OPM in the mail confirming my funds would be issued in 10 days and the totals that would be going to my HYSA and Roth.

June 22, 2026 - Saw the money in my HYSA!!!! The money hit my Roth about a week later.

I would say that the money I got back from my contribution portion is about $300 under what I calculated from my pay stubs across both agencies, but at this point, idgaf, just happy to have my contributions back and more or less not be worried about it.

Good luck to all those in the process. It works, just so much patience necessary. Shout out to the OPM folks. They were always nice on the calls and I'm sure their job is rough af right now.

Submitted and mailed paperwork: 2/2/26

Called and asked for an update and was told I was logged on 2/20/26 and to expect a 16 week timeline : 3/10/26

Called and was told they were working on applications logged on 2/12/26 : 6/4/26

Refund received: 7/2/26

Logged 2/23
Called OPM twice in the last couple of weeks
Direct Deposit on 6/30 about 7 days after the initial date provided by OPM
Originally sent via mail in late January

I was logged Feb 20

Assigned Jun 11

Sent for review Jun 22

Refund Received Jun 29!!

Mailed the forms 3 weeks ago to the OPM PO.....tried calling the OPM number and keep getting a "we are not taking calls at this time" how do you find out if or when it was logged etc?

I saw a post last night about requesting hardship for the refund if we haven’t heard anything back so I sent an email this morning and received back that the mailbox is no longer monitored and to submit the request online. Unfortunately, you need a CSA number otherwise you have to call and can’t submit it online.

When I called this morning, they said they cannot submit a request for hardship for refunds. I wish I would’ve saw that post before they closed that email mailbox but making this post so that people know (or maybe can correct it and say that perhaps there’s another way).

Mine was received by OPM on 1/20/26, logged 2/13/26 and assigned on 5/28/26. They said it can take months before the specialist reviews it so no timeline. I asked if there’s any information they are missing or anything and they said no.

I still appreciate this community though for all the tips. I hope we all get ours soon.

Payroll Center: NFC

Separation Date: 09/30/25

Method of SF3106 Submission:
Certified Mail

SF3106 Sent Date to OPM:
Jan/26

OPM Received Date:
Jan/26

**OPM Processed/Logged Date:**
02/13/2026

**OPM Assigned to Specialist Date:**
05/28/26

So, I know this FERS Refund is technically just getting our contributions refunded to us that we contributed while we worked for the Gov. My question is - does this count as ‘income’ or not, since it was our money in the first place but basically put it elsewhere until now, where we are applying to get it back? Thank you!

I finally received funds from OPM via direct deposit dated 6/26. Does anyone know if there is a Statement or accounting that follows, to show how the amount was calculated / allocated? There are taxes and interest involved and I feel there should be some backup documentation other than a lump sum deposit.

Incidentally, I left DHS/FEMA via DRP 1 after 4 years of service. After numerous calls plus Congressional Inquiry, the wait for refund was 6 months 19 days from date USPS confirmed delivery and 5 months and 14 days from reported logged date.

Any advice or experience on this is appreciated.

If your app was logged by OPM in February 2026, you may post comments and questions in this mega thread instead of making a separate thread.

payroll Center:
NFC

Separation Date:
09/2025 - not DRP

Method of SF3106 Submission:
Direct mail to OPM by self

SF3106 Sent Date to OPM:
10/2025

OPM Received Date:
11/07/2025

OPM Processed/Logged Date:
Unknown

OPM Assigned to Specialist Date:
Unknown

Direct Deposit Date:
06/22/2026 for interest portion
No payment of contributions yet.

Total Wait Time:
8 months

After going through with many months of calling OPM and being told they are processing / waiting on NFC, I had to go the congressional route. Submitted my congressional paperwork in late May. I actually received a letter in mail June 18th explaining my payment amounts and that I should expect them in 10-14 days. Somehow OPM has managed to only send me the interest portion of my refund and not my contributions even though they are going to same account. As of today 6/26 still no contributions refund.

Have you received your refund yet? I'm still waiting. I was counting on getting my money in June. Hope it is deposited soon.

Payroll Center:

DFAS

Separation Date:

09/2025

Method of SF3106 Submission:

Direct mail to OPM by self

SF3106 Sent Date to OPM:

02/09/2026

OPM Received Date:

????

OPM Processed/Logged Date:

02/23/2026

OPM Assigned to Specialist Date:

????

Direct Deposit Date:

N/A

Total Wait Time:

> 124 so far

Notes:

No special notes, just (not so patiently) waiting. Posting to see where others timelines are with similar dates. Will update when I have an update.

Stepped away from fed after doing 8 years.
Question is, when i call do i press 1 and then 7?
Reason being im not a “retiree”

Turned in the paperwork first week of February and haven’t received anything.

Thank you

Hello! DOL DRP 1.0 here. I originally sent my refund request back in November 2025, but for whatever reason it was never received. I resubmitted it in January, and it was logged Feb 20. I really needed the money for my studies last semester (grad student), but I was definitely counting on it to be here by summer at the latest.

Now I’m in a situation where I really need it by the beginning of next month if I am going to make rent on time. I called OPM yesterday, and they told me that it had been assigned to a specialist but not yet sent for review. Has anyone else been told this? What is the usually turnaround from assigned to a payment being received? They wouldn’t give me a timeline but said to call back if I hadn’t gotten anything in 30 days.

Payroll Center:
NFC

Separation Date:
09/2025

Method of SF3106 Submission:
Direct mail to OPM by self

SF3106 Sent Date to OPM:
Don’t remember

OPM Received Date:
Don’t know

OPM Processed/Logged Date:
02/20/2026

OPM Assigned to Specialist Date:
Don’t know

Total Wait Time:
124 days

Managed to get through to OPM. Apparently, for the 2nd time, it was sent back for a signature issue. This was on June 2nd, but I haven't received anything in the mail so I don't know specifically where the problem is. I don't know whether to wait for the mailed notice or to submit another form.

Last day of work 6/3/2025
Official resignation 9/30/2025 - Submitted SF-3106 to agency

Checked with agency on 12/1, they had done nothing
Agency sent me PDF copy (no wet signatures obviously)

I printed and mailed that to OPM, not realizing the signatures needed to be wet

Got rejection notice in the mail, sent other form with wet signatures in December

2/10 logged as received
5/26 assigned
6/2 sent back out for another signature?