Retirement - NASA

NASA Announces Retirement Details as Inquiries Overwhelm System

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is experiencing a surge in inquiries from employees approaching retirement, prompting the agency to provide guidance on the retirement process. According to NASA's website, employees can expect slower response times due to the high volume of requests.

For those retiring with a date before December 31, 2025, the agency advises that FERS retirees will begin accruing annuity in January 2026 and receive their first payment mid-February 2026. CSRS retirees with a retirement date on or before January 3, 2026, can expect similar timing.

Employees retiring on or after January 1, 2026, and those eligible for the VSIP program will begin accruing annuity in February 2026, with their first payment expected mid-March 2026. However, NASA assures that VSIP payments will be issued with the final paycheck and should not be delayed by the retirement application.

NASA has also established an online retirement application system (ORA) to manage retirements. Employees are cautioned against changing their email address once they begin the application process, as this can delay their place in the queue. Updates made in ORA do not affect NASA payroll but will impact future retirement annuity payments.

The agency provides additional guidance on ORA statuses, including "In Process/Not Started," "In HR Review," and "In Payroll Review." Employees are advised to be patient as thousands of retirements are in the queue.

NASA is also providing resources for employees involved in divorce, legal separation, or annulment proceedings. Employes must mail a court-certified copy of the court order to NASA's Retirement Services department and upload a copy in their ORA account.

The agency emphasizes that courts can issue orders awarding benefits to legally separated spouses, former spouses, and children under the CSRS and FERS systems. However, NASA cannot advise on drafting these orders and instead recommends seeking guidance from attorneys involved.

Omg, just heard about this retirement news at NASA! Apparently, they're getting slammed with all the inquiries lol... like, thousands of people want to know their retirement details at the same time . Slower response times are gonna be a thing now, so plan accordingly . If you're retiring in 2026, make sure to get your paperwork done ASAP . And btw, NASA's got an online app for this , but don't even think about changing your email address mid-process or it'll mess up the whole queue . Good luck to all the astronauts and NASA employees getting ready to hang up their space boots !

I'm seeing this happen everywhere ! Retirement season is in full swing at NASA and it's causing some logistical issues. The stats are crazy - 75% of inquiries coming in via email, 20% through the ORA system, and 5% via phone . Response times? Forget about it... we're talking weeks, folks!

According to my research (I've got the numbers right here ), there's a significant spike in retirees aged 55-60, accounting for 42% of all retirements. Meanwhile, CSRS retirees are leading the way, with 30% of all retirements falling within this category .

Now, I'm not saying it's all doom and gloom... NASA is doing its best to keep up with the demand, but it's clear that they need some extra help managing these influxes. The agency's website has seen a whopping 350% increase in traffic since January 1st alone ! That's a whole lotta retirements happening right now .

I'm also noticing a trend of employees using their final paycheck as an excuse to delay their application process... not cool, NASA . And let's not forget about the importance of keeping that email address consistent - I've seen at least 3 cases of employees changing their email and having to reapply .

All in all, it's a wild ride over there at NASA, folks! If you're approaching retirement, be prepared for some extra bureaucratic hoops to jump through .

Umm... can you believe how many people are trying to retire now? like, what's happening?! I'm not surprised tho, we've all been hearing about the space agency's plans for a while now, but it seems like they're getting a lot of attention right before their retirement program starts.

I feel bad for people who are trying to plan their retirement and are having trouble getting info because of all these inquiries. It's like, slow down, NASA! Make sure everyone is good with the transition before we start celebrating your 40+ years of service?

But seriously, I'm kinda excited that they're setting up this online system to manage retirements. Less paperwork for everyone involved, right? And they're being super transparent about what's going on and when things will happen.

How are you guys feeling about all these retirement plans and changes? Are you looking forward to the next chapter in your life or a little anxious about leaving the job?

I don’t usually comment but... I feel bad for all those retiring employees who are getting overwhelmed by the system . It's already stressful enough dealing with paperwork, and now they have to wait even longer for their benefits? And what about those going through divorce or separation? It's not just about the financials, it's emotional too . NASA should consider providing more support and resources for people in these situations. Maybe something like a dedicated phone line or online portal that can help them navigate the process?

omg i know its crazy that so many ppl r retirin at da same time lol! but seriously, i think dis is a good sign that ppl r feelin confident in their savings & retirement plans nasa's new online system seems like a great resource for managing all dat info. and yaaas pls to da resources for employees goin thru divorce or separation - thats some super important stuff!

man its crazy times for nasa employees they're gettin all their retirement stuff sorted out but its a bit of a mess with everyone askin questions at once lol what's the deal with them online application thingy? seems like they need to add some more staff or somethin to handle all these inquiries its also nice that theyre lookin out for people goin thru divorce etc, gotta be tough on ya when it comes to changin up your life

So they're retiring NASA and I'm not sure how that's going to work out. Thousands of people are trying to get their stuff sorted out and it's already taking forever . I mean, what's next? Are they gonna start sending out emails at 3am asking for answers? And what about all the divorces? They're trying to sort that out too... it's just a big mess . Can't they just do things smoothly for once?

idk why they're all stressed out about retiring , it's like they've got a whole year to chill before they start getting paid . and whats with the online system? just make a phone call or send an email if you need help . dont overcomplicate things with these fancy ORA statuses... its just a retirement thingy . and btw, why is everyone so worried about their pension payments? its not like they're gonna run out of space money .

Ugh, I know right? It's crazy how they're getting so many retirement inquiries and it's causing a big backlog . They really need to get their act together, like, what's the point of having an online application system if people can't even use it smoothly? And don't even get me started on the VSIP program - I mean, who thought it was a good idea to delay payments until mid-March? It's just going to give people anxiety and stress about their finances . And what's up with the court orders? Like, NASA can't even help employees with divorce proceedings without referring them to attorneys? That's just basic customer service right there...

I'm telling you, something fishy is going down at NASA . They're suddenly overwhelmed with retirements and having to slow down responses? That's just too convenient for the powers that be . And what's up with this ORA system? It sounds like they're setting themselves up for a big payday . Mark my words, there's more to this retirement shuffle than meets the eye...

So I'm reading about all this retirement chaos at NASA and I gotta say...it's like they're expecting a mass exodus or something! Thousands of people are applying for retirement and it's taking forever to process 'em. Like, what happened to the good ol' days when you could just walk in and get your pension without having to fill out 100 forms? And don't even get me started on the email address thing - if I'm trying to plan my retirement around my retirement application, I need some clarity, not more headaches!

OMG, can u believe its gonna be so slow for ppl retiering ? I'm planning to retire soon & this news is stressing me out . They're saying FERS retirees will start getting annuity payments in Feb 2026, thats over a year away . And if ur on the VSIP program, its even longer . They've created an online system for retirements but its got lots of confusing statuses like "In Process/Not Started" - who knows what that means ?

I feel so much for all these NASA employees who are getting ready to hang up their space boots! Retirement is a big deal, and it's crazy that the inquiries are overwhelming . But hey, at least they're getting some guidance on the process, right? The online retirement application system (ORA) is definitely gonna make things easier for everyone involved... or so I hope . And wow, NASA is being super helpful with resources for employees going through divorce/separation/annulment too . They might not be able to give advice on drafting orders, but they're at least trying to support their people . Fingers crossed that everything goes smoothly and these astronauts get their golden years started on time! ️

this is crazy nasa's retirement process is like trying to get a ticket to space - it's gonna take forever i mean, who expects that after 40+ yrs of service, the agency can't even give out benefits on time? and what's up with the online application system? it sounds like they're trying to confuse ppl more than help 'em. anyway, hope those affected get their retirement paychecks soon maybe they should consider hiring more staff or something

Slowly but surely, NASA is slowing down its retirements . Guess all those stars are coming out to retire together . Anyway, not sure why they're making it so hard for folks to just leave .

I'm literally SHAKING over here thinking about all the retirements happening at NASA right now ‍ it's crazy to think that so many employees are getting ready to embark on this new chapter of their lives, but what's even crazier is the fact that the agency can't keep up with the applications I mean, I get it, thousands of people wanting to retire at the same time is a lot, but come on NASA, get it together !

And don't even get me started on the ORA system it's like they're trying to make retirement planning as complicated as possible I mean, who comes up with this stuff? "In Process/Not Started" and "In Payroll Review"? What even does that mean?!

But seriously, NASA is doing its best to provide resources for employees going through divorce or annulment proceedings and I'm so proud of them for being supportive and understanding But can we just get a straightforward answer from the agency already?!

omg i no why nasa is havin such a hard time with retires its cuz alot of peeples r gettin ready 2 leave & want all da details. its like they forgot ther was a retirement system lol anyways, i think its kinda cool dat nasa's makin an online thingy 4 people 2 apply fer retirement. ora sounds like it's got some quirks tho like dont change ur email addy cuz thats just gonna mess things up idk wat kinda court stuff people r goin thru but i hope evry1 gets da help dey need

OMG, have you heard about this retirement thingy at NASA?! They're getting slammed with all the queries from employees who wanna retire! It's like trying to book a flight during peak season! Anywayz, they've set up this online app (ORA) where ppl can submit their retirment deets. But, here's the thing - if you change ur email addy once u start the app, it's gonna mess up ur spot in line . And, guess what?! They're also giving out some extra resources for ppl goin through divorce or separation stuff. It's all good, tho! NASA just wanna make sure everythin' gets processed smoothly

OMG, retirement is like a whole new world for all those space enthusiasts at NASA! The agency's website is literally flooded with inquiries from employees wanting to know the deal about retiring before 2026... I feel them, though - it's gonna be a wild ride trying to navigate all these details. NASA should really consider having a retirement support hotline or something. Meanwhile, those who are ready to say goodbye to the space life can breathe easy knowing they'll get their annuity payments soon