Review and update your contact information and beneficiaries by logging in to your account.
At Least 18 Months Before You Retire
Log In
Meet with your MissionSquare Retirement Plans Specialist to review your investments and savings.
Use Calculator
Consider paying off outstanding loans taken against your retirement plan. If you retire with an outstanding loan balance, there may be a reduction to your retirement benefit. Utilize MissionSquare’s Debt calculator to see how soon you can pay off debt and what your payment will be.
Consider consolidating other accounts into your retirement plan for easier management.
12 – 18 Months Before You Retire
View Calculators
Establish a spending plan for your income, and estimate what your pension, Social Security, etc. may be. Use these helpful calculators and tools.
Schedule a consultation with a MissionSquare Certified Financial Planner® professional for financial decisions. Meet with your Retirement Plans Specialist to learn more.
Retirement Preparation Timeline
Retirement is a big step. A preparation timeline may help you take that step with confidence. The following timeline may serve as an outline of the retirement preparation process, highlighting important topics and information you may want to consider.
Learn More
Schedule Meeting
Schedule Meeting
Use Calculator
Plan your withdrawal strategy (to avoid a tax penalty on early withdrawals and to take required distributions correctly). Utilize the Retirement Income Planner to help you manage withdrawals from accounts that you have set aside for retirement.
View Checklist
Review what Medicare covers, its costs, and options to supplement it. Visit www.medicare.gov and view MissionSquare’s Medicare Checklist to help guide you.
Use Calculator
Consider how you will pay for health care costs and review your current health insurance coverage. Check with your health benefits administrator to determine your eligibility for post-retirement coverage and utilize the MissionSquare Retiree Health Cost Estimator to get started.
12 Months Before You Retire
Review all income sources. Experts say you will need at least 80% of your pre-retirement income to maintain your current standard of living.
View Worksheet
Prepare a retirement budget. Preparing a budget can assist you in keeping your long-term goals in focus. Use budgeting software, online tools, a simple spreadsheet, or MissionSquare’s Cash Flow Statement.
6 Months Before You Retire
Schedule an appointment with your MissionSquare Retirement Plans Specialist and/or with a Certified Financial Planner® professional to review your retirement preparedness.
Locate proof of your birth date. You will need to provide proof of your birth date to receive benefits or to leave a lifetime pension benefit to a beneficiary after your death.
Schedule Meeting
Within two weeks of contacting DCHR, a DCHR retirement expert will reach out to gather all required information, identify your retirement date,* and set up your official retirement appointment.
*Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) employees hired before October 1, 1987 can retire on the 1st, 2nd, 30th or 31st of the month.
Let DCHR know that you want to retire! To start the retirement process, email DCHR with your name, contact information, and desired retirement date.
15 – 90 Days Before You Retire
Schedule an appointment with your MissionSquare Retirement Plans Specialist and/or with a Certified Financial Planner® professional to continue discussions along your retirement journey.
Finalizing your retirement benefit amount can take some time. The time it will take can vary depending on the complexity of your circumstances. In the meantime, enjoy your retirement. You have earned it.
After You Retire
Quick Links
After You Retire
At Least 18 Months Before You Retire
12 – 18 Months Before You Retire
12 Months Before You Retire
6 Months Before You Retire
15 – 90 Days Before You Retire
Schedule Meeting
Retirement Plans Specialists
To learn more, schedule a meeting with your MissionSquare Retirement Plans Specialists.
Schedule Meeting
Angela Macon Retirement Plans Specialist (202) 759-7033 amacon@missionsq.org
Andrew McFalls Retirement Plans Specialist (202) 759-7071 amcfalls@missionsq.org
Harold Michael Retirement Plans Specialist (202) 759-7183 hhmichael@missionsq.org
Ryan Myers Retirement Plans Specialist (202) 759-7210
ramyers@missionsq.org
Retirement Plans Specialists
Upon successfully completing the above steps with DCHR, your effective retirement date will be within two weeks of your official retirement appointment.
Within 30 days of connecting with DCHR, you will go to the DCHR office for your retirement appointment. You will complete your paperwork, select your post-retirement benefits and ask any questions.
Email DCHR
