The best days to retire
2026 and 2027, FERS and CSRS.
The best date is never earlier than your eligibility date. A calendar can’t tell you that one.
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1. The rules behind every calendar
Every “best days to retire” list is built from three rules:
- End of a month. A FERS annuity starts the first day of the month after you leave. Leave on the 1st and you wait a whole month for it.
- End of a pay period. Leave is credited only when a full pay period ends. Leave mid-period and you lose up to 8 hours of annual leave and 4 hours of sick leave.
- End of the leave year. Unused annual leave is paid out when you retire. Retiring in the next leave year starts a fresh accrual.
Pay periods end on Saturdays and months don’t, so a date that meets the first two rules is rare.
2. Dates left in 2026
| Date | Why | FERS annuity starts |
|---|---|---|
| Sat, Oct 31 | Month end and pay period end | Nov 1 |
| Sat, Nov 28 | Pay period end, 2 days before month end | Dec 1 |
| Sat, Dec 26 | Pay period end, 5 days before month end | Jan 1, 2027 |
| Thu, Dec 31 | Month and year end, but mid–pay period | Jan 1, 2027 |
| Sat, Jan 9, 2027 | Last day of the 2026 leave year | Feb 1, 2027 |
October 31 only works if your paperwork is already in. For December, start now: see retiring at the end of 2026 and the December 31 countdown.
Both start your FERS annuity on January 1, 2027. December 26 keeps the last pay period’s leave; December 31 adds four more workdays of salary. Compare the two in December vs January.
3. The best dates in 2027
| Date | Why | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Sat, May 29 | Pay period end, 2 days before month end | FERS |
| Sat, Oct 30 | Pay period end, 1 day before month end | FERS, best of the year |
| Sat, Nov 27 | Pay period end, 3 days before month end | FERS |
| Fri, Dec 31 | Year end, but mid–pay period | FERS, with a small leave loss |
| Sat, Jan 8, 2028 | Last day of the 2027 leave year | Biggest leave payout |
| Sat, Apr 3 / May 1 / Oct 2 | Pay period end in the first 3 days of a month | CSRS only |
Every 2027 pay period date and the leave-year math are in the best dates to retire in 2027.
4. CSRS vs FERS start dates
| You leave on | FERS annuity starts | CSRS annuity starts |
|---|---|---|
| The 1st, 2nd or 3rd | 1st of the next month | The next day |
| Any later day | 1st of the next month | 1st of the next month |
That is why a CSRS employee can retire on Saturday, May 1, 2027 and be paid from May 2, while a FERS employee leaving the same day waits until June 1. CSRS Offset follows the CSRS rule. FERS law enforcement, firefighter and air traffic controller retirees follow the FERS rule.
5. What the calendars leave out
- Your eligibility date. One day short of your MRA, age 60 or 62, and you lose an immediate annuity or the 1.1% multiplier. See the worst days to retire.
- The FEHB five-year rule. You need five years of FEHB right before you retire. See the five-year rule.
- Your leave balance. Leave above 240 hours must be used by the end of the leave year or it’s gone. See the annual leave payout.
- The pay freeze. If 2027 pay stays frozen at 2026 rates, waiting into January won’t raise your leave payout rate. See retire now or wait.
Using leave before you go? Federal Warrior’s annual leave strategy covers it. Leaving on disability instead? Warrior Disability compares the two. Picking a health plan for your first year out? Use Warrior Insure’s 2027 Open Season guide.
6. Frequently asked questions
What is the best day to retire in 2026?
For FERS, Saturday, October 31, 2026. It is both the last day of a month and the end of a pay period, so your annuity starts November 1 and you keep that period’s leave accrual. Of the dates left in 2026, November 28 is next best. December 31 is the most popular, but in 2026 it falls in the middle of a pay period.
What is the best day to retire in 2027?
For FERS, Saturday, October 30, 2027: a pay period end one day before the month ends. May 29 and November 27 are close behind. CSRS employees can also use April 3, May 1 and October 2, because those pay period ends fall in the first three days of a month.
Why do CSRS and FERS have different best days?
The annuity start rules differ. A FERS annuity begins on the first day of the month after you separate, so you want to leave at the end of a month. A CSRS annuity begins the day after you separate if you leave on the 1st, 2nd or 3rd of a month, so early-month dates work for CSRS too.
Is December 31, 2026 a good day to retire?
It still works: your FERS annuity starts January 1, 2027 and your calendar years split cleanly for taxes. But December 31, 2026 is a Thursday in the middle of a pay period, so you forfeit that period’s leave accrual. December 26 keeps the accrual and starts the annuity on the same day, January 1.
Do I lose anything by retiring mid-pay-period?
Yes, that pay period’s leave accrual. Annual and sick leave are credited only at the end of a full pay period. With 15 or more years of service that is 8 hours of annual leave (6 hours with 3 to 15 years), plus 4 hours of sick leave.
General information, not individual advice. Confirm your eligibility date and leave balance with your agency HR office before you pick a date.