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State of Delaware Office of Pensions

Pre-Retirement FAQ's

This document addresses Frequently Asked Questions regarding the Pre-Retirement Process

Download a PDF version of the Pre-Retirement FAQs.

Please click on the question below to expand and see the answer.

Active Employees
At least four (4) months before you plan to retire, you should contact your human resources office, or if your agency has been centralized your HR office will direct you to contact the retirement centralization team at the Office of Pensions, to begin the application process. Once notified, the human resources office of your organization or the retirement centralization team begins the process of verifying service by initiating an electronic Pension Application (PenApp). The Office of Pensions verifies your service and sends a confirmation email back to the human resources department or retirement centralization team after creditable service is confirmed. Your organization’s human resources office or retirement centralization team then contacts you to complete the necessary paperwork. Once the pension application is signed and notarized, the pension application and required documents are forwarded to the Office of Pensions.

Vested (terminated employees)
Three months prior to the vested pension effective date a member of our office will send a locate letter to a researched address. You must return the completed letter to the Office of Pensions so we can update your address and contact information on file. You may also call our office at (302)739-4208 to confirm contact details such as address, phone number, and email address. Once we receive a response to the locate letter, we then send out the pension packet which includes forms and instructions as to what personal documents we will need. If all documents are returned, we calculate your pension and add you to payroll. If the forms and documents are not returned, you will receive notice from our office and eventually the file will be closed if documents are not returned by the deadline provided.
The Office of Pensions requires different documents depending on the circumstances of your retirement. Usually, the following documents are needed:
  • Birth Verification(s), Marriage Verification(s), Death Verification(s) and Divorce Decree(s), as applicable.
  • A federally compliant driver’s license or a federally compliant identification card may be used in lieu of the birth verification or name change document.
  • Social Security Card of member, spouse and eligible dependent(s).
  • Medicare Card showing Parts A and B coverage for member, spouse and dependent(s) who are enrolled in Medicare.
  • Additional documents may be required depending on individual cases.
Active employees
Since most organizations use lag payroll, the first pension check is deposited on the last business day of the month following the effective date of pension. For example, if the effective date is 7/1/2024, the first pension payment will be direct deposited on 8/30/2024.

Vested (terminated employees)
The first pension check is deposited on the last business day of the month of the effective date of pension. For example, if the effective date is 7/1/2024 , the first pension payment will be direct deposited on 7/31/2024.
Your pension amount is calculated according to the Delaware Code for the pension plan you are a member of. For most retirees, their pension amount is based on their years of pension creditable service and highest three 12-month periods of creditable compensation within the plan, with adjustments for reductions due to early retirement and/or higher survivor benefit election, or increases due to the purchase of an eligible buy-in.
For more information, please see the Pension Calculator for your Pension Plan
Employees are encouraged to utilize the online calculator to calculate estimates of their future pension benefit. The information needed for the online calculator can be found on page 2 of your recent Comprehensive Annual Statement (CAS).
Active employees can access their Comprehensive Annual Statement through my.delaware.gov, they are no longer being mailed.
The Comprehensive Annual Statements include six (6) separate blocks of information. Please review each block and follow the instructions for updating or correcting information.
Comprehensive Annual statements will be available to view online in late-January for the following plans: State Employees’ Pension Plan, New State Police Plan, Revised Judicial Plan, and Legislative Plan.

Comprehensive Annual statements will be available to view online in late-April for the following plans: County Municipal – General and Police/Firefighter, and Volunteer Firefighter.
Applicable employees will receive an email notification when their Comprehensive Annual Statements are available to view in my.delaware.gov.
For applicable employees, the first available calendar year for online Comprehensive Annual Statements is 2018. Prior years will not be available through my.delaware.gov.
Yes, Comprehensive Annual Statement access will be available on my.delaware.gov after termination.
Active employees are expected to view/print their Comprehensive Annual Statements through my.delaware.gov.
Registration assistance links are available at my.delaware.gov.
The Office of Pensions can be reached at (302) 739-4208 or pensionoffice@delaware.gov. Someone is available for assistance Monday - Friday from 8:00 am - 4:30 pm, excluding State of Delaware holidays.
Unifying services gives members with service in two (2) or more eligible plans the option to combine their creditable service time to meet retirement eligibility requirements. Plans eligible to unify to determine eligibility are as follows:

State Employees’ Pension Plan
New State Police Plan
County Municipal Plan
County Municipal Police/Firefighters’ Plan
Judicial Plan (can unify with State Employee’s Pension Plan ONLY)

To be eligible you do not need to meet vesting rights in each plan. Your unified creditable service time can qualify you to retire from both plans. You cannot unify services if you are collecting retirement benefits from one of the plans. If service in one of the plans was refunded, you can repay the refund to restore service time in the plan. Unification can only be established at the time of retirement. If you have previous service and want to know if you qualify, please contact the Office of Pensions.
Securian Financial
  • Available to eligible active members who want to maintain Group Universal Life (GUL) after retirement.
  • Some options are only available within the first 30 days of employment termination/retirement.
  • Premiums must be paid directly to Securian and may be higher than rates paid as an active employee.
  • For any questions, please contact Securian and check out their FAQs.
  • Per IRS tax code there is no provisions for retirees to participate.
  • Benefit terminates the effective date of retirement or date of last FSA payroll deduction.
Voya
  • Your final payroll check for active employment is the last time you can contribute to this account.
  • For any questions, please contact your financial institution.
Frequently Asked Questions Frequently Asked
Questions
Retiree Member Login
(my.delaware.gov)
State Employees' Pension
Summary Plan Description
Anonymous Fraud Reporting Hotline
Pension
Calculators
Office
Closings
Customer Service
Survey
Delaware Office of Pensions Logo
State of Delaware Office of Pensions
McArdle Building, 860 Silver Lake Blvd., Suite #1
Dover, DE 19904-2402
Toll Free: (800) 722-7300, Local: (302) 739-4208
SLC 570A
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