How to get your SF-50s and records from eOPF and myPay before you retire

Last updated November 1, 2026

Published November 1, 2026 · By the OnPAR Federal Retirement Education editorial team · Last reviewed Nov 2026

Short answer: Download your SF-50s and other personnel records from eOPF while you still have agency access, and save your pay and tax statements from myPay (if a DFAS payroll customer) before you separate. After you leave, OPM's eOPF Document Request Service at myopf.opm.gov lets former employees request their folder online with Login.gov. Wait at least 30 days after separation so the folder is complete.

Why these records matter for retirement

SF-50s and related documents are used to verify federal service and support retirement and benefits claims (OPM news release). Keep your own copies of every SF-50 showing appointments, conversions, promotions and breaks in service, plus military buyback paperwork if you have any.

Before you retire: eOPF checklist

1. Log in to eOPF on a government device or network and download your full folder. OPM's help center says access through your agency ends when you separate (eOPF FAQ).

2. Check that every period of service has an SF-50. If something is missing or wrong, ask your HR office now. Fixing records after separation takes a formal amendment request.

3. Save the files somewhere personal and secure.

Before you retire: myPay checklist (DFAS payroll customers)

myPay serves DoD civilians plus HHS, VA, Energy and the U.S. Agency for Global Media (DFAS). If your agency uses another payroll provider, use that provider's site instead.

DFAS says to do these 30 days before you separate (DFAS: Preparing for Separation):

• Set up a Login ID and password, because you won't have your CAC or PIV afterward.
• Add a personal email and mobile number, and move two-factor authentication off your work email.
• Update your mailing address and direct deposit for your final pay.
• Save or print your pay and tax statements.

DFAS says you'll keep myPay access for 15 months after you leave service, and each LES stays in myPay for 12 months from when it's created (DFAS SepPrep; AskDFAS). Once you retire, OPM pays your annuity, not DFAS. DFAS says retired civilians are serviced by OPM and won't have a myPay retiree account. Your annuity statements and 1099-Rs come through OPM Retirement Services Online.

After you've separated

• Online: OPM's Document Request Service emails you a link to a password-protected ZIP of your eOPF. The link expires in 24 hours.
• If DRS can't find you: the National Personnel Records Center accepts hand-signed, dated written requests by mail or fax. OPM's help center says NPRC requests average 4 to 6 weeks.
• Separated less than 120 days? NPRC says to write to your last employing office, because folders reach NPRC within 120 days of separation.

Sources

• OPM: eOPF Document Request Service launch
• OPM eOPF Resource Center: DRS User Guide
• OPM eOPF Resource Center: Post-Separation FAQ
• National Archives: Official Personnel Folders
• DFAS: Preparing for Separation
• DFAS: Who can use myPay?

Questions and answers

Can I access my eOPF after I retire?

Not through your agency. OPM says that access ends when you separate. Former employees can request their eOPF through OPM's Document Request Service at myopf.opm.gov using Login.gov.

How long should I wait after separation to request my eOPF?

OPM says to wait at least 30 days after separation, because separation documents such as the SF-50 are posted afterward.

How long can I use myPay after I leave?

DFAS says you will have access to your myPay account for 15 months after you leave service, using a Login ID and password instead of your CAC.

Will my OPM annuity show up in myPay?

No. DFAS says retired civilians are serviced by OPM and will not have a myPay account. Use OPM Retirement Services Online.