How To Write A Retirement Resignation Letter - Zippia (2024)

Retirement can be a wonderful thing. After spending years at a company, you want to leave the right way.

To do that, you’ll need to notify your company about your plans for retirement in a courteous way. That means writing an official resignation letter telling your company that you’ll be retiring.

Key Takeaways:

• This should be a formal letter informing your employer of your retirement.

• You should offer your gratitude and keep any negativity out of the letter.

• You can offer to help out if you want, but be sure to state if you are not willing to help to avoid any confusion.

How to Structure Your Retirement Letter

1. Formal letterhead. Stick to the formal business letter format here, which means kicking things off with a formal letterhead. This should include your name, position, contact information, and the date. For a physical letter, put these things at the top. In an email, you can put this information at the bottom, after your sign off.

2. Salutation and intent to resign. No need to get fancy here; a simple “Dear [supervisor/manager’s name]” will suffice. Follow that up with a statement that you are resigning from X position and giving the date of your last day of work.

   See Also

   TENTATIVE AGREEMENT REACHED FOR IAM MEMBERS AT BRITISH AIRWAYS ENGINEERING - District 142TENTATIVE AGREEMENT REACHED FOR IAM MEMBERS AT BRITISH AIRWAYS CUSTOMER SERVICE - District 142

3. The body. Explain that you’re retiring and maybe give some background on retirement plans (e.g., “more time with my family…”).

   You should also definitely incorporate how grateful you were for the experience of working for the company and how you’ve grown personally and professionally as a result of that experience. This is also where you should let your employer know that you’re happy to help with the transition if that is indeed the case.

4. Formal sign-off. No surprises here; end your letter with a formal sign-off (i.e. “Sincerely”) and provide your signature and printed name (don’t sweat the signature if it’s an email).

   You can also include a bit more gratitude (“Thanks for the opportunity…”), but judge including this based on how much gratitude you’ve already infused into the body paragraph(s). Also provide contact info, including a new address if you’re moving, so that your old employer can get in touch with you if needed.

What to Include and Exclude in Your Retirement Letter

1. What to include:

   • Your intent to retire and a clear date. Your first line should clearly state that you’re retiring and that X date will be your last day of work. Ideally, you should have a discussion beforehand to make sure that this date suits both you and the company. It also helps to have a firm date so you don’t end up putting off your retirement longer than you wish.

   • Positive stuff about yourself. Chances are you’ve done some awesome things for your company during your tenure. Give a brief retrospective of your time at the company, stating the number of years you worked for the company and the valuable contributions you made during that time.

   • Gratitude. Thank your employer for the opportunity to work in such a great environment all these years. Mention positive experiences you’ve had and personal/professional growth you underwent during your time at the company.

   • Transition assistance. Offer to help with the transition in any way you’re comfortable with. If you’ve already laid out a transition plan before sending the letter, briefly summarize what you settled on. This could range from training your replacement for a few days to offering limited consultation in the months/years to come.

   • Contact info. Make sure that your old employer can easily get in touch with you. If part of your retirement plan is moving, be sure to give your new address.

2. What exclude:

   • Fluff. It’s nice to give a brief idea of all the stuff listed above, but don’t go overboard in any section. You’re not writing a memoir here. Your employer doesn’t need an itinerary of your Mediterranean cruise. And you don’t need to discuss every project you’re in the middle of.

     Save all these things for informal conversations and emails to relevant individuals.

   • Negativity. It might be the case that bad relationships with your boss or coworkers have contributed to your decision to retire — don’t mention that here. You’re on your way out the door; leave with class and make your final, lasting impression a good one.

     Avoid the temptation to burn bridges just because you’re permanently leaving the working world.

   • Questions about retirement packages. You should research this information well before handing in your resignation letter. If there are some points you’re unclear on, have a discussion with HR or the relevant department. An official letter of resignation isn’t the place for these queries.

   • Unrealistic promises. You can and should offer to help make the transition as smooth as possible. But don’t go saying you’ll always be available as a consultant if you have no intention of following through on that.

   • Errors. It goes without saying that you want your last impression to be error-free, so give your letter a careful proofread to make sure there are no typos or grammatical mistakes.

Retirement Resignation Letter Example

Let’s take a look at an example for a retirement letter:

Retirement Resignation Letter Template

Steps For Resigning Due to Retirement

1. Research your company’s policies. It’s a good idea to become familiar with how your company handles retirement. Reach out to HR, check out any company documents detailing this information, or have discussions with folks at work who know the deal. The more you know about how this process goes down, the easier it will be.

2. Provide notice. While two weeks’ notice is the general standard for a normal resignation, you might consider giving more notice in the case of a retirement, depending on how long you’ve been at the company and what your relationship with your employer is like.

   It’s appropriate to have an in-person discussion with your employer to figure out a final date that works for both parties before you submit your official retirement letter.

3. Offer help. You’ll probably be leaving a pretty big gap in your company when you depart, so it’s gracious to offer to help get your replacement on the right track.

   If you’re open to the idea, you can even let your employer know that you’re available for limited consulting work, seeing as you’re an expert on the ins and outs of the company.

4. Write your resignation letter. The last step that serves as your official notice of resignation, which will sit in your employee file.

5. Send a copy to human resources. Especially important for a retirement resignation letter, seeing as HR will need to process your benefits.

How to Deliver Your Retirement Letter

If you had a good boss and an enjoyable experience working at this company, it’s best to hand in your resignation letter in person. Before this, though, you should discuss your plans with your boss so that your retirement doesn’t come out of the blue.

Handing in a physical copy of your retirement resignation letter is classy, but you should also email copies to all relevant parties. That means that you should also email a copy to HR so that they can put it in your official employee file.

As we said earlier, two weeks’ notice is the minimum you should give, but if you’ve been with the company for a very long time, consider handing in your retirement letter up to a month before you plan on resigning.

Possible Responses to Your Retirement Letter

More retirees are continuing to work in some fashion than ever before. Be prepared for your supervisor to propose a continued relationship of consulting or part-time work. You can include your willingness to continue working in some capacity in your retirement letter or simply discuss the matter with your boss.

Or you might be asked if you’d like to continue working part-time for an additional few months to wind down more slowly. If you agree to this, make sure to document it in your resignation letter, so everyone’s on the same page about the timeline.

Of course, if you’re ready to be 100% done with work, don’t be vague or give in to requests because you feel bad. You’ve earned your retirement, and you have a right to finish your career on your terms.

Retirement Resignation Letter FAQ

1. How far in advance should you tell your employer you are retiring?

   You should tell your employee about your plans to retire three to six months in advance. This allows for your employer enough time to find your replacement. This will also give yourself enough time to plan and adjust your post-work lifestyle.

2. How do you know when it’s time to retire?

   Signs that you should retire include being financially ready, you have health insurance, and you have a plan for emergencies. There are other factors and things to consider before retiring, and everyone retires at different points, but those are important to have before retiring.

3. What is the most common age to retire?

   The most common age to retire is between 62 and 67. The average age for retirement for men in the US is 65 and the average age for women is 62. The age of retirement will vary for most because of financial situations and the ability to retire.

4. How do you tell your employer that you are retiring?

   You should give a retirement resignation letter to your employer when you plan on retiring. You should give your letter to your employer in person. Before writing your letter, it’s best to talk with your boss about your retirement plans so it is not out of the blue. Give your letter between three and six months before you plan on retiring.

References

1. Northeastern University – Resignation Letter Sample