In the USA, when people reach a certain age, they may retire. If they want to keep working, they can do it, as well. But for those having retirement plans, or for those feeling work isn’t for them anymore due to their reasons, there’s an option to quit a job and switch attention on their personal development or other future plans (for example, these plans can extend to spending time with friends and loved ones, getting new hobbies, or traveling the world).
There is a special resignation letter template to complete for those having such intentions without which they can not get to go for retirement. This official paper is called a Retirement Letter, and it is an official way of giving notification to an employer about your intentions to retire. When giving the notification, you can claim about your intentions on retiring, and ask for some retirement benefits from your employer.
It is essential to give the official notification about soon retirement in advance. For example, at least six to twelve months before you are about to go for retirement. Such a period is not chosen at random. It is made with the purpose to allow an employer an opportunity to find a new employee for a company. Moreover, this new employee must be a person with similar professional experience and qualifications as a previous worker had so a company would not suffer losses due to one person’s retirement.
You can send a retirement notice to your HR department via sending a letter by mail or by sending it to a personal email address of your employer. In this letter, you need to express gratitude to your former company and colleagues for allowing you to gain such professional and personal development during the working period, and ask for some retirement benefits. Try to stay positive while writing this letter and keep in mind this must be your last letter to your employer, so try to make it as personal and ample as possible.
Writing the letter requires focusing your attention on essential items you need to include in this formal letter.
Such retirement letters do not have one mandatory structure, but it is advisable to adhere to some rules.
It is essential to express your good attitude towards your former employer, colleagues, and the company itself. You need to show you are grateful for everything the company has been doing for you during your working period. Show how this job influenced your career in general, and give some examples of your work achievements. Try to be sincere and honest while writing this part of a letter, and avoid being extra or saccharine. People usually feel things like these.
There is no need to give a detailed plan for your further life. It will be more than enough if you give some approximate information to allow your colleagues and company to know about your plans after retirement. For example, you can write after that retiring you are going to spend time with your family more than you did before, or you will be traveling all over the world, or you set yourself for volunteer work. Write everything you feel you need to mention.
In a resignation notification, you can describe your working experience at the company without giving too many details. In particular, you can give a chronology with the most remarkable work achievements. Keep in mind, the purpose of this resignation letter not in writing an essay about all the past ten years (or more, or less) of your work in this exact company, but in giving basic details of this journey.
Sometimes companies make so-called sendoffs for their retiring employees. Especially if these employees played a significant role in the company’s life. That is why note there might be some kind of celebration during which your chief might read your notification out loud. Keep that in mind while writing your resignation letter.
Try to include this information in your letter and make it as sincere and positive as possible, especially when you leave the job due to tenure and have no conflicts with your former superiors.
Unlike items from the previous paragraph (the ones you can sometimes miss if you feel like it), items mentioned in this paragraph are the ones you can not avoid. These items refer to the structure of the resignation letter, and the structure of such resignation letters must be the same. If you want to make your own letter as correct and well-composed as possible, adhere to the structure mentioned below.
Your perfect resignation notification always starts with the heading (which is the first paragraph where you register your contact information, effective date, and contact information of a recipient), continues with the body of the letter (where you mention a specific date on which you plan to retire, express your gratitude towards your former colleagues and chief, and give details of your working experience), and ends with the conclusion (where you outline your thoughts mentioned in the notice).
Below you can find more details on what you need to include in each part of the letter.
Heading
In the heading (which is the first paragraph of the letter) you need to give your contact information (including full mailing address (city, zip code, state), full name, phone number, personal email address), contact details of a recipient (consisting of full name, job position, full address (city, zip code, state)), and the signing date.
Body
For starters, in the main body of your ample notice (which is the middle paragraph of your letter), you need to express your intention to retire and register the specific date on which you tend to do this (in other words, write down the date of your final day in this exact organization). Note this date must be six to twelve months before you plan to retire (so your former head will be able to find a worthy replacement), so care about giving your chief enough notice about your retirement.
After this, you can describe your working experience (with mentioning various projects you had been working on while being part of the team), and your professional way in this exact workplace. Also, you can express your gratitude in this part of the letter, as well. But, as was already mentioned, it is not a mandatory option). Feel free to do it if you feel like including such information in your letter.
Conclusion
In the next chapter of the letter (the last one), it is essential to outline your final thoughts, and include a farewell after this. Do not make this part emotional and ample, as this paragraph is only for a farewell without strong emotions.
Adhere to this structure while writing your resignation letter, and remember this might be your last letter for your chief, so try to make it as positive and sincere as possible.
Deliver your letter
Once you finish your letter, you need to deliver it to your boss. The best way of doing it is to hand it in personally, but if you have no such an opportunity (due to many reasons), you can send it by mail or write an email. When you give your notification in person, it gives you more respect from your former chief as it shows the level of your professionalism. Giving your notice this way, you show you respect people you had been working with for so many years.
Also, mind you have to send a copy of this letter to Human Resources if you want to get benefits from your retirement.
There are some things you need to do and some things you need to avoid while writing your letter. Use the tips listed below to assist yourself while writing this official notice.
What to do
What not to do
Follow these simple rules and you can be sure your resignation will be as smooth as possible. If you resign on a good note, your chief can offer you consulting work in the organization, so it is essential to make a good impression.
It is advisable but not obligatory to include information about specific conditions to make your transition period more comfortable for both parties of the working process. You can ask your chief to provide assistance with this period to make your last months in the workplace as easy as possible. Mention this in the letter if you feel you need it.
Also, do not forget to highlight your last day of work so your organization knows about it, and has enough time to find a new employee as your replacement.
Thus, there are two essential items you need to include in your letter:
When you finish with your letter, do not forget to send a copy of it to Human Resources. Otherwise, you risk staying without retirement privileges.
Below you can find a letter example you can use as a sample while writing your letter. If you do not like this exact letter example, you can examine templates and find a retirement letter template that suits you best. It does not matter what you use as a reference if the final version of your letter meets all the requirements.
Sample
Retirement Letter of Resignation
From: _____________ (insert your full name)
_____________ (insert your full address)
_____________ (insert your phone number)
_____________ (insert your email)
_____________ (type the signing date)
_____________ (insert a receiver’s name)
_____________ (insert a receiver’s address)
_____________ (insert a receiver’s phone number)
_____________ (insert a receiver’s email)
Dear _____________ (type a receiver’s name),
In this letter, I’d like to inform you about my intention to retire from my position of _____________ (insert your position) from _____________ (type the name of an organization) on the _____________ (insert a last day).
I appreciate the time I’d spent at the _____________ (type the name of an organization), and I’m grateful for all the working experience I gained here. I couldn’t find a better place to achieve all the job goals I’d ever had, and I couldn’t get all my working achievements without your support. Your faith in me meant a lot to me and helped me in the most complicated hours.
I’d like to ask for your assistance to make my transition period smooth and comfortable for both sides of the working process. I can recommend _____________ (insert the name of a substitute person) as my replacement, as I’d been teaching him/her for a long period, and believe he/she will show incredible results.
If you want more details about my resignation, or if you need my assistance with any work-related questions, please, let me know.
Sincerely,
_____________ (insert your signature)
_____________ (insert your printed name)