How to Retire

  • 1

    Gather information and prepare

  • 2

    Choose your retirement date and apply

  • 3

    Resign your position

    • Provide notice of your retirement as soon as possible to avoid delays or overpayment. Notice is typically given at least 30 days before the last day of work.
      • Faculty and SPS employees should give a retirement letter to their department chair or supervisor. The letter should specify the last day of employment and the planned retirement date with SURS.
      • Civil service employees need to complete an Employee Separation Form (PDF) and send it to CivilServiceEmployment@niu.edu.


    Please note
    : If your last day of work is on a date other than the last day of the month, contact the insurance office at 815-753-6000 to discuss the impact this may have on your insurance coverage.

  • 4

    Complete a new W4 form (optional)

    If you wish to make changes to your tax withholding, complete a new federal and Illinois W-4 forms and submit it to the payroll office eight days before your last day of work. If the change is only for the benefit payout, write "Payout Only" on the top of the form.

  • 5

    Defer sick/vacation payout to 403(b) or 457(b) plan (optional)

  • 6

    Complete the exit checklist

    Before your last day of work, complete the exit checklist (XLS) with your chair, director or supervisor.

  • 7

    Submit your final benefit usage report or time sheet

    • Faculty, SPS and exempt civil service employees need to submit their final benefit usage report to the payroll office on or before their last day of work, in order to avoid delays in their final benefit payout.
    • Salaried nonexempt and hourly civil service employees need to submit their final time sheets to their department office on their last day of work, in order to avoid delays in their final benefit payout.
    • Please ensure that both you and your supervisor sign the form before it is sent to Human Resource Services.


    Please note
    : If you're a faculty member on a nine-month contract who is paid over nine months (i.e., your pay is not spread over 12 months), contact us at 815-753-6000 to discuss options for receiving your final regular paycheck.

  • 8

    Additional steps

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