Many of us will have to write a retirement letter at some point. Retirement is the beginning of a wonderful period in our lives, but writing a letter announcing it can be difficult. Giving a retirement letter to a long-time employer can easily cause a bit of stress, but don’t worry! This guide will help you write a retirement letter with ease.
Properly Address the Letter
The first thing you must do is properly address the letter. Just like in any formal letter, your name, address, telephone number, and email address should be the first information included. If applicable, also include your employee number and position. Date the letter, then follow with your supervisor’s name and title, company name, and the company address. Leave two blank lines between this information and the main body of the letter, then begin the letter with “Dear Mr./Ms. [Supervisor's Last Name],”.
Write the Main Body
Retirement letters should include a number of important pieces of information.
- First Paragraph
Explain that you are going to retire and include the effective date of your retirement. - Second Paragraph
Express your appreciation for the company. Your appreciation should include all coworkers and supervisors you have worked with. Even if there are undesirable aspects of the job, you should positively convey that you are thankful for the opportunity to work for the company. - Third Paragraph
In the third paragraph, explain that you’ll do whatever you can to help the company to transition during the change, including training the next employee. Offering your assistance will help the employer feel more at ease and comfortable with the change.
Consider Optional Information
Those three paragraphs are necessary and should never be excluded, but there are other things you can say in your retirement letter. If you want to work part-time, you should state so in the fourth paragraph. You can even include a fifth paragraph that further emphasizes how much you enjoyed working for the company and with your colleagues.
Sample Retirement Letter
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Your Phone Number]
[Your Email Address]
[Date]
[Supervisor Name]
[Supervisor Title]
[Company Name]
[Company Address]
Dear Mr./Ms. [Supervisor’s Last Name],
Please accept this letter as formal notification of my retirement from [Company Name], effective as of [Date of Retirement]. I am giving you two months notice to ensure a smooth transition and completion of all current projects.
I would like to thank you for the opportunities and experiences I have had over my years with [Company Name]. I am looking forward to my retirement, but I will miss working with you and my colleagues.
Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help with the transition.
Yours Sincerely,
[Your Signature]
[Your Name]
Tips
- Don’t slack off while you are still working for the company.
- Finish all projects before you retire.
- Try to retire at the end of a pay or commission period to make things easier for both you and your employer.
- Avoid dredging up grudges in your retirement letter. This letter isn’t the place for you to vent.
- Don’t make promises you cannot keep before you retire.
