Free Retirement Letter Samples + a Great Template!

what to include in a retirement letter
Created by CakeResume

Writing a retirement letter is more normal than you might think. There are several reasons for people to retire from their job. It might be your only choice if you reached the age or are facing health issues. Alternatively, it can be a personal choice. Maybe you are financially set, want to slow down, enjoy life, or learn new things.

Regardless, we all will have to send a letter of resignation due to retirement at some point in our life. Learn how to write retirement resignation letters. It is a skill that will prove useful one day or another.

A well-written letter of resignation due to retirement can be the difference between gracefully leaving a workplace or a very awkward parting shot.

What is a retirement letter?

A letter of resignation due to retirement is a formal or informal letter you write to your colleagues to say goodbye when you decide you want to stop working. Writing a retirement letter involves formally informing your employer that you intend to quit your job. 

After giving verbal notice to your employer, you can send a formal letter to schedule a meeting and make arrangements for your retirement with your supervisor and HR. A retirement letter can help you do that. Other than that, a letter of resignation due to retirement also serves as a chance to thank your workmates for all the good times and an opportunity to set your pension benefits. 

What to include in a retirement letter

You might use a few retirement letter formats depending on your situation. For example, short retirement resignation letters are more direct but not the best if you include all the necessary details and leave the company on a good note. 

Take some time to study the proper retirement letter format. There are a few elements that you have to include (Yes, even for short retirement resignation letters), as well as some that you can decide to share with your soon-to-be former employees:

✅ Your contact information

As with most formal letters, the traditional retirement letter format requires you to start with your contact information. Remember that your office email will probably stop working once you leave the company. To leave an updated way to contact you in your retirement resignation letter is a great idea.

Here are the utmost necessary bits of information to include when writing a retirement letter: Your name, address (city, state, and zip code),  phone number, and your personal email address. 

✅ Date

The next step in a retirement resignation letter template is to add the date. The letter of resignation due to retirement will work as a document for the HR department to initialize your retirement process. The day you give your notice is as important as the day you will stop working for the company.

✅ The recipient’s contact information

Once again, a retirement letter format is not too different from a formal letter style. Therefore, similar to your personal information, this is the recipient’s data you should include when writing a resignation letter: Name, title, address (city, state, and zip code), phone number, and email address.

✅ The right recipient 

Why is this part of a retirement letter template, you ask? Imagine what would happen if the wrong person gets ahold of your document. It could set back your plans for weeks. Remember to include the relevant parties such as your supervisor and the HR department when writing a retirement letter. 

✅ The date of your retirement

One of the most important points of a retirement letter format (If not the most important one) is to be very specific about when you intend to stop working for a company. Try to include it in the opening paragraph of your letter of resignation due to retirement so the employer finds it easily. 


It is good job etiquette to provide at least a two weeks notice. However, remember that you are writing a retirement letter. Therefore, the company might need some more time to find a qualified candidate to take over your position. Expect to discuss further with your supervisor if they need you to work for a bit longer. 

✅ The reasons why you’re retiring (optional)

You will not find these in every retirement resignation letter sample you read. That is because it is not an obligation to discuss the reasons why you are leaving the company. It is okay to send a short retirement resignation letter.

Adding this when writing a retirement letter will probably help you leave the company on a more positive note. You can use the space to share your plans and even offer them a helping hand with consultations!

✅ Your gratitude 

You will notice a hint of gratitude whether you check voluntary retirement letter samples or regular retirement letter templates. Remember that a retirement resignation letter is the chance to let all the people you worked with how grateful you are for the time spent together and the lessons you learned as a team.

✅ The help you need with retirement benefits

Another trend you will notice when reading examples of retirement resignation letters is that most will address whatever help you need from the company for your retirement. It is best to specify what benefits you are after (such as healthcare or your pension).

Address any unused vacation that you might need compensation for when writing a retirement letter. 

✅ A professional sign-off  

The final touch for a letter of resignation due to retirement is to end on a positive yet professional note. Avoid getting too emotional on your retirement resignation letter. 

You can write one more line to reiterate your gratitude. Here are some traditional sign-offs you can use when writing a retirement letter: Sincerely, kind regards, with gratitude, all the best, etc. 

Retirement letter samples

The best way to become proficient at writing a retirement letter is to read a few retirement announcement examples. It will help you understand the right tone of voice and explore different reasons why people retire.

Luckily, the internet is full of retirement letter samples for someone retiring to use. You don’t even have to leave this article to read some. Please make use of these free letter of retirement samples:

✉️ Retirement letter sample

Here is an informal sample of a retirement letter to employees. It works as a way to let your teammates know you are leaving the company and are grateful for having worked together. 

Since this sample is a retirement announcement, the tone does not have to be as formal as when you send the letter to the HR department or a supervisor. You may use it as an example if you are writing a retirement letter for a similar reason.

Marcela Duarte

1130 11th St
Miami Beach, FL, 33139
305 - 201 - 1888
[email protected]

February 20, 2023

To all my workmates at XZY company,

It has been more than 25 years since we started to work together. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time and learned so much from everyone. My last day will be March 10th. However, it is time for me to retire. I will forever miss the golden days we had.

I cannot find the words to appropriately express my gratitude to each of you for always making me a part of the family. I have seen many of you grow into experts, and I feel extremely proud of what we have achieved together.

It is time for me to spend more time at home with my grandkids. I also intend to start traveling with my husband, who has been waiting for me since he retired. 

I want to take the chance to formally invite you to a small celebration that my team planned. Please meet us in conference room B on March 7th at 5:00 PM. We will have some cakes and snacks! 

I hope we can stay in touch even after I retire. You can reach me at my personal email: [email protected]

Thank you for everything! I will miss you all!

With gratitude,
Marcela Duarte

✉️ Early retirement letter sample


This sample of a retirement letter to an employer goes over a case in which the person had to retire earlier than one would expect. It has a much more formal feeling to it as it is directed to a supervisor. In this particular case, the person writing the retirement letter decides not to overexplain his reasons to retire:

Martin Martinez

1130 11th St
Miami Beach, FL, 33139
305 - 201 - 1888
[email protected] 

March 20, 2023

Antony Roman

Human Resources Manager
Tony’s Tech
725 NE 166th St
Miami, FL, 33162
305 - 213 - 0626
[email protected] 

Dear Antony,

I want to announce my early retirement from the company, effective April 15, 2023.

I am sorry to drop this without much anticipation. However, due to personal reasons, I have no other option but to retire to focus on my health.

Thank you so much for having allowed me to join your time twenty years ago. I still remember when we started working as a small company. It has been an incredible ride and I am very proud of all we have accomplished together. 

It is still mind-blowing to see how Tony’s Tech is now an international company. It saddens me to have to say goodbye to all the incredible people in the company earlier than I expected. I hope to keep witnessing everyone’s growth. Even if I can’t be a part of the company anymore.

Please let me know what should I do to help with the transition. I am happy to help interview candidates or train my replacement.

I hope I can cash out my ten unused vacation days and I would like to get my pension as a lump sum payment. 

Thank you once again for the opportunity. I wish you the best!

Sincerely,
Martin Martinez

Retirement letter template

You can make use of this retirement letter template if you are still unsure how to write one after reading the retirement letter examples.

[Your full name]

[Address]
[City, State, Zip code]
[Phone number]
[Email address]


[Date]


[The recipient’s full name]

[The recipient’s title]
[The recipient’s company’s name]
[Address]
[City, State, Zip code]
[Phone number]
[Email address]


Dear Mr./Ms./Mrs. [The recipient’s last name],


Please accept my notice of retirement from the [Role] at [Company’s name].

We have worked together for [Time at the company]. I have enjoyed every minute spent here. I leave with many lessons learned and friendships I will forever take with me.

In accordance with my contract, I intend to stay at work for the next [required notice period]. I expect to retire on [The last day you intend to work]. Please let me know if you need my help with any particular projects before leaving.

I would like to request your help with [State any help from the company you need regarding your pension]. Additionally, I would like to [Issues you need to settle].

Thank you once again for the opportunity. I wish you the best.


Respectfully yours,
[Your full name]

🔑 Key Takeaways

Writing a retirement letter is never an easy task. It can be quite a sentimental moment. However, you would like to keep it as professional as possible. Therefore, It is a good idea to use a retirement letter template like the one we provided. 

Do your homework and read a few retirement letter examples to get familiar with the main ways to go over such an important task. 

There is no perfect retirement letter format. Every situation is unique and might require some tweaking. Nonetheless, try to include the following elements when writing a retirement letter: 

Your contact information, the date, the recipient’s contact data, the date of your retirement, and a professional sign-off. 

Moreover, use the opportunity to go over the help you need from the company. Remember to keep a tone of gratitude along your letter of resignation due to retirement.

Remember, retiring is a moment of celebration. Do not let the stress take it away from you. Writing a short retirement resignation letter is also okay if you do not want to disclose too much information. Do what works the best for you.

With CakeResume, you can easily create a resume online, free download your resume in PDF, and utilize ATS-compliant templates to create a resume. Land your dream job, create your resume online (free download) now!

--- Originally written by Roger Rene Ortega Figueroa ---

线上简历工具

制作一份能帮你获得面试机会的简历。免费下载 PDF。

更多您可能有兴趣的文章

最新相关文章
简历
2024年3月6日

What to Write in an Email When Sending a Resume [+ Examples & Tips]

Looking for guidance on writing an effective email to send resume? Discover expert tips and email examples to maximize your chances of landing that dream job!