WASHINGTON, March 3, 2026, 05:47 (EST)
James Walkinshaw and Frank Pallone, both Democrats, on Monday pressed the Trump administration for answers after federal retirees complained about missing 1099-R tax forms from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management—and no way to get a live agent on the line. The lawmakers warned that retirees without these forms could wind up filing late, racking up IRS penalties or even missing out on refunds. 1
As tax deadlines draw near, complaints are piling up. The 1099-R form shows a retiree’s yearly annuity income; if the form doesn’t arrive by mail, OPM points retirees to Retirement Services Online, its retirement account portal, to download it. 2
Some federal retirees are now waiting weeks longer than usual for their documents, after OPM moved most of them to digital delivery unless they specifically ask for paper, according to Federal News Network. “Retirees waiting on a mailed form should allow about 10 days for delivery,” said OPM spokesperson McLaurine Pinover, who pointed to possible winter storm delays and noted digital versions are available with “one-click access.” Meanwhile, John Hatton, policy and programs vice president at the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, said members can’t get through to OPM on the phone—calling this “the worst it has ever been.” 3
Lawmakers, in a different letter to OPM Director Scott Kupor, wrote that their constituents have faced “significant difficulties” getting physical copies of tax documents. They requested data from the agency on the mailing progress of 1099-Rs, call wait times, and customer satisfaction monitoring. The letter also asked OPM to detail what actions it intends to take to boost service for retirees who depend on the system.
NARFE, the group representing current and retired federal workers, pointed out the delivery change earlier this year: retirees who have an email address in the system will get the form electronically unless they log into their online account and choose mail delivery. Those without internet access can call OPM’s retirement hotline to ask for a paper copy. 4
Tax-form complaints are surfacing just as efforts to modernize federal personnel systems ramp up. ServiceNow federal CTO Jonathan Alboum, writing in a Government Executive commentary, highlighted OPM’s “Federal HR 2.0” plan to merge over 100 legacy HR systems into a single “Core HCM” platform—HCM stands for human capital management, the system holding workforce records. But Alboum cautioned, “a system of record alone does not complete modernization,” unless it’s paired with connected workflows and AI-driven employee services. 5
The tax paperwork headache is putting OPM’s paperless push under strain. Retirees stuck without access, plus jammed phone lines, could turn an ordinary filing season into a heightened political headache for the agency as deadlines approach.
On OPM’s Services Online portal, retirees will spot a “request your 1099-R by email” feature. The agency says the form is expected to show up for viewing and printing in Retirement Services Online by Jan. 31. Annuitants can punch in a claim number and ZIP code to get a download link. Requesting a copy by email, according to the site, won’t affect the retiree’s annual delivery setting. 6
Walkinshaw and Pallone are pressing for specifics: how many forms still haven’t been sent out, and what steps OPM is actually taking to speed up the process. For them, it’s not just a tax headache—it’s also a straight-up failure in customer service.
That timing isn’t great for OPM. The agency’s pushing retirees and agencies toward online service right as lawmakers and retiree groups complain that the shift is stranding people—caught between an unresponsive portal and a phone system that doesn’t answer.
