7+ Free Retirement Letter Template – Format, Sample & Example

January 11, 2020

A retirement letter is written to announce the upcoming retirement of an employee in a company. It is a formal way of expressing how was the experience of the employee in the company for the years spent working there. Even though the emotions are conveyed verbally, it is best practice to follow some standard format formally and consider it as a unique opportunity to share well-wishes for the colleagues.

A Simple Retirement Letter contains the basic information and is drafted to notify the Human resources, employee and higher management about the discontinuation of services. The letter explicitly mentions the date of retirement, current team, and position and the reason for retirement. It mostly deals with gratitude towards the company, management, and the team. It also contains thankfulness about the memories made in the company.

Format of the Retirement Letter

A letter of retirement starts with a header which mentions the contact information of the sender. A standard letter header simply contains the name and contact details of the addressee which is then followed by the date, name and contact details of the addressor.

The header is followed by the body which contains the main purpose of writing the letter. And then comes a brief conclusion which does not need to be overly expressive — just a final thought.

From,
Jordan Calderon
430-985 Eleifend St.
Duluth Washington 92611
(427) 930-5255

Date: 02-01-2019

To,
Zorita Anderson
1964 Facilisis Avenue
Bell Gardens Texas 87065
(126) 940-2753

Subject:(-------------)

Dear Zorita Anderson,

The introduction formally states the intent of writing the letter and informs that the decision to retirement has been taken. It also mentions the last working date, the position of the employee and the team.

The body is more about gratitude for having to chance of working in the company and the team. It is also a reflection upon the time spent and can contain some good memories. It also contains a regret for having to leave.

The final part of the letter or the conclusion sums up the letter and expresses thankfulness for the tenure worked. It does not have to be overly expressive; just some parting thoughts mentioned briefly.

Sincerely,
(Signature)
Jordan Calderon

How to Write a Retirement Letter?

A letter deals with a lot of nostalgia, but it is still a formal letter and needs to be grammatically correct and broken into smaller paragraphs. It also has to be free of typos, errors, and abbreviations. A few other things that the letter must have are:

Formal tone of voice – The tone in which the letter is drafted is of much importance. It is filed away in company records and thus needs to be perfectly professional.
A specific Date of Retirement – Early in the letter itself the date should be mentioned clearly. This avoids confusion as well as putting off retirement for a long time.
A concise review of value-addition to the company – It is essential to mention the number of years served and the successes enjoyed by the employee during that course of time. The company needs to be reminded of the employee’s contribution.
Gratitude for working there – A letter is an ideal way to thank an employee for the exceptional service done and vice versa. An employee will have no other official way to thank the company for all that it has given.
Future plans – Mentioning a brief note about the plans give the idea to the employer about what kind of life is planned for the employee. It also helps understand the reason in the case of early retirement.
The personal email address for keeping in touch – It is good to mention the email address or personal phone number so that the colleagues and work friends can keep in touch even after retirement.

Sample of Retirement Letter Example

Given below are several examples for a Letter Samples for someone retiring. A common theme in all these letters is the regret on leaving the company; a short reminisce about the happy times spent and a clear date of retiring. The letter should have a formal, concise and positive note.

Retirement Letter to the Employee

From,
Sade Higgins
Ap 3260 Ut St.
Wilmington OR 05182
(422) 986-9565

Date: 02-03-2019

To,
Dante Bennett
9878 Nulla Street
Dearborn OR 62401
(840) 626-68465

Subject:(-------------)

Dear Dante Bennett,

With a heavy heart, we have to announce that according to [Name of the Company]’s policy we have to free you from all your responsibilities soon. We will start the process of your retirement regretfully which will take effect on [Date of Retirement].
I would like to thank you for all the efforts you have put in the company for the past [Number] years. You have been an incredible employee and have stood up to your responsibilities every time without any complaints or discrepancies. We value all the hard work you have done and recognize you as one of the best employees in the company.
We have relied on your intelligence and experience many times in the past while making important decisions. We cannot be more obliged to you. We have settled your accounts and wish you all the luck in the world for your next adventure.

With Best Wishes,

Your Sincerely
(Your Signature Here)
Sade Higgins

Retirement Letter to the Teacher

From,
Daniel Malone
2136 Adipiscing Av.
Lima RI 93490
(360) 669-5165

Date: 02-03-2019

To,
Emerson Espinoza
Ap-5577 Tincidunt St.
Corpus Christi WI 97020
(873) 392-6546

Subject:(-------------)

Dear Emerson Espinoza,

It’s with mixed emotions that I am writing this letter to you. Unfortunately, according to the policy the [Name of the School] has to let you go since you have reached the age of [years]. We would love to have you complete the current school year before the officially chosen final day on [Date].
The [Name] school has been fortunate enough to have you as one of the teachers. All these years you have been an exceptional teacher to the students – a guide and friend, and an even more exceptional employee to the school. Talented and passionate teachers like you make up the school.
Please know that we all appreciate the wonderful memories we have made together all these years. You will always be the part of [Name of the school] family, and we wish you all the success for your future endeavors.

Yours Sincerely,
Daniel Malone

Retirement Letter to Boss

From,
Elmo Lopez
Ap-6546 Cum Rd.
Yorba Linda South Carolina 28423
(295) 956-9845

Date: 19-08-2019

To,
Aaron Trujillo
Ap-6523Cras Rd.
Kingsport NH 56618
(983) 1231-9851

Subject: (----------------)

Dear Aaron Trujillo,

As you already know from our conversation earlier today, my time to retire from this company has come. This letter is my official notification to you that [Date] will be my last working day in [Name of the Company]. From the end of that day onwards, I will no longer be [position].
I am excited about my retired life but would also like to take this opportunity to say that I am extremely sorry to leave this company after [number] years. I would also like to thank you all for allowing me to work in [Name of the company] as a [position] and then rise to the position of [Name of current job title].
I have genuinely enjoyed my employment tenure and will miss my co-workers after retirement. Let me know what I can do to make the transition for my replacement smooth. I am ready to work till the last hour of my retirement day and make the handing over process as seamless as possible. I can also help you find my replacement if you make that decision.
Again, I will truly miss working in [Name of company]. I will shortly meet with HR regarding my retirement process. Please free to contact me at any time if you need any additional details. I will be more than happy to help even after leaving here.

Yours Sincerely,
Elmo Lopez

Retirement Letter to Clients

From,
Liberty Walton
343-6527 Purus. Avenue
Logan NV 12657
(581) 379-7573

Date: 13-03-2019

To,
Harrison Parker
1656 Netus Rd.
Reedsport NY 48247
(874) 8578-1111

Subject: (--------)

Dear Harrison Parker,

This letter is to notify you that I will be retiring from my position of [Position], effective [Date]. I have loved working with your organization, but I will not be able to handle the affairs anymore. On that note, I would like to guarantee you that my leaving will not have any negative effect on your professional relationship with [Name of company].
I have appreciated working with [Name of client] for the past [number] years. I am so honored that I could see the products grow and have been a part of the process first-hand. Your faith in my abilities has been rewarding for me – personally as well as professionally.
Your account is very important for [Name of company] and after me [Name] will be taking over as your [Position]. [Name] has been an employee of the company for over [years] and I have immense trust in his/her abilities. I expect the transition to go smoothly, yet I would like to introduce you both in person before leaving formally. Please let me know when it will be suitable for you.
If you have any questions, please feel to contact me on [Contact details]. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank you for being such a good client.

Yours Truly,
(Signature)
Liberty Walton

Early Retirement Letter

From,
Cleo Best
956-9879 Tincidunt Ave
Sedalia Utah 53700
(252) 323-2222

Date: 9-1-2019

To,
Ina Burt
Ap-6565 Ut Street
Tyler KS 73510
(410) 656-3235

Subject: (------------------)

Dear Ina Burt,

I have proudly served at [Name of the company] for the past [Years]. But the time has come when I must make retirement from my position of [Position]. It is quite early than anticipated, and I am very sad to have to do this, but some things have pushed me to take this decision. My personal life is of more importance right now, and I have to regretfully inform you that [Date] will be my last day in the organization.
{Company name] has been the best place I have worked in and I have had great opportunities to rise quickly up the ladder here. Through my serving years, I have found that the company is extremely careful of its employees and has always taken care of them nicely. With the family-oriented values, I am sure you will be able to understand my need to be with my family earlier than expected.
I know this is sudden and would like to extend my help in finding and training my replacement till the time I am still here. I a willing to help in the hiring process even if that is the decision you take.
Please know that I will miss my time here. I am grateful to have the opportunity to be a part of this family for [years]. For any assistance or information, you can always reach me at [contact]. I would be happy to help even after leaving here.

Yours Sincerely,
(Signature Here)
Cleo Best

Thank You Retirement Letter

From,
Ina Burt
Morris Wilson
Liza Taylor
Justin Timberlake
YMLA Lvt. Ltd.
Ap-6565 Ut Street
Tyler KS 73510
(410) 656-3235

13-05-2018

To,
Adria Russell
414-87545 Non-Rd.
Miami Beach North Dakota 54654

Subject: (---------------------)

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

It has all been a haze when my retirement day came and passed, and I was sent off with an amazing farewell party on [Date] from [Company]. Now, well into my second week of retirement I have adjusted to my non-office lifestyle and have found time to thank you every one of you for doing everything that you have done for me.
Although I am very happy with my retired life and do not miss the traffic to and from every day, I miss all of you terribly. I miss the easy friendship we shared, working together till late beating deadlines and the victory of landing new clients.
Again, thank you for the wonderful farewell party you gave me. It was overwhelming to have the entire team in one place. Of course, it did make saying goodbye difficult. Maybe after some years when we will all again get to get together in one place again, I will see you all.
I will be keeping in touch with all of you through various mediums and sincerely hope to see you guys soon. Till then, thank you for making my life in [company] a pleasant one.

Yours Truly,
(Signature)
Terrance Bowley

Conclusion

A retirement letter allows the employer as well as the employee to express gratitude towards working in the same place for a long number of years. Also, it provides an opportunity to formally put an end to things and extend a helping hand if required. It also serves the purpose of putting down a final date clearly so that there is no confusion left. The points mentioned here should help write a great retirement letter. Gratitude and professionalism are the key factors driving these letters.

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