5 C.F.R. § 848.401 Application for full retirement status.
(a) Election of full retirement. (1) A phased retiree may elect to enter full retirement status at any time by submitting to OPM an application for full retirement in accordance with § 841.202. This includes an election made under § 848.205(j)(6) in lieu of a mandated return to regular employment status. Upon making such an election, a phased retiree is entitled to a composite retirement annuity.
(2) A phased retiree may cancel an election of full retirement status and withdraw an application for full retirement by submitting a signed written request with the agency and obtaining the approval of an authorized agency official before the commencing date of the composite retirement annuity.
(b) Deemed election of full retirement. A phased retiree who is separated from phased employment for more than 3 days enters full retirement status. The individual's composite retirement annuity will begin to accrue on the commencing date of the composite annuity, as provided in § 848.402, and payment will be made after he or she submits an application in accordance with § 841.202 for the composite retirement annuity.
(c) Survivor election provisions. An individual applying for full retirement status under this section is subject to the survivor election provisions of subpart F of 5 CFR 842.