Posted on Tuesday, 27th February 2018 by

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I receive many questions from site visitors concerning OPM’s Retiree Services Online (SOL). Their site allows users to view their annuity statements, change allotments, download their 1099R tax form, set federal and state tax withholdings, and much more. To register for the first time you must first call OPM and request a temporary password that you will change after you first log on to the site. The first problem new users often encounter is reaching OPM through their retiree hotline, 1-888-767-6738.  This line is often either busy or you have long waits due to the volume of calls they receive daily.  Don’t get discouraged, I just repeatedly call using my phone’s flash and redial buttons until I get connected. Then be prepared for a long wait. I’ve waited up to 40 minutes on one occasion.

We have an informative article titled, Connect to OPM Retirement Services Online that walks you through the process.

Several visitors had questions about the 9 digit SOL access claim number. When logging on to SOL, you must enter nine characters that includes your 7 digit claim number with both a prefix and suffix added. The following guidelines can be used in most cases. If you can’t find your claim number contact OPM or refer to your Retirement Services ID Card.  Your claim number is also printed in the retirement booklet that you received from OPM when you retired and on your annual annuity adjustment statements. Your claim number is only 7 digits. The site requires a prefix and  suffix digit (9 total) that identifies your status as shown below.

  • If you are a retiree, the claim number begins with and A and ends with a 0. Therefore, you will enter “A” and seven numbers and then the 0 (zero).
  • If you are a former spouse of a retiree, the claim number begins with an A and it will have a unique suffix. Therefore, you will enter “A” and seven numbers and then the unique suffix assigned to your benefit. If you are unsure of the correct suffix, please contact us or refer to your Retirement Services ID Card for the correct suffix to use.
  • If you are a surviving spouse, the claim number begins with an “F” and ends with a “W.” Therefore, you will enter “F” and the seven numbers and the suffix, “W”. For example: F1111111W.
  • If you are a widower, and have been receiving benefits for many years, your claim number may end with a “X.” Therefore, you will enter “F” and the seven numbers and the suffix, “X”. For example: F1111111X.
  • If you are an insurable interest, the claim number begins with an “F” and ends with a “Y.” Therefore, you will enter “F” and the seven numbers and the suffix, “Y”. For example: F1111111Y.
  • If you are an ex-spouse of a deceased employee, the claim number begins with an “F” and ends with a “S.” Therefore, you will enter “F” and the seven numbers and the suffix, “S”. For example: F1111111S.

Request a  Federal Retirement Report™  today to review your projected annuity payments, income verses expenses, FEGLI, and TSP projections.

Note: If you are a representative payee, guardian, conservator, or any other third party representing an OPM annuitant you cannot use SOL. Please contact OPM’s Retirement Operations Center for further information at 1-888-767-6738 or you can send an email to retire@opm.gov.

If you haven’t registered to use the SOL system now is a good time to get started. It takes several weeks to receive you initial temporary password. Many wait until they need a duplicate 1099R or want to change their allotments, etc to register. It’s discouraging when you call and find out it will take weeks to get logged on. Also, if you haven’t used the system for over 15 months you will have to go through the registration process again and request a temporary password to get back into the system.  I always visit the site in January to print out an early release copy of my 1099R plus visit to make adjustments to my allotments and tax withholdings when necessary.

Retiree Jobs Update

Employers recruiting federal retirees and those soon to retire post job vacancies on our Jobs Board. A good number of new listings were posted recently. One company is looking for an information security officer in New York City and another is recruiting construction technician/engineers for seasonal/temporary positions at various locations throughout the state of Illinois. Life Science Logistics is seeking individuals to work part time on their Surge Team in Columbia, MD. Individuals selected for these positions will be trained for emergency response to support Life Science Logistics if and when the need arises. Surge members are responsible for the completion of general warehouse duties which may include, but not limited to product handling, packing, shipping, sanitation and other duties as assigned. In addition to scheduled drills, Surge members may be called upon to work additional hours during actual Surge event(s).

Private companies, contractors, and state government departments use our Jobs Board to hire skilled federal retirees for part and full time positions nationwide. Many opportunities exist for those looking to supplement their retirement income or to start a second career. We provide this free job listing service to companies that are seeking to hire experienced retired federal workers.

Helpful Retirement Planning Tools / Resources

Request a  Federal Retirement Report™  today to review your projected annuity payments, income verses expenses, FEGLI, and TSP projections.

Distribute these FREE tools to others that are planning their retirement

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed herein by the author are not an investment or benefit recommendation and are not meant to be relied upon in investment or benefit decisions. The author is not acting in an investment, tax, legal, benefit, or any other advisory capacity. This is not an investment or benefit research report. The author’s opinions expressed herein address only select aspects of various federal benefits and potential investment in securities of the TSP and companies mentioned and cannot be a substitute for comprehensive investment analysis. Any analysis presented herein is illustrative in nature, limited in scope, based on an incomplete set of information, and has limitations to its accuracy. The author recommends that retirees, potential and existing investors conduct thorough investment and benefit research of their own, including detailed review of OPM guidance for benefit issues and for investments the companies’ SEC filings, and consult a qualified investment adviser. The information upon which this material is based was obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but has not been independently verified. Therefore, the author cannot guarantee its accuracy. Any opinions or estimates constitute the author’s best judgment as of the date of publication, and are subject to change without notice. The author explicitly disclaims any liability that may arise from the use of this material.

Last 5 posts by Dennis Damp

Posted in ANNUITIES / ELIGIBILITY, BENEFITS / INSURANCE, EMPLOYMENT OPTIONS, ESTATE PLANNING, RETIREMENT CONCERNS, SURVIVOR INFORMATION | Comments (0)


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