CSA Number OPM: What It Is and How to Find Your Federal Retirement Claim Number

Your CSA number is OPM's unique identifier for your federal retirement account. Every piece of correspondence from OPM — COLA notices, 1099-R tax forms, benefit statements — carries this number. When a federal retiree dies, the CSA number is the first thing OPM asks for, and not having it ready slows down every survivor claim that follows.

What CSA and CSF Numbers Mean

CSA stands for Civil Service Annuitant. OPM assigns a CSA claim number when you retire from federal service and start receiving annuity payments. It is not your Social Security number, though OPM uses both in their records.

CSF stands for Civil Service Family. When a retiree dies and survivors file claims, OPM creates a new CSF file number for the survivor's account. The CSF number tracks the survivor annuity, health insurance continuation, and all post-death claims separately from the original retirement account.

You do not choose or apply for a CSF number — OPM generates it automatically after you report the death and submit your survivor application.

Where to Find the CSA Number

The CSA number appears on several documents the retiree received from OPM:

• Annual COLA notice — mailed each December, the most recent one is usually the easiest to locate
• Form CSA 1099-R — the annual tax statement OPM sends for retirement income
• Monthly annuity payment advice — if the retiree received paper statements
• OPM correspondence — any letter from OPM Retirement Services includes the CSA number in the header
• Retirement records — the SF 2801 (CSRS) or SF 3107 (FERS) retirement application, though these are often filed away with the employing agency

If you cannot find any of these documents, call OPM's Retirement Information Office at 1-888-767-6738. They can look up the CSA number using the retiree's Social Security number and date of birth.

Why Survivors Need It Immediately

When reporting a federal retiree's death to OPM, the representative asks for the CSA claim number, the retiree's full legal name, Social Security number, and date of death. Having the CSA number ready prevents delays in stopping annuity payments and initiating the survivor claims package.

The CSA number is also required on:

• SF 3104 (FERS survivor annuity application) or SF 2800 (CSRS)
• FE-6 (FEGLI life insurance claim) — OFEGLI cross-references with OPM using this number
• Health insurance continuation — OPM uses the CSA to verify FEHB or PSHB enrollment status

Without the CSA number, you can still report the death and file claims — OPM can locate the account by SSN — but every step takes longer.

If you are navigating the full sequence of claims after a federal retiree's death, the Federal Retiree Death Benefits Guide includes a document-gathering checklist and timeline so you know exactly what to collect and when.

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