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Defense Finance and Accounting Service

 Retiree Newsletter 

 March 2024

 

Director’s Message

Hello and welcome to the first Retiree Newsletter of 2024. Spring is finally here and 

hopefully everyone can go outside and enjoy the warmer weather. Here in Cleveland, we 

are looking forward to the total solar eclipse which will pass right over us on April 8th. I 

hope you can enjoy this rare astronomical event in your location. The next total solar 

eclipse in the U.S. isn’t happening until 2044! 

In the meantime, we have great information about your retired pay in this edition.

As you know, the deadline to file your federal income taxes is April 15, 2024. We have 

an article with helpful tax season tips for you.

Did you know that DFAS can pay allotments out of your monthly retired pay? We also 

have a great article on this topic to help you manage those allotments.

This edition has an informative article on Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) coverage for your 

current or former spouse. We also have a separate article with useful information on how 

your loved ones can be better prepared for when a retiree passes away. It’s never an 

easy topic, but it is important to keep everyone informed and prepared on what needs to 

be done.

We also have a list of Retiree Appreciation Days that DFAS will participate in during 

2024. These events are a great way to hear from many different organizations that can 

assist military retirees. If you live near one of the events, please come and say “Hello.”

Finally, we have several articles from our pay partners who want to share information 

with you, so be sure to take a look at those articles as well.

Thank you for your dedication to our country. It is such a privilege to bring this 

information to you every quarter. I hope you find the information in here relevant and 

informative. If you do have a chance to observe the solar eclipse, please do so safely. 

And as always, it is our honor to serve those that served.
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Gray Area Retiree Spotlight

The Gray Area Spotlight in our newsletter is a special feature for Gray Area Retirees. 

myPay is Your Portal to Multiple Accounts with Just One Login

Did you know? It’s possible to have more than one type of account to choose from after 

you log in to myPay. 

It’s like using your bank’s online account. After you log in, you can choose to view a 

checking account, savings account, credit card account, or other type of account you 

have with the bank. 

Why would you have more than one type of account in myPay? There are several 

possibilities.

Scenario One

If you are a Gray Area Retiree who is also employed in a federal position that is paid by 

DFAS, you will have a Civilian pay account and a Future Retiree account. 

Once you are logged in to myPay, you will see your both your “Civilian Pay” and “Future 

Retiree” accounts as choices in the “Choose an Account” drop down menu in the blue 

header.

For example, if you are a DoD Civilian and a Navy Gray Area Retiree, these are the 

account choices you would see after you log in:

Scenario Two

If you are a Gray Area Retiree who entered the gray area less than 15 months ago, 

when you log in to myPay, you may see both your Reserve/Guard pay account and your 

new Future Retiree account. 

If you separated from the Army National Guard, Air National Guard, Army Reserve,

Navy Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve or Air Force Reserve, you have access to 

your reserve pay account for 15 months after the date of separation.

Once your pay status as a Gray Area Retiree is transmitted to DFAS, your Future Retiree 

account will be established and available to choose from the drop-down menu. 

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Scenario Three

After you apply for retired pay, and your first payment is processed, your Retired Pay 

Account will be established in myPay. 

This means there could be a short window of time when you might see both your Military 

Retiree pay account and your Future Retiree account in myPay, like the example below.

One Login, Multiple Accounts

You don’t need a different login and password to see your Future Retiree account. You 

can use the same login and password you use when you log in to myPay currently. 

If it’s been a while since you logged in to myPay, we have special Login Tips for Gray 

Area Retirees on our website at: https://www.dfas.mil/grayarea

Please Update Your Contact Information in Your Future Retiree myPay Account

There are benefits to having up-to-date contact information in your Future Retiree 

account in myPay. 

With a current email in your account, DFAS and your Branch of Service can send you 

important news and updates between the time you transition to the gray area and the 

date you are eligible to receive retired pay. 

Also, if your email is current, we may be able to send you status notifications when we 

receive your application package for retired pay.

Plus, adding your mobile number and keeping it up to date in myPay will ensure you are 

able to receive temporary passwords and important text messages related to your 

myPay account.

To update your mailing address, log in and choose your Future Retiree account, then 

click on “Mailing Address” under “Pay Changes” in the left-hand column. 

To update your email and mobile number, use the “Personal Settings” menu in the blue 

bar at the top to update your information. 

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Special Note from the Air Reserve Personnel Center (ARPC) 

for Air Force Gray Area Retirees 

Applicable to: Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Airmen

BLUF: HQ ARPC is currently experiencing a delay in processing Age 60 and 

Reduced Retired Pay Age retirement applications.

The transition from MyPers to myFSS has presented our Retirements Team with 

unexpected challenges. The team has encountered numerous technical issues within the 

new system, and it's taking longer than the Air Force initially projected to resolve them.

ARPC is approximately 65 days behind on closing out retirement applications. However, 

the team is making progress and project to be fully caught up on all retirements within 

the next 75 days. For applications submitted AFTER the retirement effective date, our 

goal is to process them within 60 days of receipt.

Retirement pay will be retroactive as of the date of the order. Those members eligible 

for TRICARE benefits at age 60 will also be retroactively authorized on their 60th 

birthday.

Additionally, ARPC has seen a significant rise in retirement application errors. To 

streamline our processes, we are returning these applications with instructions on what 

corrections are required and closing the application.

When this happens, these members will not lose their position in the queue. 

Applications are prioritized based on the member’s retirement effective date. For future 

retirement applications, ARPC is working with system developers to enhance the myFSS 

platform to assist the customer in eliminating errors when initially completing the 

application.

To help combat these issues and prevent them from reoccurring, ARPC has 

implemented new processes designed to mitigate the challenges from the migration to 

myFSS. The ARPC team is using Lean/Six Sigma principles to modernize processes, 

streamline management and standardize myFSS training. The team has already seen a 

significant jump in production capacity, enabling them to complete this backlog at a 

rapid pace.

We will continue to post updates on the status of Reserve Retirements as the situation 

evolves. HQ ARPC strives to keep customers and CSS/MPF personnel up to date with 

the most accurate information possible.

As always, please direct members needing immediate assistance to the Total Force 

Service Center at 1-800-525-0102.
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Military Retired Pay Tax Season Tips

April 15, 2024, is the tax deadline and now is a good time to make sure you have all 

your tax documents ready. Here is a summary of current information and tools available 

if you are missing documents. 

Retiree 1099-Rs were available in myPay as of December 18, 2023. As of January 13, 

2024, 1099-Rs were in the mail for those who requested mailed statements. 

For those who may not know, the 1099-R is the retiree tax statement, like the W-2 

provided to wage earners. The 1099-R documents show how much was withheld in taxes 

– and must be filed with your tax return.

 

The best way to obtain your 1099-R is to use myPay, https://mypay.dfas.mil. With a 

myPay account, you can find the most important retired pay information, including your 

1099-R. 

The advantage of using myPay is you have 24/7 access to your tax documents. You can 

print/download the current year tax statement and access previous 1099-Rs in myPay 

(up to four prior years for retirees) to compare, or if you need to file an amended 

return. 

Requesting a Duplicate 1099-R 

If you are not using myPay yet, we do offer other convenient options to request a 

replacement IRS Form 1099-R. 

As of February 12, 2024, you can get your 1099-Rs sent to the address on file with DFAS 

or to a one-time, temporary mailing address by submitting a request online. Our online 

request tool also accepts international addresses. It’s easy to find on our Quick Tools 

webpage: https://www.dfas.mil/raquicktools

DFAS also provides a self-service telephone option for retirees. Retirees can access the 

phone option at 1-800-321-1080. If you are a retiree using the phone option, please 

verify your current mailing address is correct. The telephone option is currently available 

for retirees and only for the current year tax statement.

Instructions for using the telephone self-service option for 1099-R reissue requests:

• Call 1-800-321-1080 or 317-212-0551

• Select option “1” for Self-Serve

• Select option “1” to request copies of your tax documents

• Select option "1” 1099-R 

• Enter their Social Security Number when prompted

The 1099-R should be in the mail within 7-10 business days to the address we have on 

record. 

 

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If you need to update your mailing address first, you can do it in myPay or use our 

online address change form for retirees at: https://www.dfas.mil/raonlinetools

If you prefer traditional mail, you can send us a written request by fax or mail, but 

please make sure to leave time for processing. It can take up to 30 days to process 

requests received by fax or mail. Find instructions: https://www.dfas.mil/rettaxes

Members with unique situations can speak directly to one of our customer care 

representatives. Depending on call volume, you may have to wait on hold while we assist 

other customers. For more information, go to: https://www.dfas.mil/racustomers

Changing Your Federal Tax Withholding 

If you need to change your withholding, you can do it easily in myPay. You can also fill 

out and mail an IRS Form W-4 if you are a military retiree. The form is available on the 

IRS website (https://www.irs.gov) and is also linked from the DFAS Forms 

webpage: https://www.dfas.mil/raforms

 

Please note: You are not required to file a new Form W-4 unless you claim exemption 

from federal tax withholding. If you claim exemption, the IRS requires you file a new W4 at the beginning of EACH tax year. 

 

Military retired pay is paid for many different reasons under numerous laws. There are 

differences in the types of pay a military retiree might receive and the tax laws that 

apply to them. Whether a portion or all of an individual’s military retired pay is subject to 

federal income taxes depends on his/her individual circumstances. 

 

An individual’s choice to have no withholding for federal taxes does not impact whether 

the individual’s military retired pay is actually subject to federal income taxes. 

Ultimately, the IRS will determine the amount of taxes owed on the military retired 

pay. 

Please see our webpage regarding taxation of retired pay:

https://www.dfas.mil/retpaytax

The IRS Tax Withholding Estimator

 

The IRS has an online Tax Withholding Estimator to help you determine the amount of 

taxes you need to have withheld. The estimator helps taxpayers determine if the right 

amount is being withheld from their income to cover their tax liability.  

 

The estimator uses a simple, six-step question-and-answer format using information like 

marital or filing status, income, withholding, adjustments, deductions, and credits. 

 

The mobile-friendly estimator is available at: https://www.irs.gov/individuals/taxwithholding-estimator
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Managing Your Retired Pay Allotments 

You can have some of your retired pay go to another institution through an allotment, 

sometimes referred to as a payroll deduction. This allows you to pay items directly out of 

your retired pay such as recurring bills, insurance premiums, a car payment, or a

mortgage. 

 

Please make sure you have enough disposable pay after taxes and other deductions to 

cover your allotment before setting it up. If you don’t have enough disposable pay after 

taxes and other deductions, you may not receive your pay, or the allotment might be 

underpaid.

How Many Allotments Can You Have?

You can have a maximum of six discretionary allotments.  

 

The following allotments are considered non-discretionary, and they do not count 

toward your maximum of six. There is no limit on the number of non-discretionary

allotments that can be deducted from your pay. 

• Delinquent tax payments (federal, state, or local) 

• Repayment of debts owed to the government 

• Charity payments for Army Emergency Relief (AER), Navy-Marine Corps Relief 

Society (NMCRS), or affiliates of the Air Force Assistance Fund 

• Loan Payments for AER, NMCRS, Air Force Aid Society, or American Red Cross 

TRICARE Allotments

TRICARE premiums are deducted based on the information TRICARE sends directly to 

DFAS.

Individual retirees cannot make changes to TRICARE allotments through DFAS. They 

must make changes through TRICARE. Please be aware that TRICARE sends transactions 

to DFAS between the first and tenth day of each month. This means if you or TRICARE 

make a change later in the month, that change may not be effective until your pay for 

the following month. 

Medicare Part B Allotments

Generally, Medicare Part B premiums are deducted from your social security. However, if 

you choose to defer receiving social security and are covered by Medicare Part B, you will 

need to pay your monthly premiums directly. You can set up a discretionary allotment to 

pay your monthly premiums in the same way you would set up a discretionary allotment

to pay any other bill. Medicare Part B is not billed through DFAS by the Social Security 

Administration. 

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Managing Your Allotments Using myPay 

If your discretionary allotment is paid via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) to a financial 

institution, it can be started, stopped, or changed using myPay: 

https://mypay.dfas.mil

A limited number of allotments that are NOT paid via EFT can also be changed or 

stopped in myPay. This includes allotments for mortgage payments as well as some

insurance payments and certain charitable contributions. Please contact the specific 

charity or institution for more information on how to make your request. 

Entering the allotment more than once may cause the system to set up two allotments 

instead of one, causing overpayments to your allotments. Once you have entered 

allotment information into myPay, please allow time for the transaction to post. 

 

Managing Your Allotments Using the DD Form 2558 

You can now submit your allotment start, change, or stop request to DFAS using our 

askDFAS online upload tool on DFAS.mil. 

 

Recently, DFAS created a new, more convenient option for submitting allotment 

requests: sending an allotment request via askDFAS. You will first need to complete and 

sign the DD Form 2558, Authorization to Start, Stop, or Change an Allotment. 

The DD Form 2558 is available on the DFAS Forms webpage: 

https://www.dfas.mil/raforms

Save your completed and signed DD Form 2558 as a PDF and submit it via our askDFAS 

online upload tool on DFAS.mil. Find out more: https://www.dfas.mil/askdfas 

Once you submit your request, it will take up to three business days to be available to 

process in the DFAS system. DFAS can process a typical request in 30 days if we have all 

of the required information. Allotments take time to show up in myPay. You may not see 

your request until you receive your next Retiree Account Statement.
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Checking your SBP Coverage for Your Current or 

Former Spouse

Have you recently checked your Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) coverage? If you haven’t, 

it’s easy to do. In myPay, you can review a monthly Retiree Account Statement (RAS), 

which is available to all military retirees currently receiving retired pay.

By reviewing the RAS, the statement shows your current SBP coverage and the type of 

coverage your current or former spouse is receiving.

As a retiree, it is important to understand you need to contact DFAS for any lifechanging events, such as marriage, divorce, or loss of a spouse. The changes can impact 

your premium payments; there is a one-year limit for notifying DFAS of any lifechanging event.

If you divorced since you retired from the military, review your SBP participation status. 

Federal law states SBP coverage ends for a spouse when a divorce occurs. In most 

cases, coverage does not continue until DFAS is notified and the required documentation 

is received.

There are two alternatives to allow continuing coverage for a former spouse: the military 

retiree must voluntarily request coverage to be continued or the former spouse must 

submit a timely deemed election to request coverage. If the former spouse submits a 

timely deemed election, coverage is subject to the court order. Time limits apply for all 

scenarios, whether coverage is elected by the retiree or deemed by the former spouse.

To update your SBP coverage, please note DFAS needs a copy of the official 

documentation; a marriage license, divorce decree, death certificate, or birth certificate, 

along with SBP Election Change Form (DD2656-6) to update your account.

Please note: updating your beneficiary for the SBP does not automatically 

update your beneficiary listed for the Arrears of Pay. They are independent of 

each other and must be updated individually.

SBP for Current or Former Spouse

Have you divorced since retiring? If so, please take a moment and carefully check your 

SBP participation status. Under the law, SBP coverage for a spouse ends with a divorce. 

Coverage for a former spouse does not continue after the divorce unless certain actions 

are taken.

To continue SBP coverage for a former spouse, either (a) the retiree must voluntarily 

request coverage be continued for the former spouse, or, (b) the former spouse must 

request the coverage (but she/he may do so only if a court order requires the coverage). 

Certain time limits and other conditions apply.

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If those actions were not taken, the coverage for the former spouse has ended. This 

could have important consequences for your survivors. 

To check your SBP coverage status, review your Retiree Account Statement (RAS) 

carefully. Make sure the “SBP Coverage Type” properly reflects “former spouse” or 

“spouse” (as applicable to your individual circumstances). 

We have seen instances of spouse SBP premium deductions that were continued after a 

divorce but because required actions were not taken, the former spouse was not 

properly covered, preventing payment of an SBP annuity.

There is more information on our website on the SBP Changing or Stopping Coverage 

webpage: https://www.dfas.mil/RetiredMilitary/provide/sbp/change

Or, if you have questions about your SBP coverage, you may call our Customer Care 

Center: https://www.dfas.mil/RetiredMilitary/about/aboutus/customerservice
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Prepare Your Loved Ones: Reclaiming Overpaid Funds 

After the Death of a Retiree

A military retiree’s entitlement to retired pay ends on the date of death of the member. 

When DFAS is notified of a retiree’s death, DFAS makes every effort to ensure that the 

next monthly disbursement to the member includes only funds the member was entitled 

to at the time of his/her death. 

However, there are instances when a retiree dies near the end of the month (and it is 

too late to adjust the payment) or DFAS is not notified of the death in a timely manner. 

This results in a deposit into a retiree’s bank account, made after the retiree’s death, 

which consists of both (a) funds the retiree was entitled to at the time of his/her death 

and (b) funds paid corresponding to days after the retiree’s death (payment that could 

not be prevented due to timing). 

DFAS will stop monthly payments upon notification of death to prevent overpayment. If 

a payment was made after the date of the retiree’s death, we are required to notify the 

bank to reclaim the entire payment. 

If the retiree had a joint bank account, it is especially important to be aware that the 

entire payment will be reclaimed.

The retiree's final pro-rated payment will be issued as Arrears of Pay (AOP) to the 

entitled beneficiary upon receipt of a valid claim. Please note that all payments issued 

after the member's death must be returned to DFAS before AOP can be paid.

In addition, financial institutions are obligated to return any federal benefit payments 

made after they are notified of the death of an account holder. In some cases, a 

member’s bank may return the retired pay payment made after the date of the retiree’s 

death before DFAS reclaims the payment. 

We are communicating this information so you can prepare your loved ones, especially if 

they are a joint holder on the account. We realize this can be a difficult time both 

emotionally and financially and want to provide you with information to ease any undue 

burdens placed on your loved ones. Therefore, it is important that, upon death, DFAS is 

promptly notified so that your monthly payment can be suspended and to prevent any 

overpayments. 

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To report a retiree’s death: 

A. Fill out the online askDFAS Notification of Death form (available 24/7) 

Before using the tool, you will need to have the following information available for the 

retiree: 

• Full Name 

• Social Security Number 

• Date of Death 

• Cause of Death (Natural, Homicide, Pending, or Other) 

• Marital Status 

Additionally, if you are the retiree’s spouse you will also need to provide your date of 

marriage. 

Anyone using the tool must also complete all additional fields with a name, relationship, 

and contact information for the notification of death to be processed.

OR 

B. Call our Customer Care Center at 1-800-321-1080 

When you call, please be prepared to provide: 

• Retiree’s Full Name 

• Retiree’s Social Security Number 

• Date of Death 

OR 

C. Fax or Mail information to DFAS 

Mail to: 

Defense Finance and Accounting Service

U.S. Military Retired Pay

8899 E 56th Street

Indianapolis IN 46249-1200 

Fax to: 1-800-469-6559 

DFAS strongly encourages you to use Option A or Option B above to notify us promptly 

of a retiree’s death. If you have any difficulty using the askDFAS online form, please call 

our Customer Care Center.
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Resources Available to Help with Your myPay Account 

For many long-time myPay users, navigating within their accounts, gathering 

information, and making changes to their military, federal civilian employee or 

retiree/annuitant account is not an overwhelming challenge. For others, especially those 

unfamiliar with digital devices or doing business online, myPay can seem a bit scary.

There are, however, a few ways to get help and even send questions or requests for 

assistance securely online.

myPay Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

As the name implies customer questions have been collected and presented in the FAQs 

along with answers to help you manage and use myPay accounts for military, federal 

civilian employee, and military retirees and annuitants.

Topics include Login ID and password, establishing or updating your email address, 

setting up a Limited Access account, SmartDocs email notifications, and more.

The link to myPay FAQs is located at the top of each screen, from the login page to the 

pages within your account. Just look at the top of a page to locate the FAQ link.

Contact Us and Ask myPay

The myPay Contact Us link will get you to the list of phone numbers and secure online 

connections to help solve login and password problems you may be experiencing.

In addition to the myPay customer support representatives, there are links to the Ask 

myPay online form for submission of your myPay dilemma and a way to find any 

nearby Trusted Agents who may help you solve myPay login and password needs in 

person.

For help not related to accessing the myPay system (such as requesting older Leave & 

Earning or Retiree Account Statements), the Ask myPay form provides links to 

other Ask DFAS forms allowing customers to submit trouble tickets regarding Military 

Pay, Retiree Pay, and Travel Pay.

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The DFAS YouTube Channel

myPay tutorial videos are stored in the DFAS YouTube Channel specifically for myPay 

account owners. 

Some of the videos there include:

1. Getting started with myPay

2. Requesting your Login ID

3. Changing your email address

4. Changing your physical mail address

5. Changing your password

6. Using Two-Factor Authentication

7. Using an Authenticator App

myPay Help Feature – Look for the Question Mark (?) Icon

Once logged into your myPay account various options are listed allowing you to review 

and, in some cases allowing changes to be made to your pay account. When accessing 

one of these options, a question mark (?) will appear on the top right side of the screen.

Clicking on the question mark (?) will display information about that specific option 

along with directions (when appropriate) for printing or changing information in your 

myPay or pay account.
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Upcoming Retiree Appreciation Days

Below is a list of Retiree Appreciation Days that DFAS will participate in during 2024. 

These events are a great way to hear from many different organizations that can assist 

military retirees. If you live near one of the events, please come and say “Hello.”

Fort Stewart Retiree Appreciation Day 

When: Saturday, May 18, 2024,Time: TBA

Where: Orlando, FL, University of Central Florida, 12715 Pegasus Drive, Student 

Union Center

Retiree Appreciation Day

When: Friday, June 16, 2024, Time: TBA

Where: (Virtual Facebook Event)

Contact: alexander.d.young3.naf@us.navy.mil

Retiree Appreciation Day

When: Thursday, August 15, 2024, Time: 1000

Where: Silverdale, WA, 2720 Ohio St., Bangor Plaza 

Contact: Terry Wimmer: (360) 315-3052 or at 

terry.f.wimmer.civ@us.navy.mil

Retiree Appreciation Day

When: Saturday, September 7, 2024, Time: 0730

Where: NOSC, Minneapolis, MN, Treasure Island Resort and Casino

Contact: metrojrad@gmail.com

Retiree Appreciation Day 

When: Saturday, September 23, 2024, Time: 0800

Where: NAS Lemoore, CA, Hancock Circle Bldg. 822, MWR Movie Theater, 

Contact: (559) 998-4524

Retiree Appreciation Day

When: TBA

Where: NAS Whidbey Island, WA, 1080 W. Ault Field Road #138, Oak Harbor

Contact: rick.helwick@navy.mil or william.d.conley@navy.mil
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News from Our Partners: Free MilTax Services 

Available to Recent Retirees

If you separated from service within the last 12 months, you are eligible to file your 

taxes for free with MilTax e-filing software and support. The MilTax software is available 

Jan. 18, 2023 through April, with extensions through mid-October.

Veterans are eligible for free support from Military OneSource, including MilTax, until 365 

days past end of tour of service, retirement date or discharge date. This includes service 

members on the Temporary Disability Retirement List, as well as their immediate family 

including spouses, children and anyone who has legal responsibility for a service 

member’s children, for the benefit of the children. 

New in 2024, eligibility is being verified through the Defense Enrollment Eligibility 

Reporting System. Visit Military OneSource to learn more about eligibility. 

MilTax free tax filing software and support

MilTax from Military OneSource is:

• No cost to eligible users and includes access to tax consultants 

• Designed to account for the complexities of military life

• Offers secure industry-leading software, provided by the Defense Department

MilTax eligibility takes you through the entire tax-filing season. Contact Military 

OneSource at 800-342-9647 for more information.

Get started with MilTax: Free Software & Support.

Other options for free or discounted tax services

If you no longer qualify for Military OneSource’s MilTax, you may be eligible for IRS 

Free File and the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. Additionally, many tax 

services provide a discount to veterans. 
17

News from Our Partners: Navy-Marine Corps Relief 

Society

Thank you to all who supported NMCRS in 2023!

Your generosity made a huge impact in the lives of over 198,000 Sailors, Marines and 

their families who used our programs and services.

If you want to know about the NMCRS Visiting Nurse Program, ask a Marine!

Retired Marine Major Jim Capers, a decorated Vietnam War veteran, is a strong advocate 

for the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society's Visiting Nurse Program. After losing his wife 

and son, Capers found it difficult to manage his health alone. A social worker referred 

him to the program, which he wasn't aware of despite knowing about several of the 

Society’s other programs and services.

The program provides health education, resource referrals, and support for active-duty 

families and retired service members like Capers. This is accomplished by registered 

nurses who offer help with various needs, including prenatal care, infant feeding, and 

managing chronic conditions in retirees. Nurses also conduct safety assessments and 

offer instruction on self-care tasks. 

Capers has a special bond with his local NMCRS Nurse, Natatia DePaoli, who visits him 

monthly. They both value their one-on-one interaction and the support they offer each 

other. 

NMCRS can “be there” for moments like this, because of donors like you. Your generous 

giving allows us to give back in ways and experiences that are truly priceless. To learn 

more about how the Society is providing relief, as well as read some stories about 

clients, volunteers and donors please visit https://www.nmcrs.org/aboutus/legacy-newsletters-index

Receiving Assistance:

If you are facing a financial challenge, please do not hesitate to reach out to NMCRS. All 

of our programs and services are free and confidential. Our support does not affect your 

credit score. The most common requests for our no-interest loans and grant assistance 

are for basic living expenses, such as rent and food. Each year, NMCRS provides millions 

of dollars in assistance for these daily needs to both active duty and retired Sailors and 

Marines. To learn more, please visit https://www.nmcrs.org

Looking for a way to give back to our community and support the next 

generation of service members? 

Volunteer at your local Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society! 

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For more than 120 years, skilled volunteers have helped service members seeking the 

Society’s assistance. The NMCRS staff is made up of a small cadre of paid employees and 

more than 4,000 volunteers. A sampling of volunteer opportunities in the Society 

include:

• Welcoming clients and doing intakes 

• Providing financial assistance

• Leading a team of casework, office, or thrift shop volunteers

• Providing support in communications and the thrift shops

• Maintaining Volunteer database and records

Our volunteers have unique backgrounds and experiences. They have different reasons 

for serving, yet they all desire to support the community of active duty and retired Navy 

and Marine Corps service members and their families.

Our offices are located on Navy and Marine Corps bases across the country and around 

the world. While most volunteer opportunities are office based, there are a limited 

number of virtual opportunities that allow you to volunteer from home, so you don't 

need to be near a base. For most, you can volunteer as few as three hours a week.

If you are interested in being a volunteer, you can expect to: 

• Receive specialized training

• Get extensive support and resources

• Connect with other volunteers and build friendships

• Get assistance with child- and dependent-care and mileage expenses

• Help others and make a difference

• Build experience to add to your resume

• Feel appreciated and have fun

"I absolutely love volunteering my time to assist our Sailors and Marines who 

sacrifice everything for our nation. They are the backbone of our nation, and I 

am glad to be there for them in trying and stressful times. If I can help to make 

their day better, I have done my job." Hope Palmer, Volunteer

You can learn more about volunteering at NMCRS https://www.nmcrs.org/getinvolved/volunteer 

Education Assistance:

The NMCRS Education Assistance Program provides grants and interest-free loans for 

eligible Navy and Marine Corps spouses, children, and MECEP/MECP students so they 

pursue their education goals with less financial stress. 

- more -
19

Applications for the 2024-25 academic year are being accepted through May 15, 2023.

Grants range from $500-$3000 and interest-free loans are available up to $4000. 

Both loans and grants are awarded once per year and are determined by FAFSA Student 

Aid Index (SAI) and tuition costs. Funds are provided directly to the institution to help 

pay for tuition, books, room, and board. Students may reapply each year. To learn more 

about eligibility and to apply, please visit Scholarship Application

Give with confidence! NMCRS has the highest attainable charity ratings.

NMCRS has a four-star rating with Charity Navigator. You can read more here

We also have a platinum rating from Candid (formerly Guidestar). You can learn more 

here

NMCRS programs and services are only possible thanks to the generous support of our 

donors. If you would like to set up an allotment, please contact NMCRS at 

giving@nmcrs.org to begin the process. If you would like to make a gift online to 

support your fellow shipmates and Marines, you can make a credit card or PayPal 

donation at https://support.nmcrs.org/a/rfd

Checks can be mailed to:

Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society

Attn: Development Department

875 N. Randolph St, Suite 275

Arlington, VA 22203

Looking for other ways to donate? Please visit https://www.nmcrs.org/getinvolved/donate

Thank you!

 

 
20

News from Our Partners: Recently Retired from 

Service? Take Advantage of Your FEDVIP Enrollment 

Period 

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is proud to welcome retiring members 

of the uniformed services to the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program 

(FEDVIP). 

Sponsored by OPM, FEDVIP is a voluntary, enrollee-pay-all dental and vision insurance 

program. In general, retired uniformed service members, their families, and survivors 

are eligible for FEDVIP dental coverage and, if they’re enrolled in a TRICARE health plan, 

FEDVIP vision coverage. Please note: Opportunities to enroll outside of open season are 

limited.

Retiring uniformed service members are considered newly eligible for FEDVIP. This 

includes Retired Reserve members who are age 60 and older and under age 60 

(gray area reservists) not yet receiving retirement pay. 

If you’ve recently retired from the uniformed services, you have a 91-day 

enrollment window to enroll in a FEDVIP dental and/or vision plan. You may enroll 

between 31 days prior to your military retirement date and 60 days following. It’s 

important to remember, enrollment is not automatic. To prevent a gap in dental 

coverage between your active or reserve duty dental plan and your FEDVIP plan, 

you must enroll in FEDVIP prior to your military retirement date. If you don’t enroll 

within 60 days from your retirement date, you must wait until the next open 

season, which runs from the Monday of the second full work week in November 

through the Monday of the second full work week in December.

FEDVIP is popular among the more than 3.5 million people already enrolled in the 

program, giving the program high marks for quality and value. FEDVIP offers you a 

choice between 12 dental and 5 vision carriers, so you can select the right coverage for 

you and your family, such as:

• Regional dental plans as well as nationwide dental and vision plans with 

international coverage

• Plans featuring high and standard options

• A choice between three enrollment types: self, self plus one, or self and family 

To familiarize yourself with the program, explore BENEFEDS.com/military. BENEFEDS is the 

government-authorized online portal where you can enroll in FEDVIP, research FEDVIP’s 

current list of carriers and plans, and use the plan comparison tool to view rates, 

benefits, and coverage information. 

Don’t miss this opportunity! Consider including FEDVIP in your retirement plan today.

BENEFEDS is administered by FedPoint® under the oversight of the U.S. Office of 

Personnel Management. FedPoint is a trade name of the legal entity Long Term Care 

Partners, LLC®.
21

News from Our Partners: 51st Annual Air Force 

Assistance Fund Campaign

The 51st annual Air Force Assistance Fund Campaign is well underway at Air & Space 

Force Bases around the globe. 

Over the years, retirees have continued taking care of their fellow Airmen and Guardians 

by supporting this “For Airmen & Guardians, By Airmen & Guardians” campaign. Your 

four official charities of the Department of the Air Force continue to provide nearly $15 

million in assistance to Airmen, Guardians, and the surviving spouses of our retirees 

every year. 

You can help again this year by going to 

https://www.afassistancefund.org/index.php/donate to choose from the different 

donation options available. 

And, you can follow the below link for a message to all retirees from the Secretary of the 

Air Force, the Under Secretary, the Chief of Space Operations, the Chief of Staff of the 

Air Force, the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, and the Chief Master Sergeant of 

the Space Force: https://www.afassistancefund.org/wpcontent/uploads/2024/01/2024-Kickoff-Memorandum-to-Retirees.pdf. 

Thank you for once again supporting our Air & Space Force family...retired, but still 

active! 
22

Pay Schedule

To help you plan for 2024, below is a list of the days you should expect to receive your 

pay. Retired and annuitant pay is due on the first of the month. However, if the first falls 

on a weekend or holiday, retirees are paid on the last business day of the month and 

annuitants are paid on the first business day of month. For example, in December 2023, 

retirees will receive payment on December 29, 2023. However, annuitants are scheduled 

to receive payment on January 2, 2024. Please see the chart for each month in 2024.

Entitlement Month Retired Pay Date Annuitant Pay Date

September 2023 September 29, 2023 October 2, 2023

October 2023 November 1, 2023 November 1, 2023

November 2023 December 1, 2023 December 1, 2023

December 2023 December 29, 2023 January 2, 2024

January 2024 February 1, 2024 February 1, 2024

February 2024 March 1, 2024 March 1, 2024

March 2024 April 1, 2024 April 1, 2024

April 2024 May 1, 2024 May 1, 2024

May 2024 May 31, 2024 June 3, 2024

June 2024 July 1, 2024 July 1, 2024

July 2024 August 1, 2024 August 1, 2024

August 2024 August 30, 2024 September 3, 2024

September 2024 October 1, 2024 October 1, 2024

October 2024 November 1, 2024 November 1, 2024

November 2024 November 29, 2024 December 2, 2024

December 2024 December 31, 2024 January 2, 2025

 
23

Contact Us

DFAS Retired & Annuitant Pay Website

https://www.dfas.mil/retiredmilitary

DFAS Retired & Annuitant Pay

Mailing Addresses

Retired Pay: 

Defense Finance and Accounting

Service

U.S. Military Retired Pay

8899 E 56th Street

Indianapolis IN 46249-1200

Annuitant Pay: 

Defense Finance and Accounting

Service

U.S. Military Annuitant Pay

8899 E 56th Street

Indianapolis IN 46249-1300

DFAS Retired & Annuitant Pay 

Phone and Fax Numbers

Phone:

Toll-free: 800-321-1080

Local: 317-212-0551

DSN: 699-0551

Retired Pay Fax: 800-469-6559

Annuitant/Survivor Pay Fax: 800-982-8459

 Phone: 888-332-7411

myPay

https://mypay.dfas.mil