1

Director’s Message

Greetings from Cleveland! As the days get shorter and nights get cooler, we know that 

fall is here.

Welcome to the fifth issue of our Survivor SBP Newsletter. This newsletter focuses on 

news of special interest to survivors. We know that the laws and regulations governing 

military annuity pay are complex and can be difficult to understand. We hope this 

newsletter, along with our other communications tools, will help to clarify your SBP annuity 

benefits.

There are changes coming for some of our SBP annuitants in 2023. These changes 

might affect you if you are a surviving spouse and you receive Dependent and Indemnity 

Compensation (DIC) from the Department of Veterans Affairs or if you requested the SBP 

Optional Annuity for Dependent Children because your military loved one was a service 

member who died on active duty or inactive duty in the line of duty after October 7, 2001. 

Please be sure to read the articles to see if these changes apply to you and what you can 

expect.

DFAS remains committed to our primary goal of delivering your pay accurately and on 

time. With tax season approaching, we need your help to do that. Please see the “Your 

Next To-Do List Should Include Taxes” article with helpful tips for getting ready for tax 

season.

Also, with tax season approaching, you may want to access your myPay account to 

obtain your tax documents. We know some of you only access myPay once a year so we 

provided an article with tips for reactivating your myPay account. If do not have a myPay 

account yet, we provided instructions for starting a myPay account. 

The askDFAS Resource webpage has a new look. We included an article on what you 

can expect to see on that page for annuitants and retirees and how askDFAS can help you 

better manage your annuity pay account.

As we continue to add to our line-up of simpler methods to fill out forms, we introduce 

our new Form Wizard for the DFAS 9415-Representative Payee Certification. Check out the 

article to learn more about it. 

-moreDefense Finance and Accounting Service

Survivor SBP Newsletter

October 2022
2 

In our “Did You Know?” article, we again provide useful tips and tidbits of interest to 

survivors. In this issue, we discuss laws and regulations governing military annuitant pay.

We will continue to share news of interest to survivors in our quarterly DFAS Retiree 

Newsletter, and twice a year we also provide this focused newsletter especially for you.

Please share this information with your community of survivors.

Remember, our website puts a lot of helpful information at your fingertips. Check it 

out: https://www.dfas.mil/retiredmilitary. Look for “Survivors and Beneficiaries” in the 

menu for links of special interest to survivors.

We honor the service and sacrifices made by you, your family, and your loved one. We 

are proud to serve those who have served, and we wish you and your family a safe and 

happy holiday season. 
3 

Active Duty/Line of Duty Survivors Spotlight

The 2023 Changes to the SBP Optional Annuity for Dependent 

Children: What Surviving Spouses Need to Know and Do

*Surviving Children: Please Read the Next Article*

The DoD Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) provides an ongoing monthly annuity payment to 

military spouses or dependent children when a military member dies while on active duty, 

on inactive duty in the line of duty, or after retirement (if the military retiree chooses to 

purchase coverage).

When a service member dies on active or inactive duty in the line of duty, the surviving 

spouse can request to have the SBP annuity paid directly to an eligible dependent child or 

children instead of to the spouse. 

This is called the “Optional Annuity for Dependent Children” but is often referred to as

the “Optional Child Annuity.” 

The option is available because until recently, there was a requirement for a spouse’s 

SBP payments to be offset (reduced) by the full amount of the spouse’s Dependency and 

Indemnity Compensation (DIC) payment from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). 

Payments to the surviving child were considered a more favorable option because SBP paid 

to a child is not required to be offset by the amount of the DIC payment.

The Optional Annuity for Dependent Children is only allowed when the service member 

died on active duty or inactive duty in the line of duty after October 7, 2001.

Changes to the Optional Annuity for Dependent Children do not impact the SBP 

coverage for families of a service member who retired prior to passing away or the SBP 

coverage for any current living retiree. 

Check out our new Quick Reference Guide on our special focus webpage: 

https://www.dfas.mil/sbp2023childoptrev

What Happens in 2023

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2020 directed that as of 

January 1, 2023, the “Optional Annuity for Dependent Children” will be eliminated and the 

SBP monthly annuity payment must revert to the surviving spouse (if the surviving spouse 

submits documentation confirming eligibility).

-more- 
4 

2023 SBP Optional Child Annuity Changes: What Surviving Spouses Need to Know and Do - cont.

The first SBP monthly payment to surviving spouses documented as eligible will be 

February 1, 2023. Because the SBP entitlement is paid the following month, the January 

2023 entitlement is paid on February 1, 2023. 

What You Need to Do If You Are the Surviving Spouse of a Service Member Who 

Died on Active duty or Inactive Duty in the Line of Duty After October 7, 2001 and 

You Requested the Optional Child Annuity: 

If you have NOT sent us an SBP Spouse Eligibility Packet, please download the 

PDF packet from our special focus webpage, fill it out and send it as soon as possible. 

See the information below on “The Process of Documenting Eligibility for Surviving 

Spouses” or go to the special focus webpage: https://www.dfas.mil/sbp2023childoptrev

If you HAVE sent us an SBP Spouse Eligibility Packet, you only need to notify us if 

your contact information, marital status or direct deposit changes prior to January 1, 

2023. If the documentation you submitted shows you are eligible, you will receive your 

first payment on February 1, 2023. 

Can an Eligible Child Continue to Receive the SBP Annuity? Can a Spouse Choose 

to Have the SBP Annuity Paid to the Child?

The elimination and reversion is in the law. It is not optional. A surviving spouse cannot 

refuse the annuity to have it continue to be paid to a surviving child. If we do not receive 

documentation for a surviving spouse, the annuity will be suspended. It cannot continue to 

be paid to a surviving child without documentation that the surviving spouse is not eligible. 

SBP coverage for active duty or inactive duty in the line of duty deaths is for spouse 

and child. Since the SBP coverage is for spouse and child, the child can receive payment if 

the spouse is documented as not eligible. 

There are three situations where an eligible child can continue to receive the SBP 

monthly payment after the elimination of the Optional Child Annuity in 2023:

 1-If DFAS receives documentation the service member was not married at the time of 

their death. 

 2-If DFAS receives documentation the surviving spouse is deceased.

 3-If DFAS receives documentation the surviving spouse remarried prior to age 55. 

If DFAS does not receive the documentation in the above situations, the annuity will be 

suspended until documentation is received. 

-more- 
5

2023 SBP Optional Child Annuity Changes: What Surviving Spouses Need to Know and Do - cont.

Please note the documentation needed for a deceased spouse is a copy of the certified 

death certificate with contact information for the person submitting the documentation. If 

the parent/legal guardian of a minor child or a child over the age of majority who is 

currently receiving the SBP annuity is aware of the death of a surviving spouse, they can 

submit a copy of the death certificate with their contact information. 

The death certificate must be certified by the government agency issuing the 

certificate. DFAS cannot accept a funeral notice or funeral booklet. It must be the 

government-certified death certificate. Death certificates are public records and can 

generally be obtained from the Office of Vital Records in the state where the event 

occurred, or from the applicable state’s Department of Health. 

What Happens Between Now and 2023

If a child or children are currently the designated recipients of the SBP monthly annuity 

payment because the Optional Annuity for Dependent Children was requested, they will 

continue to receive the SBP payments (as long as they remain eligible) until the SBP-DIC 

offset is fully eliminated in 2023.

• If a child or children lose eligibility because they marry or reach age 18 (or age 22 if 

a full-time student) prior to January 1, 2023, the annuity will be suspended until 

January 1, 2023. On January 1, 2023, the annuity will revert to the surviving spouse (if 

the spouse is eligible and submits documentation) and the first payment to the eligible 

spouse based on these changes will be made on February 1, 2023.

• If the annuity is already suspended because the child or children are no longer 

eligible, it will continue to be suspended until January 1, 2023. On January 1, 2023, the 

annuity will revert to the surviving spouse (if the spouse is eligible and submits 

documentation) and the first payment to the eligible spouse based on these changes

will be made on February 1, 2023.

• If the annuity is suspended because the child/children are no longer eligible and we 

do not receive eligibility documentation for the surviving spouse, the annuity will 

remain suspended until we receive the documentation. 

The Process of Documenting Eligibility for Surviving Spouses

We mailed eligibility packets in mid-November of 2021 to approximately 5,000 

surviving spouses of service members who died on active duty or on inactive duty in the 

line of duty after October 7, 2001 and who had previously requested the SBP Optional Child 

Annuity. We mailed this eligibility packet again in June of 2022.

-more-
6 

2023 SBP Optional Child Annuity Changes: What Surviving Spouses Need to Know and Do - cont.

The eligibility packet includes the documents we need the surviving spouse to fill out 

and return. The documents help us determine the spouse’s eligibility for SBP annuity 

payments and set up their account to begin payments (if they are eligible) after the 

changes take effect on January 1, 2023 (monthly payments begin February 1, 2023).

If a surviving spouse did not receive a packet in the mail, they can download the full 

eligibility packet from the DFAS special focus webpage: 

https://www.dfas.mil/sbp2023childoptrev

On our special focus webpage (https://www.dfas.mil/sbp2023childoptrev) there are 

specific instructions for filling out and returning the documents. There is also a helpful howto checklist for filling out the forms. 

The eligibility packet that is downloadable in a PDF from the webpage includes a copy of 

the letter, instructions, and the forms. 

Spouses can upload their completed and signed documents online on the customerfacing annuity askDFAS online upload tool, or mail them, or fax them. 

When we receive the completed documents, we will review them and send the spouse a 

postal letter with their eligibility information and the current amount of the annuity.

We have developed a special process so the accounts that are affected by the 

elimination/reversion can be prepared for the 2023 change without affecting the payments 

to children who are currently receiving the Optional Child Annuity.

Some accounts may require research to locate the required information, so we 

encourage surviving spouses to provide us with their documentation as soon as possible. 

We Do Need Eligibility Information for ALL Surviving Spouses

Please note DFAS does need to receive eligibility information from all surviving spouses 

who requested the SBP Optional Child Annuity, even if they are not eligible for the SBP 

annuity due to remarriage prior to age 55. 

There are two reasons: 

First, as explained above, if the surviving spouse is documented as not eligible (or 

deceased), we can continue to pay the SBP annuity to an eligible child, even after the 

change in January of 2023. If we don’t receive documentation proving the spouse is not 

eligible, the annuity payments must be suspended as of January 2023 until we receive the 

documentation.

-more- 
7 

2023 SBP Optional Child Annuity Changes: What Surviving Spouses Need to Know and Do - cont.

Second, providing this documentation now will simplify the process for a surviving 

spouse if they are currently remarried before age 55, but that marriage later ends due to 

death or divorce in the future. At that point, the surviving spouse may become eligible for 

the SBP annuity payment. 

Surviving Spouses of Active Duty/Line of Duty Service Members Who Are 

Currently Entitled to SBP/SSIA 

Some surviving spouses may be confused about what the Optional Annuity for 

Dependent Children is and if they are entitled to an additional annuity. If a spouse is 

currently entitled to and receiving an SBP and/or SSIA monthly payment, they did 

not request the Optional Child Annuity and the 2023 reversion does not apply to 

them. SBP is paid either to the surviving spouse OR to the surviving child/children; it is not 

paid to both spouse and child. 

The Optional Child Annuity is not an additional annuity payment. It is the option to pay 

the SBP annuity to the child/children instead of to the surviving spouse. 

In addition, this change in the law does NOT impact the surviving spouse or child of a 

member who retired prior to passing away. The change in the law does NOT impact the 

current SBP coverage of a retiree. The Optional Annuity for Dependent Children is only 

allowed when the service member died on active duty or inactive duty in the line of duty 

after October 7, 2001. 

See Our Special Focus Webpage for Additional Information

See our special focus webpage for a downloadable Eligibility Packet and specific 

instructions for completing it and a helpful checklist for completing the documents. We also 

have a new Quick Reference Guide for the SBP 2023 Optional Child Annuity Reversion. 

https://www.dfas.mil/sbp2023childoptrev
8 

The 2023 Changes to the SBP Optional Annuity for Dependent 

Children: What Surviving Children (or Parents/Guardians) 

Need to Know and Do

*Surviving Spouses: Please Read the Previous Article*

The DoD Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) provides an ongoing monthly annuity payment to 

military spouses or dependent children when a military member dies while on active duty, 

on inactive duty in the line of duty, or after retirement (if the military retiree chooses to 

purchase coverage).

When a service member dies on active or inactive duty in the line of duty, the surviving 

spouse can request to have the SBP annuity paid directly to an eligible dependent child or 

children instead of to the spouse. 

This is called the “Optional Annuity for Dependent Children” but is often referred to as 

the “Optional Child Annuity.” 

The option is available because until recently, there was a requirement for a spouse’s 

SBP payments to be offset (reduced) by the full amount of the spouse’s Dependency and 

Indemnity Compensation (DIC) payment from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). 

Payments to the surviving child were considered a more favorable option because SBP paid 

to a child is not required to be offset (reduced) by the amount of the DIC payment.

The Optional Annuity for Dependent Children is only allowed when the service member 

died on active duty or inactive duty in the line of duty after October 7, 2001.

Changes to the Optional Annuity for Dependent Children do not impact the SBP 

coverage for families of a service member who retired prior to passing away or the SBP 

coverage for any current living retiree. 

Check out our new Quick Reference Guide on our special focus webpage: 

https://www.dfas.mil/sbp2023childoptrev

What Happens in 2023

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2020 directed that as of 

January 1, 2023, the “Optional Annuity for Dependent Children” will be eliminated and the 

SBP monthly annuity payment must revert to the surviving spouse (if the surviving spouse 

submits documentation confirming eligibility).

The last SBP monthly payment to a child under the Optional Annuity for Dependent 

Children will be the December 2022 entitlement that is paid on January 3, 2023 (unless 

the surviving spouse is documented as deceased or not eligible). 

-more- 
9 

2023 SBP Optional Child Annuity Changes: What Surviving Children Need to Know and Do - cont.

What You Need to Do If You Are the Surviving Child (or Parent or Guardian of a 

Surviving Child) of a Service Member Who Died on Active Duty or Inactive Duty in 

the Line of Duty After October 7, 2001 and You Are Currently Receiving the SBP 

Monthly Annuity Payment Because of the Optional Child Annuity: 

You need to continue to provide eligibility certifications when required (e.g. 

School Certification, Certificate of Eligibility, Report of Existence).

If you receive a letter from us stating we have not received eligibility 

documentation from the surviving spouse:

 If you are in contact with the surviving spouse, request the surviving 

spouse send us a completed SBP Spouse Eligibility Packet as soon as possible. If 

a surviving spouse did not receive a packet in the mail, they can download the 

full eligibility packet from the DFAS special focus webpage: 

https://www.dfas.mil/sbp2023childoptrev 

 If you are aware the surviving spouse has passed away, you can submit 

the death certificate to us so we can continue to pay the SBP monthly annuity 

payment to you (see the information below). 

Can an Eligible Child Continue to Receive the SBP Annuity? Can a Spouse Choose 

to Have the SBP Annuity Paid to the Child?

The elimination and reversion is in the law. It is not optional. A surviving spouse cannot 

refuse the annuity to have it continue to be paid to a surviving child. If we do not receive 

documentation for a surviving spouse, the annuity will be suspended. It cannot 

continue to be paid to a surviving child without documentation that the surviving spouse is 

not eligible. 

SBP coverage for active duty or inactive duty in the line of duty deaths is for spouse 

and child. Since the SBP coverage is for spouse and child, the child can receive payment if 

the spouse is documented as not eligible. 

There are three situations where an eligible child can continue to receive the SBP 

monthly payment after the elimination of the Optional Child Annuity in 2023:

 1-If DFAS receives documentation the service member was not married at the time of 

their death. 

 2-If DFAS receives documentation the surviving spouse is deceased.

 3-If DFAS receives documentation the surviving spouse remarried prior to age 55. 

If DFAS does not receive the documentation in the above situations, the annuity will be 

suspended until documentation is received. 

-more- 
10

2023 SBP Optional Child Annuity Changes: What Surviving Children Need to Know and Do - cont.

Please note the documentation needed for a deceased spouse is a copy of the certified 

death certificate with contact information for the person submitting the documentation. If 

the parent/legal guardian of a minor child or a child over the age of majority who is 

currently receiving the SBP annuity is aware of the death of a surviving spouse, they can 

submit a copy of the death certificate with their contact information. 

The death certificate must be certified by the government agency issuing the 

certificate. DFAS cannot accept a funeral notice or funeral booklet. It must be the 

government-certified death certificate. Death certificates are public records and can 

generally be obtained from the Office of Vital Records in the state where the event 

occurred, or from the applicable state’s Department of Health. 

What Happens Between Now and 2023

If a child or children are currently the designated recipients of the SBP monthly annuity 

payment because the Optional Annuity for Dependent Children was requested, they will 

continue to receive the SBP payments (as long as they remain eligible) until the SBP-DIC 

offset is fully eliminated in 2023.

• If a child or children lose eligibility because they marry or reach age 18 (or age 22 if 

a full-time student) prior to January 1, 2023, the annuity will be suspended until 

January 1, 2023. On January 1, 2023, the annuity will revert to the surviving spouse (if 

the spouse is eligible and submits documentation) and the first payment to the eligible 

spouse based on these changes will be made on February 1, 2023.

• If the annuity is already suspended because the child or children are no longer 

eligible, it will continue to be suspended until January 1, 2023. On January 1, 2023, the 

annuity will revert to the surviving spouse (if the spouse is eligible and submits 

documentation) and the first payment to the eligible spouse based on these changes

will be made on February 1, 2023.

• If the annuity is suspended because the child/children are no longer eligible and we 

do not receive eligibility documentation for the surviving spouse, the annuity will 

remain suspended until we receive the documentation. 

In late October, DFAS mailed letters to the children who are currently receiving an SBP 

annuity payment because of the Optional Annuity for Dependent Children. This letter 

provides information on the projected status of their SBP annuity payment after January 1, 

2023.

-more-
11

2023 SBP Optional Child Annuity Changes: What Surviving Children Need to Know and Do - cont.

The letters are based either on eligibility documentation we have received from the 

surviving spouse or based on the fact we have not received eligibility documentation: 

• If we have received eligibility documentation from the surviving spouse, and the 

spouse is eligible, the spouse will receive the SBP annuity payment beginning with the 

January 2023 payment made on February 1, 2023. The child/children’s last SBP 

payment will be the December entitlement, which will be paid on January 3, 2023. 

• If we have received eligibility documentation from the surviving spouse, and the 

spouse is not eligible, the child/children will continue to receive the SBP annuity 

payment, even after January 1, 2023, as long as they remain eligible. 

• If we have NOT received eligibility documentation from the surviving spouse, the 

annuity will be suspended beginning with the January 2023 entitlement which would 

have been paid on February 1, 2023 and remain suspended until we receive 

documentation. The child/children’s last SBP payment prior to suspension will be the 

December entitlement, which will be paid on January 3, 2023. 

If the parent or guardian of a child annuitant who received an informational 

letter believes it may be based on incorrect information about the child’s 

situation, please contact DFAS’ Customer Care Center and notify us. We will research this 

information and send a postal letter with the results of our research. You do not need to 

take any further action until you receive the letter with the results of our research. At that 

time, we will let you know if we need additional information.

See Our Special Focus Webpage for Additional Information

See our special focus webpage for a downloadable Eligibility Packet and specific 

instructions for completing it and a helpful checklist for completing the documents. We also 

have a new Quick Reference Guide for the SBP 2023 Optional Child Annuity Reversion.

https://www.dfas.mil/sbp2023childoptrev

 

 
12

Active Duty/Line of Duty Survivors Spotlight: News from 

Military OneSource - Free Tax Services

MilTax connects you with free support from tax consultants, including access industry 

leading e-filing software. Survivors of deceased active duty, National Guard and reserves 

are eligible for personalized support. 

Find out more: https://www.militaryonesource.mil/financial-legal/tax-resourcecenter/miltax-military-tax-services/
13

The SBP-DIC Offset Phased Elimination: What Surviving 

Spouses Need to Know About 2023 

 On February 1, 2023, surviving spouses will receive their full Survivor Benefit Plan

(SBP) payment from DFAS and their full Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) 

payment from the VA. This is because February 1, 2023 will be the first SBP annuity 

payday after the SBP-DIC Offset is fully eliminated, which takes effect January 1, 2023. 

The Special Survivors Indemnity Allowance (SSIA) will no longer be paid after the 

January 3, 2023 payment, because SSIA is only paid to spouses who have their SBP 

payment offset by DIC. 

As a reminder, the SBP-DIC Offset Phased Elimination only affects SBP payments 

issued by DFAS. The changes do NOT affect Dependency and Indemnity Compensation 

(DIC) payments from the VA. Eligible surviving spouses will continue to receive the full 

amount of DIC from the VA.

To help spouses who are entitled to both SBP and DIC in 2023 understand the effect of 

this change, DFAS will mail letters in December with individual estimates of 2023 SBP 

payments. 

Check out our new Quick Reference Guide on the special focus webpage: 

https://www.dfas.mil/sbpdicnews

Phase Three of the SBP-DIC Offset Phased Elimination: Effective January 1, 2023

In the third and final phase that begins January 1, 2023, the SBP-DIC offset will be fully 

eliminated. That means spouses will begin to receive their full SBP monthly payments with 

no offset (reduction) beginning with their January 2023 entitlement, which will be paid on 

February 1, 2023. 

Summary – 2023 – Beginning February 1, 2023

VA will continue to pay: 

• 100% of the DIC payment

DoD/DFAS will pay: 

• The full SBP monthly payment with no offset (no reduction) beginning on February 1, 

2023.

SSIA will no longer be paid.

-more- 
14

What Happened During 2022 – Phase Two of the SBP-DIC Offset Phased 

Elimination

January 1, 2022 marked the start of the second phase of the SBP-DIC Offset Phased 

Elimination.

The changes affected surviving spouses who were, or who became in 2022, eligible for 

both Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) payments and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation 

(DIC) payments, and who were subject to a full or partial SBP-DIC Offset.

In Phase Two of the SBP-DIC Offset Phased Elimination the amount that was offset 

(deducted) from the spouse’s SBP annuity payment was one-third of the amount of the DIC 

payment. 

DIC payments were not affected.

The SBP monthly payment was reduced by the amount of the offset (1/3 of the amount 

of the DIC payment).

If a spouse’s gross SBP benefit was less than one-third of the amount of the DIC they 

received from the VA, the spouse did not receive an SBP payment. About 12 percent of 

spouses (approximately 7,600) did not see a change in their SBP payment in 2022 because 

their gross SBP benefit was less than one-third of their DIC payment from the VA.

Spouses who had their SBP offset by DIC received the Special Survivors Indemnity 

Allowance (SSIA) in 2022, up to the maximum amount of $346 per month, or up to gross 

amount of SBP (if the gross amount of SBP was less than $346). Beginning with the 

February 1, 2023 payment, no SSIA will be paid. 

Summary – Phase Two

VA paid:

• 100% of the DIC payment

DoD/DFAS paid:

• The remainder of the SBP benefit after deducting an amount equal to 1/3 of the 

spouse’s DIC payment from the SBP gross annuity amount (SBP gross – 1/3 of DIC = 

SBP net)

• Plus the appropriate amount of SSIA up to the maximum allowable ($346).

The effective date of Phase Two was January 1, 2022. The January 2022 entitlement 

was paid on February 1, 2022. The last payment of Phase Two is the entitlement for 

December of 2022, which will be paid on January 3, 2023. 

-more-
15

Additional Notes

You do NOT need to call to notify us you are affected by the changes in the SBP-DIC 

Offset. 

Spouses should receive a January 2023 Annuitant Account Statement (AAS) near the 

time of their February 1, 2023 payment that will show the amount of the full SBP payment. 

There will be no SSIA payment for entitlements after December 2023 (paid on January

3, 2023) because the SBP-DIC Offset will be fully eliminated beginning January 1, 2023. 

Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) payments are paid the first business day of the month 

following the entitlement, so January 2023 SBP entitlement payments are made on 

February 1, 2023. 

Annuitant Account Statements are available in your myPay account: 

https://mypay.dfas.mil

Reminder: if a spouse previously received a refund of SBP premiums paid due to the 

SBP-DIC offset, they will NOT need to pay back that refund because of this change in the 

law.

Questions? 

Check out the full range of Frequently Asked Questions and download our new Quick 

Reference Guide on the SBP-DIC News webpage: https://www.dfas.mil/sbpdicnews

We also have a webpage explaining SBP, DIC and SSIA: 

https://www.dfas.mil/sbpdicssia
16

Your Next “To-Do” List Should Include Taxes

As you check off your next “to-do” list of chores and tasks, be sure to include your 

taxes. Yes, even though it’s nearly six months before they are due, now is an important 

time to double check everything is correct with your personal information and 

documentation.

Start with myPay

The online tool DFAS offers for ensuring a smooth tax season is myPay 

(https://mypay.dfas.mil). The most important step is to log in to your myPay account and 

update your mailing address – tax season is much easier when your address on file with 

DFAS is the same as your address on file with the IRS. 

myPay offers printing or downloading of your tax statements for your annuity pay. You 

can print/download your current year tax statement, as well as prior year 1099Rs (up to 

two prior years for annuitants). 

While these documents are still available in hard copy form, you’ll have earlier access 

to them through the myPay platform. 1099Rs are generally available in myPay in late 

December, while paper copies aren’t mailed until mid-to-late January.

If you haven’t logged in to myPay in a while, this is a good time to log in and update 

your password, before the busy tax season.

See our myPay article in this issue for information about requesting/changing a 

password and a reminder on how to reactive your myPay account or how to set up your 

login for the first time.

Changing Your Federal Withholding 

Changing Your Federal Withholding in myPay

It’s easy to change the amount withheld for federal taxes on the myPay site by clicking 

on the Federal Withholding link.

Once there, click on the yellow pencil to go to the edit page. The blue bar tells you 

when you can expect the changes to go into effect.

-more- 
17

Changing Your Federal Withholding Using an IRS Form W-4P

The IRS Form W-4P is the “Withholding Certificate for Periodic Pension or Annuity 

Payments” form and functions much the same way a W-4 does for tax withholding. 

The form was updated by the IRS in January, 2022. However, those changes will not 

take effect in our annuity pay system until the 2023 tax year. 

If you have already submitted the 2022 IRS Form W-4P and you don’t need your 

federal withholding changed until the 2023 tax year, you do not need to submit it again. 

DFAS will keep your 2022 IRS Form W-4P on file to input for the 2023 tax year. 

State Taxes

DFAS cannot withhold state taxes for annuitants. For information on changes or 

questions about what is or is not taxable in your state, contact your state department of 

revenue. 

Reminder: You Can Request a Duplicate 1099-R Using Our askDFAS Tool 

If you are not a myPay user, you can get your 1099-R sent to your mailing address on 

record or a one-time, temporary mailing address by submitting your request online via 

askDFAS. Plus, you can request a prior year 1099-R. Your duplicate 1099-R should be in 

the mail within 10 business days. 

Please note that 2022 tax year 1099-R reissues cannot be mailed prior to February 10, 

2023. 

Find more information at: http://www.dfas.mil/managesbp
18

myPay: How to Reactivate Your Account or Get Started

myPay is an online tool for getting your tax documents, as well as managing your 

annuitant pay account year-round.

myPay provides access to a range of information about your payments, and lets you 

easily update your contact information or your tax withholding, submit your annual 

certification, or download your tax documents.

Reactivating Your myPay Account

We know some of you only use myPay once a year to get your 1099-R during tax 

season. Then, when you do try to access your account, you discover your password is 

expired, lost or forgotten. If this sounds like something that has happened to you, please 

update your password now, before the tax season starts. Waiting to update your password 

might mean delays in accessing your tax documents.

If your myPay account is in an inactive status because your password has expired, you 

can follow the simple steps below to reactivate your account.

1. Go to https://mypay.dfas.mil in your web browser on a computer or connected 

device.

2. Click on the “Forgot or Need a Password?” link

3. Enter two of the following: your Login ID, Social Security Number and/or registered 

email address (previously registered in myPay). Check the box affirming you are the 

account owner, and click "Continue.”

4. If you previously set up the security questions, you’ll be presented three security 

questions to answer. When finished answering the questions, click “Check my 

Answers.” 

5. If you answer the security questions correctly, you will be able to reset your 

password online.

If you haven’t set up security questions or answer them incorrectly, you’ll get the 

option to have a temporary password sent to you. You can choose to send the temporary 

password to:

A) Your mobile phone via text if your mobile phone number is registered in myPay; OR,

B) The mailing address you have on file with DFAS in your annuity pay account.

When you receive the temporary password, go back to myPay and log in to reactivate 

your account.

-more- 
19

Getting Started with myPay

If you’re not yet using myPay, it’s easy to get started.

You can request an initial password on the myPay homepage using the “Forgot or Need 

a New Password” link. The password will be mailed to the address you have on file with 

DFAS in your annuity pay account and you should receive it in about 10 business days (for 

domestic mailing addresses).

Once you receive your password in the mail, you can return to the myPay homepage 

and create your myPay profile using your social security number and the password you 

received in the mail.

If You Need Assistance with myPay

If you need assistance accessing your myPay account, please contact the myPay 

Customer Care Center toll-free at 1-888-332-7411 or at 1-317-212-0550.
20

What Annuitants Can Expect in the Year-End Mail from 

DFAS

For annuitants who still request postal mail from us, each January we mail your 

1099-R, which is the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) form for reporting annuity

distributions, along with a special print edition of the DFAS Retiree Newsletter with 

important news for the coming year.

We also include a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) change Annuitant Account 

Statement (AAS), which shows the change in your gross and net annuity payment that 

occurs when there is a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) to your annuity. 

It’s important to note the Statement Effective Date on the COLA change AAS is the first 

of December, so the Year-to-Date Summary figures are only for 11 months (they do not 

include your December payment). Therefore, the Year-to-Date Summary figures on this

AAS will not match the figures on your 1099-R.

If you have opted to receive electronic mail, you will not receive this mailing. Your

1099-R and COLA change AAS are conveniently available to print or download from myPay.
21

New Form Wizard Now Available For Use: DFAS 9415 

Representative Payee Certification 

We are excited to introduce the new Form Wizard for the DFAS 9415 Representative 

Payee Certification. The purpose of the form is to establish a representative payee to 

receive survivor annuity payments on the behalf of a minor, mentally incompetent, or 

otherwise legally disabled person for whom a guardian or other fiduciary has not been 

appointed.

What is the advantage of using the Form Wizard? It 'takes the form out of the form’ by 

having the representative payee answer a series of questions. Once the questions are 

answered, the wizard automatically places the answers in the correct areas of the form and 

generates a ready-to-print PDF of the completed form. 

The DFAS 9415 Form Wizard is available at: https://www.dfas.mil/raforms

The DFAS 9415 is also eligible for status notifications when uploaded to askDFAS.

In many cases when accessing a fillable PDF form or Form Wizard, the user must 

download or save the pdf to their computer or device and then go to the saved location and 

open the form or Form Wizard. Form Wizards cannot be used on a smartphone or tablet, 

because they require software that is only available on a computer to function. Also, we 

don’t recommend saving completed forms on a public or shared computer due to the 

Personally Identifiable Information (PII).
22

Check Out Our Revamped askDFAS Resource Page for 

Annuitants and Retirees

As part of our work to modernize Retired & Annuitant Pay and make the processes 

easier for you, we are building a suite of online tools that allow forms and required 

documentation to be filled out or uploaded at askDFAS on the DFAS.mil website, which is 

also accessible on a mobile browser.

We also recently revamped the askDFAS Resource webpage section for annuitants and 

retirees to make it easier for you to find the askDFAS online form or upload tool you need. 

The askDFAS Resource webpage section for annuitants and retirees is now organized 

into separate areas with specific resources and links for SBP annuitants, and specific 

resources and links for retirees, plus additional resources.

askDFAS tools are a quick and easy way to submit select forms and documents to us 

directly. Instead of mailing or faxing your completed forms, for some you can now either fill 

out an online form or upload them directly in a PDF through the askDFAS online tool on the 

DFAS.mil website. 

Please note all documents uploaded to an askDFAS online tool MUST be in PDF format 

and contain the Social Security Number of the retiree or deceased member. Also, the 

askDFAS online upload tools can only accept the specific form and documentation noted on 

the upload tool. Other requests or documents cannot be processed through the online 

upload tools.

Using askDFAS is a convenient way to submit requests and eliminate the time and 

hassle of sending requests through mail or fax and provide more timely and accurate 

service to annuitants and retirees.

See the revamped askDFAS Resource webpage by clicking on Retirees & Annuitants at: 

https://www.dfas.mil/askdfas
23

Did You Know?

We recognize the laws and regulations governing military annuity pay are complex and 

can be difficult to understand. In each issue of the DFAS Survivor SBP Newsletter, we will 

share a few helpful tips and tidbits for survivors.

Survivor Benefit Plan Coverage

• Did You Know: The Special Survivor Indemnity Allowance (SSIA) will no longer be paid 

once the offset for receiving Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) from the VA 

is eliminated in January 2023.

• Did You Know: There is only one Survivor Benefit Program (SBP) annuity. It is paid either 

to the spouse or to the child/children. If paid to the children, the annuity is split into equal 

shares.

• Did You Know: Spouse and child coverage means the spouse receives the annuity unless 

the spouse passes away or marries prior to age 55. Only then does the eligible child (or 

children) receive the annuity payment.

• Did You Know: Your Annuitant Account Statement (AAS) now shows your current gross 

SBP benefit at the bottom of the statement. Your AAS is available in myPay.

School Certifications

• Did You Know: High school and college students 18 and over do not need to maintain a 

minimum grade point average to remain annuity-eligible. The only criteria is they remain 

unmarried and enrolled in school full-time.

• Did You Know: For high school and college students turning 18 and over 18, we can now 

use your completed, annual DD 2788 School Certification form as your Certificate of 

Eligibility (COE) instead of sending you a separate COE to submit each year.

• Did You Know: As stated in the “Turning 18” article in the April 2022 DFAS Survivor SBP 

Newsletter, DFAS Retired and Annuitant Pay is now accepting “Turning 18” Letters to 

ensure payments go to the correct payment address when a child annuitant turns 18. 

Please read the Turning 18 article here for more information.

Direct Deposit

• Did You Know: If you are currently receiving a paper check, you can easily start having 

your pay conveniently direct deposited by using myPay, or by sending us a completed 

direct deposit form, or by calling our Customer Care Center.
24

Third Party Representation

• Did You Know: DFAS recognizes various types of third party representation for those 

annuitants needing help in managing their account. A detailed explanation of third party 

representation can be found at: https://www.dfas.mil/annthirdparty

Keep in mind, DFAS is not authorized to recognize a Durable Power of Attorney (DPOA) for 

annuitants. Currently DFAS is authorized by law to accept a DPOA only for retiree accounts. 

We will update you if the situation changes.

Did You Know? DFAS Webpages for Survivors

• Manage your SBP annuity: https://www.dfas.mil/managesbp 

• Understanding SBP, DIC, SSIA: https://www.dfas.mil/sbpdicssia 

• SBP-DIC offset phased elimination: https://www.dfas.mil/sbpdicnews 

• SBP 2023 Active Duty/Line of Duty child option reversion: 

https://www.dfas.mil/sbp2023childoptrev

• School Certifications: https://www.dfas.mil/schoolcerts

• Claim retiree Arrears of Pay: https://www.dfas.mil/retireeaop 

• Start an SBP annuity: https://www.dfas.mil/startsbp 

• AskDFAS: https://www.dfas.mil/AskDFAS 

• DFAS Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DFASOfficial

• myPay: https://mypay.dfas.mil
25

News from our Partners: Special Newsletter from Army 

Survivor Outreach Services - “The Survivor Link”

 “The Survivor Link” is the Army Survivor Outreach Services (SOS) 

newsletter. This newsletter is published on a quarterly basis to provide information about 

benefits changes, program updates, opportunities to connect with other survivors and to 

stay linked to the Army. 

Army Survivors can subscribe to “The Survivor Link” at any time. To subscribe just 

follow the link below. You can choose to have “The Survivor Link” delivered to your email

address or as a text message to your cell phone. 

Subscribe here: https://dcsg9.army.mil/safr/sos/sos-form.html

All Army Survivors, staff and partners are invited to subscribe and stay connected with 

the SOS community.
26

2023 Pay Calendar

To help you plan for 2023, below is a list of the days you should expect to receive your 

annuitant 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 4, 2024. Please see the chart for each month in 

2023.

Entitlement Month Retired Pay Date Annuitant Pay Date

January 2023 February 1, 2023 *February 1, 2023

February 2023 March 1, 2023 March 1, 2023

March 2023 March 31, 2023 April 3, 2023

April 2023 May 1, 2023 May 1, 2023

May 2023 June 1, 2023 June 1, 2023

June 2023 June 30, 2023 July 3, 2023

July 2023 August 1, 2023 August 1, 2023

August 2023 September 1, 2023 September 1, 2023

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

*February 1, 2023 is the first payday for SBP changes that are effective January 1, 2023
27

Contact Us

DFAS Retired & Annuitant Pay Website

https://www.dfas.mil/retiredmilitary

DFAS Retired & Annuitant Pay

Mailing Addresses

Annuitants:

Defense Finance and Accounting 

Service

U.S. Military Annuitant Pay

8899 E 56th Street

Indianapolis IN 46249-1300

Retirees:

Defense Finance and Accounting 

Service

U.S. Military Retired Pay

8899 E 56th Street

Indianapolis IN 46249-1200

DFAS Retired & Annuitant Pay

Phone and Fax Numbers

Customer Care Phone:

Toll-free: 800-321-1080

Local: 317-212-0551

DSN: 699-0551

Annuitant/Survivor Pay Fax: 

800-982-8459

myPay Customer Care:

https://mypay.dfas.mil

Phone: 888-332-7411