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Defense Finance and Accounting Service Providing payment services for the U.S. Department of Defense

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#### **Quick ToolsaskDFAS****Forms Library****Customer Service**

**800-321-1080**M-F, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET

                        - Quick Tools
                        - News and Events                            - News
                          - Upcoming Retiree Events
                          - Retiree Newsletter
                          - Retiree Newsletter Archive
                          - Survivor SBP Newsletter
                        - About R&A Pay                            - Who We Are, What We Do
                          - How Long Does It Take?
                          - Who Should I Contact: DFAS, the VA or the Military?
                        - Plan for Retirement                            - Types of Retirement
                          - Eligibility
                          - Recall to Active Duty
                          - Estimate Your Pay
                          - Separation Payments
                        - Apply for Retirement                            - How to Apply
                          - Transfer Allotments
                          - Receiving Your Pay
                        - Managing Your Retirement                            - Pay Schedule
                          - Change of Address
                          - Direct Deposit
                          - International Direct Deposit
                          - Using myPay
                          - Retiree Account Statement
                          - Allotments
                          - Pay Verification
                          - Taxes
                          - Powers of Attorney/Third Party Representatives for Retirees
                        - Gray Area Retirees
                        - Disability Entitlements                            - Disability Retirement
                          - CRSC and CRDP Payment
                          - Combat Related Special Compensation
                          - Concurrent Retirement Disability Pay
                          - Comparing CRSC and CRDP
                          - Applying for CRSC
                          - VA Waiver and Retired Pay
                          - CRDP CRSC FAQs
                        - Provide for Loved Ones                            - Two Ways to Prepare
                          - Survivor Benefit Plan
                          - Arrears of Pay
                          - Reserve Component SBP
                          - Secondary Dependency
                          - Branch Contact Information
                        - Survivors and Beneficiaries                            - Report a Retiree's Death
                          - Start an SBP Annuity
                          - Manage Your SBP Annuity
                          - SBP-DIC News
                          - SBP2023 Optional Child Annuity Reversion
                          - Understanding SBP, DIC and SSIA
                          - School Certifications
                          - Powers of Attorney/Third Party Representatives for Annuitants
                          - Starting SBP for Gray-Area Reservist
                          - Report SBP Annuitant's Death
                          - Survivor Benefit and Arrears of Pay Frequently Asked Questions
                          - DFAS Survivor SBP Newsletter
                        - Secondary Dependency
                        - SBP Open Season NDAA2023

####  

# **ABOUT R&A PAY**

R&A Pay establishes, maintains and pays military retirees, and their eligible surviving spouses and other family members.

### **Who We Are, What We Do****Who to Contact? DFAS, the VA or the Military****How Long Does It Take?**

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## **LATEST NEWS**

### **Retiree Newsletter**

### **Survivor SBP Newsletter**

Find out the latest news and other helpful information.

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#### **Retiree and Annuitant Pay Dates - See the full pay schedule here**

##### Retirees will be paid as scheduled on May 31, 2024. Annuitants will be paid as scheduled on June 3, 2024. 

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##### **Important Changes to Direct Monthly SBP Payments Made Through CRS**If you are a retiree who pays your monthly Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) or RCSBP premiums directly through the Centralized Receivables Service (CRS), please see your mailed statement for important changes. You may also call CRS at their NEW customer service number, 1-888-618-3104, for assistance.

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##### **SBP Student Child Annuitants: Need to submit your school cert?** **We have helpful tools for you!**

##### See our **Form Wizard** to help you fill out the DD Form 2788 easily and correctly and our **online upload tool**on DFAS.mil. Remember, you need to **submit both the DD Form 2788 and your Previous Attendance Letter**Check them out on the **School Certifications webpage**.

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##### **New Quick Tools Webpage for Retirees and SBP Annuitants -Check it Out Here**

##### **The quick and easy way to get to our askDFAS online upload tools, Form Wizards, checklists, guides and other helpful tools.**

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##### **You Asked, We Delivered! What to Do When a Military Retiree Dies - New Helpful Checklist**

##### Please see our expanded webpage that outlines how to report a death and the steps to take after the death is reported. We also have a helpful "**When a Military Retiree Dies" Checklist**you can download and follow as you complete the steps.

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##### **New, Simpler Eligibility Verification Requirements for SBP Annuitants - New Quick Reference Guide now available!**

##### Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) annuitants need to verify their eligibility regularly to continue to receive SBP annuity payments. The requirements depend on the SBP annuitant’s age and relationship to the military service member. Beginning August 2023, we are reducing the requirements for SBP annuitants to one annual eligibility verification. Previously, some SBP annuitants needed to complete multiple forms each year. Now, SBP annuitants will only need to complete and submit one of the annual verifications each year.See our webpage, “**Manage Your SBP Annuity**” for FAQs, a Quick Reference Guide, and additional information. 

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##### **Retirees and SBP Annuitants: Helpful Guides for DFAS Online Tools**We have helpful guides to assist in navigating the use of the online tools available for retirees and SBP annuitants.**Click here to download the PDF guide for retirees****Click here to download the PDF guide for SBP annuitants**

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##### **Helpful Tips & Tools for Retirees New to Retired Pay - Download and Share!**We have helpful tips for you if you are new to Retired Pay: Quick links to the pay calendar, information about taxes and SBP, the VA Waiver, CRDP, CRSC, and more! **Right click HERE and choose save as to download your PDF today!**

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##### **Retirees and Annuitants: 2023 Tax Year Statements**

##### **2023 tax statements for retirees are available in myPay.2023 tax statements for annuitants are available in myPay2023 tax statements for former spouses are available in myPay.https://mypay.dfas.mil**Tax statements sent through the U.S. Postal Service were in the mail as of January 13, 2024. **1099-R Reissues for tax year 2023 can be mailed as of February 12, 2024.****Retirees and annuitants can request a 1099-R reissue online**. The online 1099-R reissue tool also accepts international addresses.

##### **The Affordable Care Act 1095-B/C statements are available in myPay.****The online tool to request a mailed Affordable Care Act 1095-B/C statement is available on askDFAS. For more information, please see****https://www.dfas.mil/taxes/aca/.**

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##### **NDAA 2023 SBP Open Season Ended January 1, 2024 -****Open Season Enrollment and Discontinuance Forms must have been RECEIVED by DFAS before midnight Eastern Standard Time on January 1, 2024**

##### Please check our special focus webpage for important post-deadline information: **https://www.dfas.mil/sbpopenseason23**.

##### Please note: We received an unexpectedly large number of requests near the January 1 deadline, and we are still working on processing some of them. When we have completed the final processing of your request, we will send you a letter in the mail. Please see our SBP Open Season webpage for more information.SBP Open Season Enrollment and Discontinuance documents will no longer be accepted UNLESS you received a request from us to provide information. If we do send you a request for information, it is important that you respond promptly.

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##### **2024 Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) **

##### Based on the increase in the Consumer Price Index, there was a 3.2 percent Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for most retired pay and Survivor Benefit Plan annuities, effective December 1, 2023. Retirees saw the change in their December 29, 2023 payment and annuitants in their January 2, 2024 payment.For details, see the Fiscal Year 2024 COLA Memorandum:**https://militarypay.defense.gov/Pay/Retirement/cola** 

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##### **SBP-DIC Offset Elimination - First Payment for Phase Three was February 1, 2023**

##### Beginning with the**February 1, 2023 payday,** the SBP-DIC Offset was fully eliminated. That means spouses now receive their full SBP monthly payments from DFAS and their full Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) payment from the VA. The Special Survivors Indemnity Allowance (SSIA) will no longer be paid. **Find out more:****Check Out Our Quick Reference Guide!**Listen to our **Military OneSource podcast episode explaining the SBP-DIC Offset Elimination**Watch our **Military OneSource webinar explaining the SBP-DIC Offset Elimination**See our full range of **FAQs on the SBP-DIC News webpage****. ****Note: the change in the law **does NOT** affect the amount of DIC you receive from the VA. You should continue to receive your normal DIC amount from the VA.**

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##### **Special Information for Active Duty/Line of Duty Surviving Spouses Who Elected the Optional Annuity for Dependent Children ****- February 1, 2023 Payday was the Day**

##### The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 directed that as of January 1, 2023, the Optional Annuity for Dependent Children was eliminated and the SBP annuity payment must revert to the surviving spouse (if the spouse submits documentation and is eligible).**Find out more:****Check Out Our Quick Reference Guide!**Listen to our **Military OneSource podcast episode explaining the SBP Optional Child Annuity Reversion **Watch our **Military OneSource webinar explaining the SBP Optional Child Annuity Reversion **See our full range of **FAQs on the SBP Optional Child Annuity Reversion webpage****Please check our special focus webpage** for news and information regarding the changes: **https://www.dfas.mil/sbp2023childoptrev**If you are the **surviving spouse of an Active Duty/Line of Duty member who requested to have the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) annuity paid directly to an eligible dependent child or children and you have NOT submitted a Spouse Eligibility Packet, we need your information** **as soon as possible.** **Please download, fill out and submit the eligibility packet** from our special focus webpage as soon as possible: **https://www.dfas.mil/sbp2023childoptrev**If you are the **surviving child or the parent or guardian of a surviving child **of an Active Duty/Line of Duty member whose surviving spouse requested to have the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) annuity paid directly to the child or children at the time of the member’s passing, please see our special focus webpage for more information: **https://www.dfas.mil/sbp2023childoptrev**

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##### **Spouses, Eligible Former Spouses**

##### We have tools and information to assist you with the DD Form 2656-7 for starting a Survivor Benefit Plan Annuity. We have a Form Wizard to help fill out the form correctly and easily. And we have an online upload option that will provide you with status notifications. Please note regarding the DD Form 2656-7: If the member’s death occurred on or after January 1, 2023, Section 6 of the DD Form 2656-7 does not pertain to your application. You can leave Section 6 blank. If the member’s death occurred prior to January 1, 2023, Section 6 of the DD Form 2656-7 may or may not pertain to your application, depending on your individual circumstances. We recommend you complete Section 6 so we have the information if needed. Please see the **Start an SBP Annuity**page for details.

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##### **Great News for Reserve and Guard Gray Area Retirees **

If you’re retired from the Guard or Reserve but not yet at the age to receive retired pay, we have important news for you. Gray Area Retirees now have a new way to stay connected and informed between the time they stop drilling and when they receive retired pay. It’s a new kind of myPay account that helps you keep your contact information current so that you can stay on top of your future retired pay. **Click here for the Retiree Newsletter article** or **click here to find out how to log on**.

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##### **Retired & Annuitant Pay Customer Service Local Phone Number Changed**

##### The local phone number to reach Retired & Annuitant Pay Customer Service changed. **The new number is**: 317-212-0551. The 216-522-5955 local phone number is no longer available to use (after July 1, 2022). The DSN number to reach Retired & Annuitant Pay Customer Service also changed. The new DSN number is 699-0551. This change does **NOT** affect the toll-free number (1-800-321-1080). The toll-free number remains the same. 

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##### **Status Notifications Rolling Out**Retired & Annuitant Pay is rolling out new, helpful Status Notifications to keep you in the loop as forms or documents you submit move through the retired pay or annuitant pay processing cycles. The Status Notifications will be sent primarily via SmartDoc email, so make sure you have an up-to-date email in your myPay profile so you can receive them.

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##### **Spouses and Children of Recently-Deceased Retirees**

##### We have tools and information to assist you with the SF 1174 for claiming the retiree’s Arrears of Pay. We can now deposit an Arrears of Pay (AOP) payment directly to an eligible claimant’s bank account instead of mailing a check. And we have an online upload option that will provide you with status notifications. Please see the**How to Claim Arrears of Pay Using the 1174** page for details.

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##### **Spouses, Eligible Former Spouses, and Children of Deceased Retirees**

##### We have tools and information to assist you with the DD Form 2656-7 for starting a Survivor Benefit Plan Annuity. We have a Form Wizard to help fill out the form correctly and easily. And we have an online upload option that will provide you with status notifications. Please see the **Start an SBP Annuity**page for details.

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##### **Processing Time Frames - How Long Does It Take?**

##### Please see our new webpage for current typical processing time frames: **How Long Does It Take?**

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##### **R&A Pay is Expanding Communication through Emailed SmartDocs**

##### As part of our commitment to continually improving our customer service, R&A Pay is expanding the use of emailed SmartDocs as a way to communicate about changes to your account and actions that may be needed. Email notifications will speed up the time it takes to notify you about your account. If you don’t yet have an email address in myPay, please add one now so you can receive these email notifications. 

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##### **Direct Deposit Required**

##### A treasury mandate requires us to pay our customers electronically. Most military retirees and annuitants getting paper checks need to set up direct deposit. Start direct deposit now.**Direct Express® Debit Card Program** provides members who do not have a bank account an alternative to payment by EFT.

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##### **FIND IT FAST**

##### **Pay Schedule**

##### **Pay Verification / Proof of Income**

##### **Survivor Benefit Plan Information**

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##### **HOW DO I?**

##### **Get My 1099R****Correct My 1099R****Change My Arrears of Pay Beneficiary****Start or Change Direct Deposit****Change My Address****Manage My Allotments****Start International Direct Deposit****Report a Retiree's Death****Report an SBP Annuitant's Death**

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##### **myPay Puts You In Control - https://mypay.dfas.mil**

##### **myPay: Get started guide**

##### The most convenient way to manage your retirement account is through**myPay**, our online account management system.**myPay Login Instructions:****If you've never logged into myPay**

##### **If you forgot your login ID**

##### **If you forgot your password** 

##### Page Updated May 10 2024

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