Eligibility for military
retired pay ends with the death of the member. Prompt reporting of
a deceased retiree's death can help avoid delay and possible
financial hardship to surviving annuitant beneficiaries, family
members or executors who will be required to return any unearned
payments of the decedent's military retired pay.
Please follow the steps
below to report the death of a military retiree.
Step 1 -
Notify DFAS at (800) 321-1080. Please have the decedent's Social
Security Number and the date of death when you
call.
Step 2 -
Send one photocopy of a death certificate, which indicates the
cause of death. The death certificate may also be faxed to DFAS.
Please send it to:
DFAS U.S. Military Retired
Pay
P.O. box 7130
London, KY 40742-7130
FAX: (800) 469-6559
Upon notification, DFAS will
begin to close out the pay account to prevent any overpayments. If
the decedent was a military retiree enrolled in the Survivor
Benefit Plan (SBP) and/or the Retired Serviceman's Family
Protection Plan (RSFPP), we will then initiate pay accounts for
eligible survivors.
Step 3 -
Within 5 - 7 days after reporting the death of the retiree, you
will receive a condolence letter with the necessary forms required
to obtain the decedent's arrears
of pay, or final paycheck.
Step 4 -
Please contact your financial institution and inform them of the
death of the retiree.
Step 5 -
Complete the forms you received with your condolence letter and
return them to:
DFAS U.S. Military Retired
Pay
P.O. box 7130
London, KY 40742-7130
Step 6 - If
you have not received the condolence package within 10 days, please
call our Contact Center at 1-800-321-1080.
Designated beneficiaries of
military retirees will be mailed a Claim for Unpaid Compensation of
Deceased Member of the Uniformed Services (Standard
Form 1174) and, if applicable, SBP/RSFPP-related forms within
seven to ten business days of reporting the death. If you need
assistance please call us at the number listed above.
Contact List: In addition to notifying DFAS, you
should also notify the following agencies/departments as soon as
possible:
Social Security
Administration (SSA) at (800) 772-1213.
Defense Enrollment
Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) at (800)
538-9552.
Department of Veterans
Affairs (DVA) at (800) 827-1000 for military retirees receiving
disability compensation or annuitants receiving Dependency
Indemnity Compensation (DIC).
Office of Personnel
Management (OPM) at (888) 767-6738 if the member was a current or
retired federal civilian employee.
Department of Veterans
Affairs (DVA) at (800) 669-8477 for retirees enrolled in a
DVA-sponsored life insurance policy such as Veterans' Group Life
Insurance (VGLI) or National Service Life Insurance
(NSLI).
Families and executors may
also receive assistance with administrative requirements from a
Casualty Assistance Officer or Retired Activities/Affairs Office if
available from a military installation nearby.
Other useful
information may be available at:
