Secondary Dependency Claims

INDIANAPOLIS (November 19, 2024) – The Defense Finance and Accounting Service recently published the Defense Department’s updated process and requirements for submitting Secondary Dependency claims (SDC) for Army and Navy members, and military retirees on the agency website at https://www.dfas.mil/MilitaryMembers/SecondaryDependency.

The updates also apply to Air Force, Marine Corps and Space Force, however submission of SDC claims must be made to those services. Addresses for those submissions are listed in the SDC section of DFAS.mil as listed above.

Eligible Secondary Dependents include incapacitated children over the age of 21; children aged 21 and 22 enrolled full time in an accredited institution of higher education; parents and parents-in-law; and wards of the court.

A link to the updated DD137 (Secondary Dependency Application Form) is provided as well as a new worksheet to help potential applicants estimate their chances for a successful claim.

According to a DFAS official, “With requirements now uniform among all services, applying for Secondary Dependency is more consistent. The financial support information to include in a claim which was previously very involved and difficult to collect has also been simplified. It is our hope that the changes will lead to increased success for new or previously denied claims.”

If the qualified adult is already claimed as a service member’s dependent on the most recent federal income tax return, submitting a Secondary Dependency Claim is even easier, and it can increase housing allowance, add travel cost assistance, or even provide a Uniformed Services Identification Card.
 
The changes for secondary dependency is published in Volume 7A, Chapter 26 of the DOD Financial Management Regulation in August 2024.