How to Get the Most Out of Your Annuitant Account Statement

The Annuitant Account Statement (AAS) is an important tool DFAS uses to communicate with annuitants. Therefore, it is important that you know what to look for to stay in control of your Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) account.  

When looking at pay information on the top left of your statement, you will see two separate columns. The Current column has what will be on your next payment, while the Prior information column has what was paid in the past.

You will see rows that have your Gross Pay, Offsets, Deductions, and Net Pay.  

Gross pay is the amount of pay before any deductions or offsets are applied.

For nearly all annuitants, the Offset section will be blank. Offsets lower the amount of SBP that an annuitant is due. This section was mostly used in the past for the Social Security Offset and the VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) Offset. Both offsets have been eliminated.

Deductions are slightly different as they affect the amount after any offsets are applied. Federal Income Tax Withheld and Debts are the two most common types of deductions.

Finally, your Net Pay is listed. This is the amount you will see deposited in your account or on your check. A new AAS is generated any time your net pay changes. 

On the top right side of the AAS, there is a section called “Other Information.” This section includes the date the statement was generated and the date of the first payment affected by the changes.

The Tax Information section shows your federal tax filing status. Consult a tax professional to make sure that you have the correct amount of federal tax withheld. Year-to-date totals are also listed here to show how much taxable income has been paid and how much federal tax has been withheld. 

The “Messages and Explanations of Changes” section provides a narrative about any changes that were made to your account. This section also will have information pertinent to your account. Please read this section carefully each time you get an AAS to be sure that you get all the information you need about your annuity. 

At the bottom of the first page is your mailing address and payment information. It is very important to make sure that we have this information correct.  

Page 2 of the AAS has all the ways to contact DFAS. askDFAS is quickest way to send documents or forms to DFAS. myPay is the best way to manage your account. You can make many changes yourself by using myPay and get current information about your pay.

If you prefer to talk to a Customer Care Representative, the Customer Care Center Number is listed on the AAS, and the mailing address is also there as well for your convenience. 

Note: The information on this website is provided to explain typical situations regarding retiree and annuitant benefits. For details and exceptions, please see applicable laws, financial management regulations, and instructions.

Page Updated April 30 2025