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We recognize that 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: 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: If the surviving spouse becomes ineligible, we need a new SBP application package for the child or children, including a new DD 2656-7 Verification for Survivors Annuity.
School Certifications
Did You Know: When a child SBP annuitant turns 18 and is a full-time student, we need the annuitant to submit a new direct deposit form. If we don’t receive the form, the payment will be converted to a paper check sent via mail.
Did You Know: For high school and college students turning 18 and over 18, we 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.
Multiple Child Annuitants
Did You Know: When there is more than one eligible child annuitant, the annuity payment is split into equal shares. If one of the children becomes ineligible (due to marriage or not attending school full-time), their share is redistributed to the other children, but only if the child’s ineligibility is documented with DFAS. If we do not received documentation of the child’s ineligibility, their share will be held until the child is proven eligible or ineligible.
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, sending us a completed direct deposit form, or calling our Customer Care Center.
DFAS.mil Forms Page
Did You Know: The Form page on our website is a one-stop spot for forms, form tools, how-to-checklists, and other helpful tools: https://www.dfas.mil/raforms
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 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/DFAS
Page updated June 9, 2021