Director’s Message

Greetings from Cleveland. The leaves are changing colors and the days are getting cooler and shorter. That means it is time for the fall edition of the Survivor Newsletter. We have a lot of information for you in this issue. This newsletter focuses on news of special interest to survivors to keep you informed on what’s happening with the Survivor Benefit Plan.

First, as of August, you only need to submit one annual eligibility document each year. The details about which document and when are in the article, “Simplifying Eligibility Verifications for SBP Annuitants.” This change will reduce the paperwork required for you to keep your SBP payments coming.

Our website is quickly becoming the “go to” spot to get things done. We have a new Quick Tools page and it’s a great place to find the tools you need: https://www.dfas.mil/raquicktools

Sometimes, survivors receive payments from different agencies and it can be confusing trying to figure which payment is coming from where. We have an article in this edition that will help you sort that out.

Tax season is just around the corner and we have a great article on what you can do now to make tax time as easy as possible. Be sure to read all about it in this article.

In addition to the website being the fastest way to get information, myPay is a great tool for survivors to use in managing your SBP account. If you don’t already have a myPay account, we encourage you to get started. Please see the article about myPay for more information.

Lastly, we have some quick tips in our “Did you Know” article, along with the updated pay calendar for 2024. As a reminder, SBP pays on the first business day of the month. So if the first of the month falls on a weekend or holiday, you will be paid on the next business day.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read our newsletter. We are working hard every day to provide the best customer service possible and that starts with keeping you informed.

We hope you have a safe and happy holiday season.

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