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Prepare Your Loved Ones: How to Report the Death of a SBP Annuitant  


We are communicating this information so you can share with your loved ones. We realize this can be a difficult time both emotionally and financially and want to provide information to ease any undue burdens placed on your loved ones.  

It is important that, upon death, DFAS is promptly notified so that an SBP annuitant’s monthly payment can be suspended to prevent any overpayments.  

When DFAS is notified of the death of an SBP annuitant, we make every effort to ensure any disbursements that follow include only funds the SBP annuitant was entitled to at the time of his/her death.  

Reporting a SBP Annuitant’s Death  

An SBP annuitant’s pay stops on the last day of the month prior to the annuitant’s death. DFAS will stop monthly payments upon notification of death to prevent overpayments. If a payment was made after the date of the SBP annuitant’s death, we are required to notify the bank to reclaim the entire payment.  

The SBP annuitant's final payment will be issued as Arrears of Annuity (AOA). Keep in mind that AOA payments are uncommon. Generally, the only situations where AOA payments are due are: (1) the SBP annuitant’s account was not established prior to the date of death, or (2) the SBP annuitant’s account was suspended at the time of death.    

DFAS will mail the required paperwork to claim AOA. AOA will be distributed in accordance with federally-mandated Order of Precedence following our receipt of the proper SF1174 claim form for any eligible beneficiary/beneficiaries.   
 
To report a SBP Annuitant’s death, use one of the following methods:   

  1. Fill out the online askDFAS Notification of Death form (available online 24/7)  

We are happy to share this new tool created after receiving feedback from our customers. You can now use askDFAS to report the death of an SBP Annuitant. This is also very beneficial to our customers that live overseas. 
Before using the tool, you will need to have the following information available for the SBP Annuitant:   

  • SBP Annuitant's Full Name   

  • SBP Annuitant's Social Security Number   

  • Deceased Retiree’s/Member's Full Name  

  • Deceased Retiree’s/Member's Social Security Number  

  • Date of Death   

  • Cause of Death (Natural, Homicide, Pending, or Other)   

Anyone using the tool must also complete all additional fields with a name, relationship to SBP annuitant, and contact information for the notification of death to be processed.  
OR  

  1. Call our Customer Care Center at 1-800-321-1080    

When you call, please be prepared to provide:   

  • SBP Annuitant’s Full Name   

  • SBP Annuitant’s Social Security Number   

  • Deceased Retiree’s/Member's Full Name  

  • Deceased Retiree’s/Member's Social Security Number  

  • Date of Death   

OR    

  1. Fax or Mail information to DFAS   

Mail to:   
Defense Finance and Accounting Service   
U.S. Military Annuitant Pay   
8899 E 56th Street   
Indianapolis IN 46249-1300   
  
Fax to: 1-800-982-8459  
  
DFAS strongly encourages you to use Option A or Option B above to notify us promptly of an SBP Annuitant’s death. If you have any difficulty using the askDFAS online form, please call our Customer Care Center.  

DFAS is required to have a copy of the SBP annuitant’s death certificate that states the cause or manner of death, please include a copy with your documents. Please ensure both the SBP annuitant’s and the deceased member’s names and Social Security Numbers are also written at the top of the death certificate to ensure proper routing. Following a complete audit of the SBP annuitant’s account, DFAS will determine if any funds are owed. 


 

Page Updated October 30, 2024