Retiree Tax Statements: What You Need to Know
In the midst of the holiday hustle and bustle, it’s easy to forget tax time is just around the corner. When the decorations are put away and you’ve made your New Year’s resolution, it will be time to get ready to file your tax return.
DFAS sends out tax statements and annual Retiree Account Statements from mid-December through January. As part of this effort, we’ve put together this survival guide. Use it to learn what to expect, when to expect it, and where to go if you have questions or don’t receive your tax statement.
Get Your Statements Early on myPay
Your tax statement and Retiree Account Statements are available online at least a week before they normally arrive in the mail. You can view, print or save them to your computer using
myPay, the official online account management system for military members and retirees. If you don’t have a
myPay account, use our easy log in instructions to create one.
Create a myPay Account Instructions
If you have a myPay account, but can’t log in, use our trouble-shooting instructions to reset your password or request your login ID.
Login ID Request Instructions
Password Request Instructions
If you are creating an account for the first time, or requesting a new password, we will need your current address on file. If we do not have your current address, you won’t get your temporary password when we mail it to you.
Updating Contact Information
To ensure your tax documents reach you on time, be sure to notify us of any changes to your mailing address if you receive a hardcopy 1099R in the mail, or your email address if you receive your 1099R electronically.
Mailing address changes must be submitted in early December to take effect before tax statements go out. If you missed the cutoff, you can view statements in myPay or request a duplicate 1099R. But you’ll need to update your address first.
You can check or change your correspondence and email address by logging in to your myPay account. If you don’t have a myPay account, your mailing address change will take more than 30 days to process.
13 Payments in 2011
You’ll notice a total of 13 payments on your 1099R tax statements this year. This isn’t a mistake. The 2011 National Defense Authorization Act required a pay schedule change that resulted in retirees receiving 13 pay checks instead of the normal 12 in the 2011 tax year. This change may increase tax liability for some.
DFAS customer service representatives are not tax experts and cannot provide tax advice. Please speak with a tax advisor, the Internal Revenue Service or a state tax authority if you have concerns about how this will affect your 2011 tax returns.
Annual Retiree Account Statements
Most retirees will receive two annual Retiree Account Statements (RAS) by January 31, 2012. If you get them by mail, the envelope will also contain your 1099R and Retiree Newsletter.
Please be sure to review your RASs to see how your pay will change in 2012 The statement dated Dec. 2 shows the new payment amount as of Dec. 30, including the cost-of-living adjustment for 2012. And the statement dated Dec. 12 shows the new payment amount as of Feb. 1, including any federal income tax adjustments caused by changes to the 2012 tax tables.
Understanding Your RAS
Didn't Get Your 1099R?
If you normally get a hard copy of your 1099R in the mail and do not receive it by January 31, 2012, it could be for one of these reasons:
1. When you create a myPay account, you automatically get an electronic 1099R only, unless you “turn on hard copy 1099R” in myPay.
2. We may not have your correct mailing address on file.
Please make sure we have your current address before you request another 1099R. You can then request a new copy of your 1099R by following the instructions on our “Getting a 1099R” page.
Adjusting Your Tax Withholding
If after reviewing your 1099R and annual RAS you find that you need to make adjustments to your tax withholding for the 2012 tax year, you can do so on
myPay, or by submitting a new W4 or DD 2868 available on our
forms page.
How to update your Federal Income Tax Withholding
How to update your State Income Tax Withholding
Other Points of Contact
Our Customer Service Representatives cannot provide tax advice. If you’re not sure if you need to adjust your tax withholding, or you would like detailed advice about how to do so, we recommend that you contact the Internal Revenue Service or your tax advisor.
www.irs.gov