The 2023 Tax Deadline is Approaching

April 18, 2023 is the tax deadline this year and now is a good time to make sure you have all your tax documents ready. Here is a summary of current information and tools available if you are missing documents.

For those of you opting to receive documents by mail, note that 1099-Rs were mailed in January 2023. If you need a reissue, the fastest and most secure way to obtain a copy of a 1099-R is through myPay. Not only is it easy to access your account information through myPay, but prior year 1099-Rs are also available (retirees-up to four prior years; annuitants-up to two prior years). 

Another advantage of using myPay is that your 1099-R tax statement is available much sooner than through mail. This season, retiree 1099-Rs were available on myPay starting December 17, 2022 and annuitant 1099-Rs were available as of December 21, 2022.

Instructions to access these documents are at: https://mypay.dfas.mil

Retirees and annuitants can get their 1099-Rs sent to the address on file with DFAS or to a one-time, temporary mailing address by submitting a request online. Our online request tool accepts international addresses. You can also request prior year 1099-Rs (four years for retirees and two years for annuitants). Your 1099-R should be in the mail within 7-10 business days. Find instructions: https://dvidshub.net/r/8bu5qm.

DFAS also provides a self-serve telephone option for retirees. Retirees can access the phone option at 1-800-321-1080. If you are a retiree using the phone option, please verify your current mailing address is correct. The telephone option is currently available for retirees only, not annuitants, and only for the current year tax statement.

If you prefer traditional mail, you can send us a written request by fax or mail, but please make sure you leave time for processing. It can take up to 30 days to process requests received by fax or mail. 

Members with unique situations can speak directly to one of our customer care representatives. Depending on call volume, wait times will vary while we assist other customers. 

Correcting Your 1099-R

Retirees and annuitants with questions and concerns regarding incorrect tax information on their 1099-R can contact the DFAS Customer Care Center at 800-321-1080, submit your inquiry online on our website, or send a written inquiry via mail or fax.

Changing Your Federal Tax Withholding

If you need to change your withholding, you can do it easily in myPay. You can also fill out and mail an IRS Form W-4 if you are a military retiree or an IRS Form W-4P if you are an annuitant. The forms are available on the IRS website (https://www.irs.gov) and are also linked from the DFAS Forms webpage: https://www.dfas.mil/raforms

Please note: You are not required to file a new Form W-4 or Form W-4P unless you claim exemption from federal tax withholding. If you claim exemption, the IRS requires you file a new W-4 or W-4P at the beginning of EACH tax year. 

Military retired pay is paid for many different reasons under many different laws. There are differences in the types of pay a military retiree might receive and the tax laws that apply to them. Whether a portion or all of an individual’s military retired pay is subject to federal income taxes depends on his/her individual circumstances.  

An individual’s choice to have no withholding for federal taxes does not impact whether the individual’s military retired pay is actually subject to federal income taxes. Ultimately, the IRS will determine the amount of taxes owed on the military retired pay. 

Changes to the IRS Form W-4P

For annuitants only: the IRS also updated the IRS Form W-4P in 2022. The new IRS Form W-4P was available starting in 2022. However, payers (like DFAS), were given until 2023 to implement the necessary changes to accept the new form. DFAS kept the new IRS forms received from annuitants who sent them in and implemented those changes once the system updates were completed in March 2023. Annuitants with updated tax withholding based on a new IRS W-4P will receive a letter and new Annuitant Account Statement. 

The IRS Tax Withholding Estimator

The IRS has an online Tax Withholding Estimator to help you determine how much tax you need to have withheld. The estimator helps taxpayers determine if the right amount is being withheld from their income to cover their tax liability. 

The estimator uses a simple, six-step question-and-answer format using information like marital or filing status, income, withholding, adjustments, deductions and credits.

The mobile-friendly estimator is available at: https://www.irs.gov/individuals/tax-withholding-estimator