Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS)
Military retired pay, Survivor Benefit Plan annuities, and arrears of pay after a death
The Defense Finance and Accounting Service handles military retired pay, Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) annuities, and arrears of pay for deceased military retirees. When a military retiree dies, DFAS must be notified to stop retired pay and begin processing survivor benefits.
Notifying the DFAS when someone dies
A family member reports the death. DFAS's page on what to do after a death →
Executors and next of kin
- •Have the retiree's full name, Social Security number, date of death, cause of death and marital status ready, plus the date of marriage for a surviving spouse
- •Notify Social Security, DEERS, the VA and OPM separately; DFAS passes the report to no other office
- •Sign and date it before two disinterested witnesses, who need not be notaries
- •Attach a copy, not the original, of the death certificate showing the cause of death, and DFAS-CL Form 1059 for direct deposit
- •An estate claimant adds the court appointment papers and an EIN
- •Upload through askDFAS, mail to DFAS - U.S. Military Retired Pay, 8899 E 56th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46249-1200, or fax 1-800-469-6559
Survivor Benefit Plan beneficiaries
- •A copy of the death certificate showing the cause of death, or a DD 1300 Report of Casualty
- •A marriage certificate or other proof of relationship for a surviving spouse
- •IRS Form W-4P for withholding, and FMS 2231, SF 1199A or SF 1199-I for direct deposit
- •DD Form 2790 for a minor, DD Form 2788 for a student aged 18 to 22, or DD Form 2828 for an incapacitated child
Required Documents
- Copy of the death certificate: A copy stating the cause or manner of death, not the original; DFAS cannot return original documents.
- DD 1300 Report of Casualty: for an SBP claim, in place of the death certificate
- The retiree's full name, Social Security number and date of death: The report also asks for the cause of death (natural, homicide, pending or other) and marital status, and the date of marriage for a surviving spouse.
- The reporter's own name, relationship and contact information: when reporting the death on the askDFAS form. Needed for the report to be processed.
- Marriage certificate or other proof of relationship: for a surviving spouse claim
- IRS Form W-4P: for an SBP annuity. Sets federal withholding; without it, DFAS defaults to married with 3 allowances.
- Direct deposit form for the SBP annuity: FMS 2231, SF 1199A or SF 1199-I.
- Direct Deposit Authorization, DFAS-CL Form 1059: for an arrears of pay payment. Has the payment deposited rather than mailed as a check. DFAS advises against a joint account shared with the deceased retiree, because banks return those payments.
- Claimant's Social Security number
- EIN and court-ordered appointment papers: if an estate or trust is the claimant. Letters Testamentary or letters appointing a representative of the estate.
- DD Form 2790, Custodianship Certificate: if a claimant is a minor
- DD Form 2788, Child Annuitant's School Certification: for a full-time student aged 18 to 22
- DD Form 2828: for an incapacitated child
Timeline
The first SBP annuity payment is processed within 60 days of receiving the DD Form 2656-7, and arrears of pay within 60 days of receiving the SF 1174. Complex SBP cases can run past 90 days.
What DFAS pays or provides to survivors2
- Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) Annuity
Monthly survivor benefit or annuity
A monthly annuity, paid for the beneficiary's lifetime, to the surviving spouse, former spouse, eligible dependent children or insurable-interest beneficiary of a military retiree who elected the Survivor Benefit Plan.1, 2
Who qualifies: The surviving spouse, an eligible former spouse, dependent children (under 18, under 22 if unmarried and in school full time, or incapacitated before those ages), or a natural person with an insurable interest, as the retiree elected
Amount: Up to 55 percent of the retired pay base amount elected, adjusted by the same annual COLA as retired pay
How to apply: Report the death first, then file DD Form 2656-7 with a copy of the death certificate showing the cause of death, IRS Form W-4P and a direct deposit form. A DD 2656-7 Form Wizard is on the DFAS Forms Library. Form DD Form 2656-7.
- Arrears of Pay (AOP)
Amounts due the person at death
A one-time payment after the retiree's death, usually less than one month's pay: the pro-rated amount of the final month's pay plus any other money owed at death. It is not a death benefit.3, 4
Who qualifies: The beneficiary the retiree designated in writing; if none, the Order of Precedence: surviving spouse, children and their descendants, parents in equal parts, the legal representative, then whoever the law of the retiree's domicile entitles
Amount: Pro-rated retired pay from the 1st of the month through the date of death, plus any other amounts owed at death
How to apply: File SF 1174 with a copy, not the original, of the death certificate listing the cause of death, signed before two disinterested witnesses. All payments issued after the date of death must be returned before arrears of pay is paid. Form SF 1174.
What happens to each matter1
- Pension or annuity
A retiree's entitlement to retired pay ends on the date of death, and DFAS stops monthly payments once notified.5
SBP enrollment is not automatic. The member elects coverage on DD Form 2656 before the retirement date, and a married member who declines coverage or elects less than full coverage must obtain the spouse's notarized signature.6, 7, 2
If the retiree declined SBP coverage at retirement, no deductions were taken from retired pay and no SBP annuity is payable after death. The surviving spouse or other beneficiary may still claim arrears of pay.6, 7
What DFAS's rules say8
- Who reports the death
The surviving spouse or a family member reports the death, online, by phone, by fax or by mail. The online form is for military retirees only: "if the person you are reporting is not a Military Retiree, the request will not be processed."5
- Payments received after the death
Report the death as soon as possible. Any retired pay issued after the date of death is reclaimed in full from the bank, even from a joint account, and all such payments must be returned before arrears of pay can be paid.5, 3
- Order of beneficiaries or payees
Naming someone in a will does not make that person the arrears of pay beneficiary; the designation has to be on file in the retired pay account.4
The arrears of pay beneficiary designation is separate from the SBP election, and a separate claim is made for each.3
- Offsets between benefits
Public Law 116-92 eliminated the SBP-DIC offset on January 1, 2023; February 1, 2023 was the first SBP annuity payday without it. Eligible surviving spouses now receive their full SBP payment from DFAS and their full DIC payment from the VA.8, 9
The offset was reduced to one-third of DIC from January 1, 2022. The Special Survivor Indemnity Allowance (SSIA) was paid only to spouses whose SBP was offset by DIC, so it was not paid after the January 3, 2023 payment.8, 9
- Remarriage
A surviving spouse keeps SBP eligibility for life unless they remarry before age 55, which stops the payments. If that marriage later ends for any reason, eligibility is reinstated from the first day of the month it ends, once DFAS receives and processes the notice and documents.5
- Processing and payment
DFAS mails a condolence letter to the arrears of pay beneficiary listed on the account, or else to the legal representative if known, or to the last known address. It includes the SF 1174, and the DD 2656-7 if the retiree was enrolled in SBP.5
The Report a Retiree's Death page says the condolence letter is generally sent within a week of the report of death; the processing time frames page says to allow up to 60 days.5, 10
Cases that need additional information, research or computation take longer, as do arrears of pay claims with no designated beneficiary or several beneficiaries.10, 4
Up to two claimants may share one SF 1174 if both sign on the same date in front of the witnesses; more than two claimants file separate forms.3
- What the agency does and does not handle
A report to DFAS is not passed to any other office. Social Security, DEERS, the VA, OPM and the servicemember life-insurance offices are notified separately.11, 5
- Help with filing and representation
Form Wizards for both the DD 2656-7 and the SF 1174 are on the DFAS Forms Library.12
DFAS accepts calls placed through the Telecommunications Relay Service.13
Forms DFAS issues3
- askDFAS Notification of Death form
Reports a military retiree's death online, available 24/7; it is the quickest method, and it is for military retirees only.14, 5
Completed by the surviving spouse or family member. Completed online.
- DD Form 2656-7: Verification for Survivor Annuity
Filed by a surviving spouse, former spouse, child annuitant or insurable-interest beneficiary to begin Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP), RC-SBP or RSFPP annuity payments after the death of a military retiree.15, 1
Completed by the SBP beneficiary. Available to download.
- SF 1174: Claim for Unpaid Compensation of Deceased Member of the Uniformed Services
The designated arrears of pay beneficiary, or whoever the Order of Precedence entitles, claims the retiree's final pro-rated retired pay and other amounts owed at death. It is signed before two disinterested witnesses.16, 3
Completed by the arrears of pay claimant. Available to download.
Other agencies and offices involved5
- Social Security Administration
Notified of the retiree's death separately; a report to DFAS does not reach it11
Phone: 1-800-772-1213
- DEERS
Notified of the retiree's death separately; a report to DFAS does not reach it11
Phone: 1-800-538-9552
- Department of Veterans Affairs
Notified of the death separately; pays Dependency and Indemnity Compensation in full beside SBP11, 8
Phone: 1-800-827-1000
- Office of Personnel Management
Notified of the retiree's death separately; a report to DFAS does not reach it11
Phone: 1-888-767-6738
- Servicemember life-insurance offices
Notified of the retiree's death separately; a report to DFAS does not reach them11
Not in DFAS's published guidance1
- A TTY number
Sources16
- 1.Start a Survivor Benefit Plan Annuity
- 2.10 U.S.C. Chapter 73 (Survivor Benefit Plan)
- 3.How to Claim a Retiree's Arrears of Pay Using the SF 1174
- 4.AOP Order of Precedence, page updated Nov 20, 2025
- 5.Report a Retiree's Death, page updated May 1, 2025
- 6.Survivor Benefit Plan
- 7.Survivor Benefit Plan coverage
- 8.Understanding SBP, DIC and SSIA
- 9.Public Law 116-92 (National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020)
- 10.Processing time frames, page updated Sep 11, 2025
- 11.Other agencies to contact
- 12.DFAS Forms Library
- 13.Customer service
- 14.Quick Tools for Retirees, SBP Annuitants and Survivors
- 15.DD Form 2656-7: Verification for Survivor Annuity
- 16.SF 1174: Claim for Unpaid Compensation of Deceased Member of the Uniformed Services
Sources
Data sourced from Defense Finance and Accounting Service primary sources (14 pages reviewed). How we research.
DFAS death reporting
Report a Retiree's Death (askDFAS Notification of Death form or phone)
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