Report retiree death as soon as possible to DFAS

Defense Finance and Accounting Service officials advise reporting the death of a retiree as soon as possible by calling 800-321-1080, or completing a Notification of Death Fast Form on the DFAS website.

This will help avoid delay and possible financial hardship to surviving beneficiaries, family members or executors, who will be required to return any unearned military retirement payments.

Eligibility for military retired pay ends with the death of the retiree; therefore, if a retired pay payment was issued for the month in which the retiree died, the bank will be notified to return the payment upon notification of death. The beneficiary of the arrears of pay may be due a prorated amount for the month of death.

The caller reporting the death will need the retiree’s name, Social Security number and date of death.

Taken from the Spring/Summer 2014 issue of Afterburner, the e-newsletter for USAF retired personnel