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Be Prepared – What You Should Do for Your Survivors in Advance

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Whether you are active duty, retired or separated, your dependents may have access to Survivor Benefits. AAFMAA has provided our hallmark Survivor Assistance Services to military families since 1879.

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Active Duty

If you die on active duty, what benefits does your family receive? Make sure your family knows about the benefits available to them should something happen to you on active duty – and how to access them. AAFMAA assists the families of its members to ensure that they receive all of the entitlements you earned through your service.

Download our Military Survivor Checklist to ensure your family is prepared for steps they will need to take to claim the benefits you've earned through your military service. If you are an AAFMAA Member, your survivors will receive full, personal assistance from our Survivor Assistance Services (SAS) team when the time comes. Visit the SAS section of the AAFMAA Member Center to download the Member version of our Military Survivor Checklist, which will inform you and your loved ones of all of the steps we will take on your behalf.

Veterans and Retirees

Knowing that you have taken care of your survivors in advance will give you the confidence and peace of mind you need to live your best life. The requirements outlined in this guide are necessary for anyone assisting survivors with the loss of a former military servicemember – the way that AAFMAA does for all of its Members’ survivors. In addition to the steps you’ll need to take and the documents required to access your benefits, the guide includes important phone numbers and points of contact you’ll need to make contact with to process claims and get service. AAFMAA survivors receive this help directly from our expert team of survivor assistance coordinators who ensure that your family receives all of the benefits and entitlements you earned through your service.

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Widow’s Tax Repeal

The 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) modified the law — often referred to as the Widow’s Tax — that requires an offset of Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) payments for surviving spouses who are also entitled to Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The NDAA’s repeal of the Widow’s Tax will phase-out this offset beginning January 2021, with a total elimination of the offset in January 2023.

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