Overview of Survivor Payments After a Military Retiree’s Death

By: Lt. Col. Shane Ostrom, USAF (Ret), CFP®, MOAA Program Director, Finance and Benefits Information

When a military service retiree dies, the flurry of payment activity by two federal bureaucracies, who provide no explanation, can be confusing and frustrating to say the least. Here is a breakdown of what happens to the pay of the military survivor:

• Arrears of Pay (the last retired pay deposit after the retiree’s death)
• Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP)
• SBP/DIC Offset
• Special Survivor Indemnity Allowance (SSIA)