Making Sure Your Spouse Knows What To Do
Retiree Check List
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provides an annual checklist for retirees and their beneficiaries. It is designed to equip
you and your loved ones with helpful knowledge and information. While it may be
impossible to truly prepare for the overwhelming emotions and dilemmas that arise with
the loss of a loved one, it does help when most of the issues have been addressed.
___ Create a military file that includes your retirement orders, separation
papers, medical records, ect. Make sure your spouse knows the location and telephone
number of the nearest military installation.
___ Create a military retired file that includes the pertinent information for
the DFAS and Navy personnel Command:
Defense Finance and Accounting Service
U.S. Military Retirement Pay
Post Office Box 7130
London, KY 40742-7130
(800) 321-1080 or (216) 522-5955/(800) 269-5170
(for deceased members)
Department of the Navy
NPC PERS-675
Retired Activities Section
5720 Integrity Drive
Millington, TN 38055-6640
(This file should also include the number of any VA claims still pending and the address
of the VA office being used; a list of deductions currently being made from benefits; and
the name, relationship, and address of the person you have made the beneficiary of any
unpaid retired pay at the time of death.)
___ Create an annuities file. This file should contain information about the
Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP), Reserve Component Survivor Benefit Plan (RCSBP) or
the Retired Serviceman's Family Protection Plan (RSFPP), Civil Service annuity claims
can be obtained from the DFAS-Cleveland office at 1-800-321-1080.
___ Create a personal document file that has copies of marriage certificates,
divorce decrees, adoptions and naturalization papers.
___ Create an income tax file. Include copies of both your state and federal
tax returns.
___ Create a property tax file. Include copies of tax bills, deeds and any other
related information.
___ Create an insurance policy file. Include life, property, accident, liability and
hospitalization policies.
___ In a secure location, maintain a list of all bank accounts (joint or individual).
Include the location of all deposit boxes, savings bonds, stocks, bonds and any securities
owned.
___ Maintain a list of all associations and organizations of which you are a
member. Some of them could be helpful to your spouse.
___ Maintain a list of all friends and business associates who may be helpful.
Include name, address and phone number.
___ Spend time with your spouse discussing your plans with respect to the type
and place or your funeral service. You should decide which cemetery, whether ground
burial, or cremation, etc. If your spouse knows your desires, it will resolve some of the
questions that might arise at a later date.
___ Visit a local funeral home and pre-arrange your services. Many states will
allow you to pre-pay for services.
___ Investigate the decisions that you and your family have agreed upon.
Many states have specific laws and guidelines regulating cremation and burials at sea.
Some states require a letter of authority signed by the deceased in order to authorize a
cremation. Know the laws in your specific area and how they may affect your decisions.
Information regarding burials at sea can be obtained by phoning the Office of Medical and
Dental Affairs-Mortuary Affairs Division at 1-800-876-1131.
___ Once your decisions have been made and you're comfortable with them, have a
will drawn up outlining all your wishes.
___ Insure your will and all other official documents are maintained in a secure
location known by your loved ones. This includes all of your DD214s or
Retirement Orders.
___ When all the decision-making and documenting is completed, sit back and
continue to enjoy life.
Who should be notified in the event of my death?
1. Defense Finance and accounting Service:
(800) 321-1080 or (216) 522-5955/(800) 269-5170
2. Social Security Administration (for death benefits):
(800) 722-1213
3. Department of Veterans Affairs (if applicable):
(800) 827-1000
4. Office or Personnel Management (OPM) (if applicable):
(724) 794-8690.
5. Any previous employer that provides pension or benefits.
The above information is not all-inclusive and should be used with other estate planning
tools to lessen trauma to your loved ones. If you have other suggestions that might prove
helpful send them to the Retired Activities Section for publication in a future issue.
Department of the Navy
NPC PERS-675
Retired Activities Section
5729 Integrity Drive
Millington, TN 38055-6640
Where to Go For Help.
Vietnam Veterans with questions or concerns about Agent
Orange - contact VA's Gulf
War/Agent Orange Helpline. The national toll-free
telephone number is 800-749-8387.
A great deal of information is also available on our new
Web Page. It is located at
http://www.va.gov
/agentorange.
Vietnam Veterans (plus Veterans who served in Korea in
1968 or 1969), and other Veterans who may have been
exposed while on military service to Agent Orange or other
herbicides elsewhere during the testing, transporting or
spraying of herbicides for military purposes and who are
concerned about possible long-term health effects of
Agent Orange exposure. - contact the nearest VA medical
center and request an Agent Orange Registry health
examination. More then 300,000 Vietnam Veterans have
already participated in this program.
Vietnam Veterans who need medical treatment for
conditions that may be related to their exposure to Agent
Orange or other herbicides used in Vietnam - contact the
nearest VA medical center for eligibility information and
possible medical treatment or call the following toll-free
telephone number for information about eligibility and
enrollment. 1-877-222-8387.
Vietnam Veterans with illnesses that they believe were
incurred or aggravated by exposure to Agent Orange or
other aspects of military service - contact a VA Veterans
services representative at the nearest VA regional office
or health care facility and apply for disability
compensation. The counselors have information about the
wide range of benefit programs administered by VA. The
national toll-free number is 1-800-827-1000.
Vietnam Veterans who encounter difficulties at a VA
medical center - contact the "patient advocate" or "
patient representative" at the facility for assistance in
resolving the problem. Ask the medical center telephone
operator for the patient advocate or representative.
Vietnam Veterans with children who have spina bifida
- contact the VA national toll-free hotline at 1-
888-820-1756, or the nearest VA regional office by
calling toll-free: 1-800-827-1000. Additional
information on spina bifida is available from
Spina Bifida Association of America
4590 MacArthur Blvd. N.W. Suite 250
Washington, DC 20007-4226
toll-free telephone: 800-621-3141. E-mail address:
Sbaa@sbaa.org;
and web site: www.sbaa.org/.
Representative of Veterans service organizations,
including The American Legion (1-800-433-3318),
Paralyzed Veterans of American (1-800-424-8200),
Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (1-800-
VFW-1899), Disabled American Veterans (1-877-426-
2838), AMVETS (1-877-726-8387), Vietnam
Veterans of America (1-800-882-1316), and others,
have also been helpful to Vietnam Veterans seeking
disability compensation. (These organizations are cited
as examples. There are many other excellent Veterans
service organizations. VA does not endorse or recommend
any specific group over another.)
County Veteran Service Officers also have been of
great help to many military Veterans, including Vietnam
Veterans, seeking benefits they earned through their
service to the Nation.