Effective 1 November 2011, retired military members who draw a monthly payment will be able to access a retirement pay statement via their online MyPay accounts. Previously, retired military members only received statements when there was a change to their account.
Don’t have a MyPay account to access your account online? It is easy to sign up and it will make your life a lot easier.
UPDATE 2 November 2011: These statements are available online only. They will not be mailed to your house. You do not need to access them if you do not have a need. This is a no-cost benefit that will help some retirees.
I'm curious what retirees were telling DFAS to persuade them to do this.
I log in to MyPay once a year to download my 1099-R and my retiree account statement. Otherwise I never log in. My spouse (a retired Reservist awaiting pay) hasn't logged in for over a year.
What would people need to do every month?
Occasionally, there are offsets from VA or COLAs OR even as well as law changes that cause more tax to be taken (As when the Bush tax cuts expired). Anytime you receive payments from "Uncle" you really need to Print and keep a paper file, if nothing else as proof of amounts and any tax free benefits. Getting a loan? paper copies are proof on income.
I have been accessing MyPay since retirement in 2008. I get on it when a new RAS comes out to safe it on my computer.
TriCare for life cost in 2012??
Probably going up, like everything else,…
Tricare for Life should be just that. Not pay as you go, per a court decision many years ago when it was determined that it was promised and promised free of charge and that the govt would take care of their retirees.
Govt aways forget why we stayed in service
I have not used MyPay since I retired from the Reserves in 2006, I need to figure out my login ID and password can you assist me?
how do I get to MyPal ???
Nora, if you click on the link in the article, it will take you to the MyPay site. From there, you can register or get the telephone number to reset your access.
I check MyPay at least three times a month just to make sure things are correct. I also check DEERS and the rest of my Military things three times a month. It is just for security and make sure that nothing has changed. By doing this if something has changed that should not have I have time to call and correct it. Always better to check something before it is to late to do anything about it.
I agree, fix it quick before it cost you.
Do you check that the light goes out in your refrigerator also?
I log into mine once a year… Why do we need this every month? Never had it since I retired over 19 years ago and dont need it now.
I agree with Ken. My once a year statement is good for 12 months. If there should be a change during the year, they update the statement and inform me of the change. After 14 years of retirement bliss, I can think of only two times when there was a change in pay, and that was for withholding Federal Taxes. Please don't waste time (i.e. money) on useless statements.
Right Tomm,
I retired 1963. Before comuter systems.
Old Soldier
I use mines only about twice a month
I meant a year
This seems like a complete waste of money just when the government is trying to cut "WASTE". I access this site maybe twice a year.
Enter text right here! Thanks for the information. I do not know one could access the system so easily.
I'm good with just one statment whenever any change been made to my pay. Retired in 99 and MyPay has been great. See no need for monthly statement. Why waste money on paper when we already have a system this is working, they should include that wasted spending into my retirement pay cause I could use it for better things.
Jack – There is no paper involved in this. This online MyPay info. Someone just did a software change to allow you to see what has always been happening to you account.
Remember this new monthly statement is digital. No waste involved. Most people indicate they don't need it, fine. But there are folks who do. Just because you don't need it is no reason think no one else does.
Ditto…right on the money.
I wish I had the money they spend on paper, all I need is the les when they make a change. Good enough for me.
You should check your RAS monthly for changes. If something changes (authorized or not) it can be addressed pronto.
If you see a difference in your pay, that should tell you something. I look at mine once a year and thats at the end…
I have never logged into my account. i don't have occasion to do so, so the password is never remembered. I have trouble remembering my first name, much pess a password that is used once a year
I think this is a waste, I access my pay account maybe once or twice a year and if their are any changes they send out a paper copy anyway, at least they use to.
Once a month RAS is overkill. I only have need to access Mypay about once every 3 months. Now if DFAS is not sending a hard copy RAS out, then only finding it on line will be ok. I really do not need a hard copy.
I'd recommend EVERYONE go into the MyPay website and see what you can accomplish on there, changes, updates, info, etc. It's a site we all need to be aware of. If you chose not to use it, so be it. I'ts been very helpful to me!!
Everyone is up in arms about a monthly statement. It is digital, they are not sending it to you monthly. If you want to access your stement yearly, that's fine. If you want to access your stement monthly that is also fine. If you need to have monthly copy then you can print it out. Just as you do with your annual 1099R.
Ditto…that everything in a nutshell.
I have never used MYPAY since I retired and do not have the signup procedures. Will you forward this info to me. MKK
Mr. Ketterer, you can find the directions for accessing MyPay in this article: http://paycheck-chronicles.military.com/2010/11/0… There are also instructions available at the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) website's retired page: http://www.dfas.mil/retiredmilitary.html Look for the link on the right hand side.
Hope that helps.
i need a new id number and password
Mr. Brady, you will need to contact DFAS to get a new ID number and password. They can be contacted at 1-800-321-1080 or on the web at http://www.dfas.mil/retiredmilitary.html. I hope that helps.
Good deal. I have had problems when trying to prove income because the date on the retired pay statement was over three months old.
I check my pay about every other month. I have had problems that have been corrected and one that has not. My father retired from the Army (66) and I retired from the Marine Corps (97) . My mother passes and DEFAS stopped his SBP, sent me a letter several months later and apologized for the passing of my wife and gave me back the SBP from the time of my mother’s death. I contacted DEFAS and told them that my wife has not passed and found that they confused my mother’s death as my wife. My Dad and I share the same first and last name but different middle names, different SSN and different service numbers, don't knw how they could have don this. Dad was Army and I retierd from the Marine Corps. This took twenty months to straighten out the pay. Now that they have listed my wife as diseased in their computer my wife’s DOB shows up as the date we were married on my LES, which they have yet to fix. Makes me look like an old guy that robbed the cradle. Check you pay statement often, catch problems before they get out of hand.
This change is for the better. We can now take charge of our accounts and ensure things are correct. To correct another poster, this is not a waste, it incurs no cost to allow monthly viewing. It a member wants a printout, that burden is on them and their resources. Since changed take so long to correct, early detection is a valuable asset.
I will resume viewing my RAS account twice a month.
I don't access my account very often, but I do not see any harm in updating the account monthly. It is there if you want to check it. It doesn't cost any more and you can print out a statement, if you want. I retired in 1993 and DFAS has been great!!
I can't even remember my password!
To join MyPay, the first thing they want is your SSAN. The article just above the request from Mil.Com, The Army says "DO NOT put you SSAN on ANY site on the computer, especially because DFAS and My Pay has been hacked twice this year alone. So what do you do to sign up and protect your vital info???
Paul Garrett
I only need a statement when some change is made. Once a month is a
not needed. A complete waste of time, paper and personal time. Make it simple most of us are quite able to keep up with our retirement account with no trouble. Dont complicate it.
I try about once a year to log in and always receive a jumble of confusing instructions culminating with " We will email you a new/ temporary password which some times work". This system is designed is experts and it just confuses the senior citizen Just continue to mail it too me as things change and charge me the postage fee!
The powers that be think a monthly whatever will take our minds off the Tricare s______g retirees are getting. Nobody needs a monthly retiree pay statement. Wake up Washington .
Everyone should be more concerned that the Government decided to give you 13 checks vice 12 and not tell you until it is too late to adjust your withholdings. Another 'good deal' similar to your 'free' Obama gift last year which caused nearly everyone to owe taxes. DOD is trying very hard to stop paying TRICARE For Life to any retirees. DOD wanted to drop active duty dependent care but that one was dropped. Anyway the two wars are coming to an end and so will support to the troops. One needs to remember that it took exposure by the national press to get needed changes to VA and for the active duty medical system to respond to the need for changes to the seriously wounded.
I'm glad they finally decided to give us "over the hill crowd" a more frequent update on what we're getting. It isn't effecting the ones that don't want to read a monthly LES, but does give those that want to know what they're getting current iformation without having to jump through hoops to get it.
I think it is great. I like to keep track of my pay and tax withholding. I also retired from civil service – wish they had monthly pay statements.
IS DFAS subsidizing the Post Office??? Really Unecessary
I fretired in 1986 and have never been on the site. In all the years, I have never had a challenge with any of my information. Everything runs like clock work. Best system in the world in my book.
The Military is trying to cut cost so why add cost by printing and sending. To me keep the paper and postage just raise our pay. Active duty a different storytheirs is more apt to change.
hello, very nice post ..really very like it thanks for sharing
flip books
Once a year is good enough for me. I get copies fo do my taxes for the year. You can check every month from you bank statement if every thing is correct.
I'm glad you all are getting a monthly eRAS. I retired 5 months ago and the first 4 months I could see the monthly statements in MyPay and now I don't see any of them.
jenn, there are two different things working here. First, last military pay may be held up to 60 days pending the clearance of all pay actions. They want to make absolutely sure that the last military pay check includes all entitlements and deductions. Second, retired servicemembers are paid once a month, on the first day of the month, or the preceding business day (which is the last business day of the previous month.) They do not receive mid-month pay advances like active duty members do.
I hope that answers your questions. You might find more information in one of these two posts: Active Duty to Retirement Pay Issues http://paycheck-chronicles.military.com/2012/08/1… and 2013 Retired Military Paydays http://paycheck-chronicles.military.com/2012/12/1… I hope that helps.