Fill Out DFAS Direct Deposit Authorization Online
Direct Deposit Authorization for Retired and Annuitant Pay
Defense Finance and Accounting Service
Authorizes DFAS to send military retired pay or annuitant pay by direct deposit to a bank or credit union account.
Reviewed July 2026
How it works
- 1
Open the form. The official PDF loads straight into the editor, no download needed first.
- 2
Fill it out in the editor. Click anywhere to type, add checkmarks and place your signature.
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Download your PDF. Save the completed form, ready to print or submit.
The DFAS Direct Deposit Authorization is the form military retirees and Survivor Benefit Plan annuitants use to tell the Defense Finance and Accounting Service where to deposit their monthly payments. It covers starting direct deposit for a new account and switching payments to a different bank or credit union.
You can complete the form in the Universal PDF editor, type your account details into the fields, and download the finished PDF to print, sign, and send to DFAS. If you have a myPay account, you can usually make the same change online without any paperwork, which is the faster route.
What the form is used for
Federal benefit payments are made electronically, so DFAS needs valid account information on file for every retiree and annuitant. This authorization gives DFAS the account and routing details, along with your signed permission to send payments there.
Use it when you open retired pay or annuitant pay for the first time without setting up direct deposit another way, when you change banks, or when your account number changes at the same institution.
Who uses it
Two groups of DFAS customers use this form:
- Military retirees receiving retired pay
- Survivor Benefit Plan annuitants receiving monthly annuity payments after a retiree's death
How to fill it out
Have a check or your bank's official routing information in front of you, since a single wrong digit will misdirect a payment:
- Your identification: name, Social Security number, and contact information
- Pay type: indicate whether the authorization is for retired pay or annuitant pay
- Financial institution details: the bank or credit union name, routing number, account number, and whether the account is checking or savings
- Signature and date: sign the printed form; DFAS cannot act on an unsigned authorization
Where to send it
Mail or fax the signed form to DFAS Retired and Annuitant Pay using the submission details printed on the form and listed on dfas.mil. Retired pay and annuitant pay use different processing addresses, so match the address to your pay type.
Keep the old account open until the first payment arrives in the new one. DFAS processes changes on a monthly pay cycle, and closing the old account too early is the most common cause of a delayed payment.
Frequently asked questions
In most cases, yes. Retirees and annuitants with a myPay account can update direct deposit information online, and DFAS also handles changes by phone. The paper authorization is the alternative when those options do not work for you.
DFAS applies changes on its monthly pay cycle, so a change submitted close to the end-of-month processing cutoff may not take effect until the following month. Keep the old account open until the first deposit lands in the new one.
Payments are deposited to the account you authorize, and DFAS expects the payee to have ownership or signature authority on it. If you need someone to manage your pay for you, ask DFAS about its procedures for representatives before signing anything.
They serve the same purpose. SF 1199A is the government-wide direct deposit sign-up form that also involves your bank, while this DFAS version is designed specifically for retired and annuitant pay and is completed by the payee alone.
Yes. Open it in the Universal PDF editor, type your identification and account details, then download the completed PDF to print, sign, and mail or fax to DFAS.
Related forms
Universal PDF is an independent product and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any government agency. Forms are provided from official government sources; always confirm you have the current version before filing.