There are times when active duty and reserve personnel, members of the National Guard, and uniformed services retirees need to support family members other than a spouse or a dependent who is under age 21. If the sponsor provides over 50% of living expenses, they may be able to claim the individual as a “secondary dependent.”

The process for claiming a secondary dependent differs by branch; until recently, it has generally involved filling out the Secondary Dependency Application (DD Form 137), which includes the very complicated Worksheet for Determining Financial Support that demonstrates that the sponsor provides more than half of the claimed individual’s support.

But very recently, and with little fanfare, the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) updated its policies to offer a much simpler second option for proving financial dependency: providing a copy of the prior year’s tax return showing the claimed individual as a dependent.

The new procedures only apply to the branches of service that DFAS makes determinations for: the Army and certain types of Navy dependents. Servicemembers and retirees with all other branches should contact their service for details about secondary dependency, but some basics on the process are provided below:

Who Can Be a Secondary Dependent?

A secondary dependent could be an incapacitated child over 21 years old, parents (or a parent-in-law, stepparent, parent by adoption, or in-loco parentis), a full-time student at an accredited institution of higher education who is under 23, or a Ward of the Court who is under 21 years old.

“Incapacitated child” refers to an unmarried child who is incapable of self-support because of mental or physical incapacity that occurred while the child was considered a dependent of the sponsor.

What Are the Benefits of Claiming Secondary Dependency?

Benefits may include an increased Basic Allowance for Housing (not to exceed full BAH with dependents) for active duty sponsors; a Uniformed Services Identification and Privileges (USIP) card; travel allowances; morale, welfare, and recreation privileges; and use of the commissary and exchange.

Secondary dependents may be eligible to receive primary medical care at a nearby military treatment facility under TRICARE Plus. Learn more from TRICARE at this link. Note: TRICARE will not pay for civilian care for secondary dependents, even via referral from a military provider.

What Else Do I Need to Know?

Secondary dependents who receive ID cards must go through a redetermination process every four years. Annual redetermination is required for a secondary dependent claiming BAH. Failure to recertify will result in the suspension of benefits and the potential for a debt.

If support drops below 50% or there is a change in status, it should be reported immediately.