Military W-2s for tax year 2025 post to the DFAS myPay portal on staggered dates in January 2026. Reserve members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Space Force see their forms first, on January 7, 2026. Marine Corps active and reserve W-2s follow on January 16, 2026, and active-duty Army, Navy, Air Force, and Space Force W-2s post on January 21, 2026.1Defense Finance and Accounting Service. DFAS Announces 2025 Tax Statement Release Schedule Electronic copies on myPay are typically available well before paper copies arrive by mail.
W-2 Release Dates by Branch and Component
DFAS publishes the tax statement schedule each year. For the 2025 tax year (the forms you use to file in 2026), the electronic release dates on myPay are:
- Reserve Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force W-2: January 7, 2026
- Active and Reserve Marine Corps W-2: January 16, 2026
- Active Duty Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force W-2: January 21, 2026
- Military and Military Retiree Form 1095: January 31, 2026
Reserve members from most branches receive their W-2s about two weeks ahead of their active-duty counterparts. Paper W-2s are mailed no later than January 31 of the year after the tax year, which is also the deadline set by federal law.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 USC 6051 – Receipts for Employees DFAS updates the schedule annually, so check the myPay portal or the DFAS press room each December for the next year’s dates.
How to Access Your W-2 on myPay
All military tax statements live on the DFAS myPay portal at mypay.dfas.mil. Log in with either a Login ID and password or a CAC/PIV smart card.3Defense Finance and Accounting Service. myPay Login Assistance If you have never used myPay, request an initial temporary password through the “Forgot or Need a Password” link on the homepage. DFAS mails the password to your address on file, and you use it with your Social Security Number to create a permanent Login ID and password.4Defense Finance and Accounting Service. New to myPay – How to Get Started
Once you are in, open the tax statement section of the main menu to view and download your W-2. You can pull your current year statement and up to four prior years directly from myPay.5Defense Finance and Accounting Service. Tax Statement Reissue Requests – View FAQ Save or print a copy. The downloaded PDF is the official version accepted by all tax preparation software and the IRS.
Before the release dates, log in and check that your mailing address and email are current. Outdated information can delay paper delivery or block system notifications about your forms.
If You Cannot Log In
Use the “Forgot Login ID” or password recovery tools on the myPay homepage first. For technical problems beyond password resets, contact DFAS customer service:
- Army, Navy, and Marines: 888-332-7411, option 3 (8 a.m.–5 p.m. ET)
- Air Force: 800-525-0102, or submit a MyFSS ticket through the Total Force Service Center
Retirees and Annuitants Get a 1099-R Instead
Military retirees and survivor benefit annuitants do not receive a W-2. They get a Form 1099-R, and it posts earlier. For tax year 2025, retiree and annuitant 1099-Rs became available on myPay on December 17, 2025.1Defense Finance and Accounting Service. DFAS Announces 2025 Tax Statement Release Schedule Retirees without myPay access receive a combined mailing with their 1099-R and year-end account statement, sent no later than January 31.
Getting Your W-2 After Separation
After you leave service, your myPay account stays active for 13 months from your separation date. During that window, log in and download your W-2s the same way you did while serving.7Defense Finance and Accounting Service. How to Update Your myPay Account Before Separating Save copies of every tax statement before that period ends.
Once myPay access closes, request copies of current and prior year W-2s through AskDFAS, the online request system on the DFAS website. Requests open each February, and DFAS typically prints and mails the statement within 7 to 10 business days. You can also request a statement over the phone through DFAS customer service.8Defense Finance and Accounting Service. Tax Documents Before separating, update your contact information in DEERS through milConnect so DFAS can reach you.
If Your W-2 Is Late or Missing
If you have not received your W-2 by the end of February, check myPay first for the electronic version. If it is not there, contact DFAS through AskDFAS or by phone. You can also call the IRS at 800-829-1040. The IRS will contact DFAS on your behalf and send you Form 4852, a substitute for a missing W-2 or 1099-R.9IRS.gov. Form 4852 – Substitute for Form W-2 or Form 1099-R
If you need to file before your W-2 arrives, use Form 4852 with your return. Estimate your income and withholding from your Leave and Earnings Statements, and explain on the form how you calculated those amounts and what you did to try to get the missing W-2. File using your best estimates rather than miss the deadline. You can amend later if the actual W-2 shows different numbers.
If Your W-2 Has an Error
If your W-2 shows incorrect wages, wrong withholding, or other errors, ask DFAS for a corrected Form W-2c before you file. Two options:
- Phone: Call the Military Pay customer care center at 888-332-7411.
- Online: Submit a secure message through AskDFAS, reachable from the myPay or DFAS homepages.
Try to get the W-2c before filing your return.10Military OneSource. Tax Tips Made for Military Life If you already filed using bad numbers and a W-2c arrives afterward, you may need to file an amended return.
Combat Zone Service Extends Your Deadlines
If you served in a combat zone or contingency operation during the tax year, federal law automatically extends your filing and payment deadlines. The extension equals the number of days you served in the combat zone, plus 180 days after you leave.11Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 USC 7508 – Time for Performing Certain Acts Postponed by Reason of Service in Combat Zone or Contingency Operation On top of that, you get back the days that remained before the original deadline when you entered the zone. If you entered a combat zone on March 1 and the filing deadline was April 15, the 45 days that were left get added to the 180-day extension after you leave.12Internal Revenue Service. Publication 3 – Armed Forces Tax Guide
The extension covers filing returns, paying taxes, claiming refunds, and other IRS actions. Time spent hospitalized for an injury sustained in the combat zone is also excluded from the deadline calculation.13Internal Revenue Service. Extension of Deadlines – Combat Zone Service You do not need to file paperwork to claim it. The extension applies automatically.