The SF 1174 form, Claim for Unpaid Compensation of Deceased Member of the Uniformed Services, is a Standard Form published by GSA for claiming pay still owed to a service member who has died. A widow or widower, designated beneficiaries, other relatives and estate representatives complete different parts of it, and two witnesses must see the claimant sign unless an executor or administrator files with a court certificate. On FillingPDF you can fill out the form online and download or print the completed PDF; the claim itself goes to the agency that employed the deceased, and the official PDF is published by GSA.
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What is SF 1174?
Form SF 1174, Claim for Unpaid Compensation of Deceased Member of the Uniformed Services, is the Standard Form that a claimant uses to claim unpaid compensation owed to a deceased member of the uniformed services.
The form is printed as Standard Form 1174 (EG), September 1992, and the current GSA file carries the note "Updated 20260213". It states that it has been authorized for local reproduction. It is a two-sided form built in five parts:
- Part A identifies the claimant, the claimant's relationship to the deceased, whether a designation of beneficiary for unpaid compensation is on file with the service, and the decedent's name, rank or rating, service number, Social Security number, date of death, service and domicile.
- Part B is a certification of marriage, to be completed by the widow of the deceased only.
- Part C lists the surviving widow or widower, children, parents or next of kin, in that order of priority.
- Part D covers claims made by an executor or administrator of the estate.
- Part E asks whether the funeral expenses were paid and whose money paid them.
The form ends with the claimant's signature block and a section for two witnesses. It warns that fines, penalties and forfeitures are imposed by law for false or fraudulent claims against the United States or false statements in connection with them. All Federal checks in the claimant's possession that are drawn to the order of the decedent in payment of pay and allowance should accompany the claim.
Who needs to file SF 1174?
Anyone claiming unpaid compensation of a deceased member of the uniformed services completes Part A: your name and Social Security number, your relationship to the deceased, your age if you are a minor, whether a designation of beneficiary for unpaid compensation is on file with the service, and whether you are the named beneficiary.
The other parts depend on who you are:
- Widow: complete Part B, the certification that you were married to the decedent and that, to the best of your knowledge and belief, the marriage was not dissolved before the death. Part B is for the widow of the deceased only.
- Widow or widower and designated beneficiaries: do not fill in Part C. All other claimants must.
- Executor or administrator: complete Part D and submit a court certificate of your appointment. No witnesses are required for a claim made in that capacity.
- Designated beneficiary, surviving spouse, children, parents or legal representatives: do not fill in Part E. All other claimants must.
The form says the employing agency furnishes any assistance a claimant needs to complete it properly.
When to file SF 1174
You complete Form SF 1174 after the member's death, because Part A asks for the date of death (item 8) and the form is a claim for compensation unpaid at that time. The form prints no separate due date, so check with the agency that employed the deceased at the time of death for any time limit that applies to your claim.
Before you sign, collect what the form asks you to send with it: the court certificate of appointment if you claim as executor or administrator, the undertaker's receipted bill if funeral expenses were paid, and any Federal checks you hold that are drawn to the order of the decedent. Arrange for two witnesses to be present when you sign, unless you are filing as an executor or administrator.
Documents you need
- Court certificate of appointment, only if you claim as the executor or administrator of the estate of the deceased; the form requires it to evidence your appointment.
- Receipted bill of the undertaker, only if Part E says the funeral expenses have been paid.
- All Federal checks in your possession drawn to the order of the decedent in payment of pay and allowance; the form says they should accompany the claim.
How to fill out SF 1174
Enter claimant name and relationship
In Part A, item 1, enter the name and Social Security number of each claimant. In item 2 state your relationship to the deceased, and in item 3 your age if you are a minor.
Answer the beneficiary questions
Part A, item 4: answer Yes or No to whether a designation of beneficiary for unpaid compensation is on file with the service. Item 5: answer Yes or No to whether you are the named beneficiary.
Enter your state of legal residence
Part A, item 6: enter the State of legal residence of each claimant.
Enter the decedent's details
Item 7: name, rank or rating, service number and Social Security number of the decedent. Then enter the date of death (item 8), the name of the service (item 9) and the decedent's domicile (item 10).
Complete Part B if you are the widow
Part B is for the widow of the deceased only. Answer whether you certify that you were married to the decedent and that the marriage was not dissolved before his or her death.
List surviving relatives in Part C
Skip Part C if you are the widow or widower or a designated beneficiary. Otherwise list name, Social Security number, age, relationship and address for the widow or widower, or else the children, or else the parents, or else the next of kin, as the form's lines (a) to (d) direct.
Complete Part D for an estate claim
If no one in Part C survives and an executor or administrator has been appointed, state the appointment and name the interested relative or creditor. Otherwise answer Yes or No in item 2 on whether one will be designated.
Answer the funeral expense questions
Designated beneficiaries, surviving spouses, children, parents and legal representatives skip Part E. Everyone else answers Yes or No on whether funeral expenses were paid, and states whose money was used.
Sign, date and add addresses
Each claimant signs and dates and enters a street address and city, state and ZIP code. Only sign in front of your witnesses.
Get two witnesses to sign
Enter the claimant's name in the witness certification. Two witnesses sign and give their street address and city, state and ZIP code. Executors and administrators do not need witnesses.
Review, download and assemble the package
Check each part against your role, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF. Add the court certificate, receipted funeral bill and any Federal checks, and send the package as described under How to submit.
How to submit SF 1174
Forward the completed Form SF 1174 to the Government agency in which the deceased was employed at the time of death. That is the only channel the form names; it prints no mailing address, portal or appointment rule.
Before sending, check the package:
- Signatures: each claimant signs and dates, with a street address and city, state and ZIP code. Two witnesses sign and give their addresses, certifying that they are well acquainted with the claimant and that the signature was affixed in their presence.
- Court certificate: include it if you claim as executor or administrator of the estate.
- Funeral bill: attach the undertaker's receipted bill if Part E says the funeral expenses have been paid.
- Federal checks: enclose all Federal checks in your possession drawn to the order of the decedent in payment of pay and allowance.
If you need help completing the form, the employing agency furnishes it to claimants. The official PDF is published by GSA at https://www.gsa.gov/system/files/2026-02/SF1174-92a.pdf. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channel above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Filling in Part C as a widow, widower or designated beneficiary; the form says those claimants do not complete it.
- Completing Part B when you are not the widow of the deceased; the part is for the widow only.
- Filling in Part E as a designated beneficiary, surviving spouse, child, parent or legal representative, who are told not to complete it.
- Signing without two witnesses who are well acquainted with you and who saw the signature affixed, unless you are filing as executor or administrator.
- Claiming as executor or administrator without the court certificate evidencing your appointment.
- Leaving out the undertaker's receipted bill when Part E says the funeral expenses were paid.
- Keeping Federal checks drawn to the order of the decedent instead of sending them with the claim.
- Sending the form to an agency other than the Government agency that employed the deceased at the time of death.
Frequently asked questions
What is the SF 1174 form?
The SF 1174 form is the Standard Form titled Claim for Unpaid Compensation of Deceased Member of the Uniformed Services. A claimant uses it to claim compensation unpaid at the member's death, and sends it to the Government agency that employed the deceased at the time of death.
Where do I send Form SF 1174?
Forward the completed form to the Government agency in which the deceased was employed at the time of death. The form prints no mailing address or portal, and says that agency furnishes any assistance claimants need to complete it properly.
Do I need witnesses to sign the SF 1174?
Yes, two witnesses are required. They certify that they are well acquainted with the claimant and that the signature was affixed in their presence. The exception is a claim made as executor or administrator, where no witnesses are required but a court certificate of appointment must be submitted.
Who has to fill in Part C of Form SF 1174?
Everyone except the widow or widower and designated beneficiaries, who are told not to fill in Part C. Others list the widow or widower, or the children, or the parents, or the next of kin, with name, Social Security number, age, relationship and address.
What do I attach to the SF 1174?
Attach the undertaker's receipted bill if funeral expenses were paid, and the court certificate of appointment if you claim as executor or administrator. The form also says all Federal checks in your possession drawn to the order of the decedent in payment of pay and allowance should accompany the claim.
Who completes Part E about funeral expenses?
All claimants except a designated beneficiary, surviving spouse, children, parents or legal representatives, who do not fill in Part E. If you complete it, answer whether the funeral expenses were paid and whose money was used, and attach the receipted bill if they were paid.
Can I fill out the SF 1174 online?
Yes. You can fill out the SF 1174 online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF. FillingPDF is an independent service and does not submit the claim; you forward it to the employing agency yourself.
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