The Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) ensures a military retirees dependents receive a continuous lifetime annuity. Find answers to your SBP questions with our FAQ page.
After Defense Finance Accounting Service (DFAS) is notified of your death a SBP application form will be mailed to your surviving spouse.
If the administrative aspects are handled properly by DFAS and the potential SBP annuitant, the annuity will begin about 45-60 days after the death of the retired member.
Yes. You are covered under SBP if you die while on active duty, are married, or have dependent children and have completed 20 or more years of active service, at time of death.
Children are paid the annuity in equal shares until they reach age 18 (or 22 if full-time students). An incapacitated child will receive the annuity for life without any reductions for Social Security, provided the child never marries. As each child reaches the age when entitlements no longer exist, the annuity is divided equally between the remaining eligible children.
You will receive 55% of gross retired pay.
No. If remarriage occurs before age 55, the annuity is suspended and can be reinstated if the remarriage ends by death or divorce. If remarriage occurs at age 55 or older, the annuity continues uninterrupted for the duration of the spouse's life.
Yes, provided the military member did not waive military retried pay for a combined civil service annuity.
No. SBP spouse premiums are not owed for any month that you do not have an eligible spouse beneficiary. You must notify DFAS of your spouse's death.
No, there is no refund for paid SBP premiums.
If you remarry, you have three options:
Note: Any election under Options 2 or 3 must be in written form. Notice of remarriage as well as an election to increase coverage or to terminate spouse coverage may be submitted on DD Form 2656-6 .
Your children will receive the SBP annuity if you elected coverage for spouse and children and they are eligible "dependent child" beneficiaries at the time of your death. An eligible dependent child must be:
Note: There are special rules that may apply to foster children, school attendance for students, and children serving on active duty.
Yes. You may get SBP spouse coverage for the first spouse you acquire after retirement. However, you must elect the coverage before the first anniversary of your marriage.
Yes, you may elect to cover a child as long as you elect to cover the first child acquired after you retired, within one year of the child's birth or adoption etc. Subsequent eligible children will automatically be covered under SBP.
Spouse coverage under the SBP stops on the date of divorce, since the status as spouse ends on that date. Termination of the divorced spouse's eligibility is automatic under the law, even if DFAS isn't notified of your divorce. If you wish to keep your former spouse as a beneficiary of your SBP, you should send DFAS a copy of the divorce decree, and a written request to change coverage to former spouse coverage. You must do this within one year of the divorce date.
It depends. If you voluntarily elected former spouse SBP coverage then you may make a written election to change the coverage to your new spouse or dependent child anytime after you remarry or within one year of acquiring a dependent child. However, former spouse SBP coverage that is based upon a court order or written agreement cannot be stopped at your request alone. Court-ordered former spouse coverage may be changed to spouse coverage, only if you remarry, and you furnish DFAS a certified copy of a court order that modifies the provisions of all previous court orders and removes any requirement to provide former spouse SBP coverage. Former spouse coverage can also be changed if your former spouse dies.
If the former spouse SBP is based on a written agreement that has not been incorporated or ratified or approved by a court order, you must furnish DFAS a statement that is signed by you and your former spouse, which proves your former spouse's agreement to the change. In addition, you must certify either that the court order is valid and in effect or that the statement is current and in effect.
Spouse; Spouse & Children; Children only; Former spouse; Former spouse and children; or Persons with an insurable interest
Yes, but only if the grandchildren live with and are supported by the military grandparent.
This is an election that can be made by the unmarried retiree who might want to provide for a relative (including dependent children) or other person who could be hurt financially if the retiree dies.
Yes. Your nonmilitary spouse can veto your election should you elect to not participate in SBP or elect not to participate at the maximum level. Every retiring member is automatically enrolled in SBP for full coverage unless the spouse consents in writing to reduced coverage or no coverage.
No. The election you make prior to retirement is irrevocable after you retire.
No. If you were married with children and elected (with the spouse's consent) children-only coverage, the current spouse or a new spouse can never be covered under the plan.
No. Once an election is made, it cannot be changed.
Yes. You may submit a request to voluntarily discontinue participation in SBP during a one-year period beginning on the second anniversary of the date of commencement of retired pay. For the purposes of this policy, the date of commencement of retired pay is defined as the date the retiree became entitled to receive retired pay. Subsequent recall to active duty following retirement does not alter this date.
Yes, to cover a newly acquired spouse or child. The change must take place within one year after marriage or acquiring a child anytime during the same year. An insurable interest election can also be canceled at any time except for an insurable interest election that covers a former spouse. No refund of payments are made at any time if an insurable interest election is canceled.
Yes, with the consent of your spouse. In cases where DIC is involved (DIC reduces the SBP annuity dollar for dollar), if the DIC amount is more than the SBP annuity, the surviving spouse is entitled to a refund of all SBP payments. If SBP exceeds the DIC amount, the surviving spouse will receive the difference between the SBP annuity and DIC, plus a refund of SBP payments for that portion of the SBP annuity not received.
The cost for spouse-only coverage is 6.5% of gross military retired pay if the maximum election is made.
Additional costs of children are based on the age of the youngest child and the ages of both spouses and therefore varies.
The cost for an insurable interest election is 10% of the gross retired pay plus an additional 5% for each full five years the beneficiary is younger than the retiree up to a maximum of 40% of your gross retired pay.
Yes. SBP costs, as well as the value of the SBP annuity and the annuity itself, increase with cost-of-living increases for military retired pay.
You can. You must contact the VA to do this.
No. Form 1099-R issued to you by the DFAS will show your net taxable pay after deducting the SBP cost.
Yes. Obtain Form W-4P from any IRS office, fill it out and send it to your DFAS.
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Related Topics: Survivor Benefits Veteran BenefitsJim Absher is Military.com's former benefits editor and columnist. He joined the Navy to see the world and later realized the world is two-thirds water. He also worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs in field offices and Washington, D.C. before coming to Military.com in 2015. Read Full Bio
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