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We recognize that the laws and regulations governing military annuity pay are complex and can be difficult to understand. In each issue of the DFAS Survivor SBP Newsletter, we will share a few helpful tips and tidbits for survivors. Survivor Benefit Plan Coverage • Did You Know: There is only one SBP annuity. It is paid either to the spouse or to the child/children. If paid to the children, the annuity is split into equal shares. • Did You Know: The Optional Child Annuity is not an additional annuity payment. It is the option to pay the SBP annuity to the child/children instead of to the surviving spouse. • Did You Know: Spouse and child coverage means the spouse receives the annuity unless the spouse passes away or marries prior to age 55. Only then does the eligible child (or children) receive the annuity payment. • Did You Know: If the surviving spouse becomes ineligible, we need a new SBP application package for the child or children, including a new DD 2656-7 - Verification for Survivor Annuity. Multiple Child Annuitants • Did You Know: When there is more than one eligible child annuitant, the annuity payment is split into equal shares. If one of the children becomes ineligible (due to marriage or not attending school full-time), their share is redistributed to the other children, but only if the child’s ineligibility is documented with DFAS. If we do not received documentation of the child’s ineligibility, their share will be held until the child is proven eligible or ineligible. School Certifications
DFAS.mil Forms Page • Did You Know: The Forms page on our website is a one-stop spot for forms, form tools, how-to-checklists, and other helpful tools: https://www.dfas.mil/raforms Did You Know? DFAS Webpages for Survivors • Manage your SBP annuity: https://www.dfas.mil/managesbp • Understanding SBP, DIC, SSIA: https://www.dfas.mil/sbpdicssia • SBP-DIC offset phased elimination: https://www.dfas.mil/sbpdicnews • SBP 2023 Active Duty/Line of Duty child option reversion: https://www.dfas.mil/sbp2023childoptrev • School Certifications: https://www.dfas.mil/schoolcerts • Claim retiree Arrears of Pay: https://www.dfas.mil/retireeaop • Start an SBP annuity: https://www.dfas.mil/startsbp • AskDFAS: https://www.dfas.mil/AskDFAS • DFAS YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/DFAS • myPay: https://mypay.dfas.mil
Page updated: Dec 9, 2021