Your Retiree Account Statement (RAS) Shows Your Current SBP Coverage

      Your Retiree Account Statement (RAS), available in myPay, has a lot of information on it about pay, deductions, taxes and SBP. The SBP section has five lines for members who participate in SBP. The most important information for you to check is the type of coverage and the name and date of birth of your spouse beneficiary and/or youngest child, depending on your coverage.

     If you have spouse coverage your RAS will state the type of coverage and show the date of birth of your spouse.

     If you have spouse and child coverage your RAS will state the type of coverage and show the date of birth of your spouse and the date of birth of your youngest child, like the example below:
 

     If you have child only coverage your RAS will state the type of coverage and show the date of birth of your youngest child only.
 

Notify DFAS If You Have Life-Changing Events

     If you have elected SBP coverage, it is important for you to notify us when a beneficiary change occurs. Changes can be triggered by marriage, divorce, loss of a spouse, or having a child. These changes can affect SBP premium payments. In addition, some SBP changes have a one-year time limit for notifying DFAS.

     If changes are needed to your Survivor Benefit Plan coverage, please note that DFAS needs a copy of the official documentation (marriage license, divorce decree, death certificate or birth certificate), along with the Survivor Benefit Plan Election Change form (DD2656-6) to update your account.

     Please see our Changing or Stopping Your SBP Coverage webpage for additional information: https://www.dfas.mil/providesbp
 

Spouse vs. Former Spouse Coverage

     If you divorced since retiring, carefully check your Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) participation status. Under the law, SBP coverage for a spouse ends with a divorce. Coverage for a former spouse does not continue after the divorce unless certain actions are taken.

     To continue SBP coverage for a former spouse, either (a) the retiree must voluntarily request coverage be continued for the former spouse, or, (b) the former spouse must request the coverage (but she/he may do so only if a court order requires the coverage). Certain time limits and other conditions apply.

     If those actions were not taken, the coverage for the former spouse has ended. This could have important consequences for your survivors.
 

If your RAS looks like this, coverage for a former spouse is in place:

If your RAS looks like this, your former spouse is NOT being covered by the SBP even if her/his DOB is listed:

     To check your SBP coverage status, review your Retiree Account Statement (RAS) carefully. Make sure that the “SBP Coverage Type” properly reflects “former spouse” or “spouse” (as applicable to your individual circumstances).

     Please see examples and more information on our special webpage “How to Identify the Status of Spouse/Former Spouse SBP Coverage on your Retiree Account Statement” for more details:
https://www.dfas.mil/RetiredMilitary/provide/sbp/coverage/Spouse-or-Former-Spouse-SBP-Coverage-RAS

Page updated December 23, 2022