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The Survivor Benefit Plan is one of the biggest decisions you make at retirement. This shows both sides of it: what SBP costs you (6.5% of your base amount) and what your survivor receives(55% of that base, for life, with COLA).
Your pension before taxes and deductions. Not sure? Estimate it with the retirement calculators below.
Your monthly premium (cost)
$195.00
6.5% of $3,000 · pre-tax
Your survivor's monthly annuity
$1,650.00
55% of $3,000 · for life
Spouse SBP: the premium is 6.5% of the base amount you elect (from $300 up to your full gross retired pay), and the survivor receives 55% of that base amount for life. Premiums come out pre-tax, and the annuity gets annual COLA — so its real value is protected against inflation, which is hard to match with private insurance.
It becomes paid-up: premiums stop after you've paid for 30 years (360 payments) and reached age 70 — after that, coverage continues at no further cost. The old two-tier drop to 35% at age 62 was eliminated; it's a flat 55% now.
SBP + DIC: since the offset was eliminated in January 2023, a survivor can receive both full SBP and full DIC. Reserve retirees have a separate RC-SBP cost structure, and child-only / insurable-interest options exist. This estimates standard active-duty spouse SBP — confirm your election details with DFAS. Educational estimate, not financial advice.
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Read the full SBP guide, estimate your pension with the retirement projector, and see what VA DIC would add (now stackable with SBP).