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Military Surviving Spouse Benefits

January 30, 2008 By admin

When a military Servicemember passes away, the retirement pay stops.

This can cause a hardship with the military surviving spouse benefits who is left without an income source, and that can spell ruin for many service member families. If you are a military retired member, you need to sit down and take a long look at contingency planning, and what are the likely difficulties and hardships that your surviving spouse will have to face?? The loss of your retirement pay can be a devastating heartache for your family that you leave behind.

One positive option open to the service member is the Survivor Benefit program.? The SBP is a program insurance plan to help your surviving spouse receive a portion of your retirement pay in the form of a monthly allotment.? The loss of your retirement income does not need to be crippling, and the survivor benefit plan can help protect against that happening.
The survivor benefit plan is designed to help protect against:

-Inflation.

-Your military survivor spouse benefits.

Starting 1 October 2008, SBP program participants who are enrolled in the Survivor Benefit plan and retired have a new date to mark on their calendars. Retired Survivor Benefit plan members who have made payments for thirty years (three hundred sixty payments) and who achieve seventy years of age, will no longer have to pay continued premiums. Their SBP coverage will continue forward and be in paid up status.

At retirement age, if you take no action you will be automatically enrolled in the Survivor Benefit plan if you take no other action.? You cannot decline or reduce your coverage without having the written permission of your spouse.? So it’s a wise choice to sit down with your spouse and discuss these options before its time to retire, as you both have to sign to set the process in motion.? You may choose coverage for a spouse, children, or former spouse. In some Cases you can sometimes elect to cover a business partner, or a parent.? This is called coverage of an Insurable Interests?, and is sometimes available if you have no other dependents.

The premiums can vary quite a bit, and depend mostly on the benefit amount that you elect for your coverage.? SBP coverage, benefits, and premiums are calculated on the benefit level or base amount? that you choose.? You can select full coverage down to as little at $300 dollars a month.? Full coverage taken at the time of retirement will equal your spouse able to receive fifty five percent of your retirement income.

Filed Under: Benefits, Updates

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Comments

  1. Denise Humphrey says

    March 31, 2009 at 3:57 pm

    My father retired from the Air Force in 1970. At that time, he took his full retirement benefits. Now, years later, he’s concerned about what would happen to my mom if he died. Are there any options at this point for him and her?

  2. deyanira moreland says

    May 22, 2009 at 12:27 pm

    if im surviving spouse, can i get military II D to enter in the base to shop in the commissary or px.

  3. Scott Mcfarland says

    May 28, 2009 at 1:20 pm

    I have a question. my father retired from the air force in 1973, he divorced my mother in 1985. They were married for approx 30years and she never worked while he was in the service. Does she have any rights to a portion of his retirement and or SS?

  4. diane mason says

    April 14, 2011 at 4:08 pm

    My husband is receiving his full retirement from the Dept of Defense. He chose not to selet the survivors benefit plan for me, his wife of forty-one years. The military had nothing in place to inform me of what I forfeited in 1974. Threfore, upon the death of my husband can I appeal for the survivors benefits. If so how do I go about that.

    DM

    • sylvia says

      January 21, 2019 at 2:43 pm

      My husband is receiving his full retirement from the coast guard He chose not to selet the survivors benefit plan for me, his wife of twenty-six years. The military had nothing in place to inform me of what I forfeited . Threfore, upon the death of my husband can I appeal for the survivors benefits. If so how do I go about that.

  5. barbara green says

    May 12, 2011 at 6:11 pm

    Am I entitled to any of my ex husbands retirement at his death, if I re married ?.( I am not married now) however I was a us navy wife for 20 yrs.while I was married to him. He retired as a Chief Petty Officer. Who do I contact to find out all of the answers I need ?

    • Teisha says

      August 7, 2018 at 10:19 am

      There are lots of if’s in this but you should contact your local Veterans Affairs office and they will help you fill out all the paperwork to see if you are eligible or go to the VA website.

  6. Donna Howell says

    June 7, 2011 at 9:54 am

    Where are the answers to these questions?

  7. Fay Arruda says

    October 2, 2011 at 12:45 pm

    My father passed away in 1993. I recently went to the VA to see if my mother qualified for VA nursing home benefits. They seemed concerned that my mother didn’t receive any income from the my father’s Navy retirement. How may I find out whether she should have received anything since the time of my father’s death.

  8. don says

    April 17, 2012 at 2:36 am

    My friends husband sserved 22 years in te miltaary,but did not pay for the Survivior benefits package.
    Can his wife get any benefits ?

    Thanks,

    Don

  9. Crisna says

    June 4, 2012 at 10:41 am

    I just want to ask. My father died last May 02, 2012 just want to ask what benefits I could get since my father is a retired US navy?

  10. Beverly says

    December 17, 2012 at 11:57 am

    My friend married a Navy retiree 2 years ago . Is she entitled to survivor benefits if he passes before her ?

  11. Nan says

    January 16, 2013 at 9:08 pm

    I am the named beneficiary on my ex-husband’s survivior benefits. If he passes away, how do I apply for benefits? We live in different states. He is retired Air Force T/Sgt. and lives in Jacksonville, FL. Thanks for your help.

  12. Cheryl Sawyer says

    February 27, 2013 at 1:53 pm

    Hello, My husband died in 1979 while on active duty, the casualty report state that it was military related. At that time BAH was never mentioned, am I still qualified to receive in now. I am going through the process of qualifying to rent housing on base in montgomery alabama. While researching
    I found information that I should have qualified for BAH. I want to know if I still qualify for BAH for the time alloted, being that my hsuband died in 1979.

  13. Michael Rogers says

    April 18, 2013 at 3:04 pm

    I was wondering if my mom gets any survivor benefits from my dad being in the service(Navy) back in the late 1940’s

  14. webster says

    October 29, 2013 at 7:33 am

    my husband passed away 2010 and I cannot get his retirement pension. I was told my husband did not check off a box that should have been. Can I appeal and if so, is there any hope of receiving 55 per cent of his pension. Our home is going into forclosure and I really need our pension.

  15. Linda Metcalf says

    February 27, 2014 at 12:59 pm

    My husband passed away in Dec. 2013, he retired in 1977 and I don’t know if he set up a survives beniefit at that time or not. How would I find out or does the retirement pay just stop?

  16. Sandra says

    April 26, 2014 at 7:08 pm

    my husband retired from the us navy in dec. of 2007 after serving 20th years. he has recently passed away and I was told he did have sbp coverage. after reading up on sbp coverage I’m to sign declining it as well I don’t remember sign such how can’t I find out I tried calling dfas
    and it doesn’t get me any where.
    thanks

  17. Ann Lewis says

    May 29, 2014 at 12:41 am

    My husband who was a retired airforce died. Am I entitled to any benefits? I have an ID for commissary etc but are there are any partial pay benefits.
    Thank you

  18. Sandra Martin says

    July 26, 2014 at 4:09 pm

    Retired 2005 from USA army will be getting married. In 2014 to a Egyptian what benefits will he be able to receive medical, military ID card, space a travel, pension when I die
    Thank you

  19. Juan Gonzalez says

    July 31, 2014 at 5:30 pm

    I am a retird Navy Veteran who got married after my retirement. 16 years later and one child, my wife now wants a divorce because she is just not happy. (she wanted a rich man). I have agreed to let her child support come from my retired pay in the form of an allotment. Her lawyer wants to know if I ever passed away, would her child support be reduced? I don’t think so since this if solely for my daughter and not for the spouse. What are the facts?

  20. Lynda Francis says

    September 5, 2014 at 4:16 pm

    My husband passed away in 2008 I have no income at the present and am homeless I filled out papers to receive his retirement benefit and was told I had to appeal to the Army board if corrections. I did 10 months ago. Is there any help for me?

  21. Richard Hatcher says

    November 3, 2014 at 12:47 pm

    My father just died and was retired Air force for 25 years are there any benefits after death

  22. Mary J Campbell says

    May 10, 2015 at 10:10 am

    I married a retired airforce man about a year and a half ago. He receives an Airforce SBP check from his late wife. Will I receive that check if he should pass away before me? He is 74 years old & as far as I know he does not have SBP in place for me? Can/should he do that for me?

    Thank you..

  23. carolyn warren says

    July 12, 2015 at 4:34 pm

    hi
    can i collect benefits
    off of my husband he passed away in 2010 he was in military in 1955 1959
    and reserve
    thank you

  24. Phillip says

    July 30, 2015 at 8:44 pm

    my father served 30 years in the Navy. Pass away in all benefits went to my mom. My mother passed away four years ago and all benefits stop. As my mother and father son can I claim blthe benefits I am 45 years old. Please advise

  25. Cynthia Williams says

    August 20, 2015 at 1:18 pm

    My husband passed away 2009 he was a retired air force master sergeant, What amount of pay am I entitled too?
    thank you

  26. Barb Taylor says

    September 23, 2015 at 12:43 pm

    I am married to a gentleman who retired from the Navy after 20 years of service. He receives a retirement payment monthly. If he should die will I be entitled to anything. What is SPB insurance? Are we allowed to apply for this years later?

  27. Tracey Houskeeper says

    October 8, 2015 at 9:10 pm

    My ex husband retired from the Air Nation Guard/Air Force last December. I am to receive half of the retirement as awarded in the divorce decree. How do I apply for it? Who can I contact with questions? My ex will not give me any info at all so I need help.

    Thank you for your time.

  28. Andrew Nemeth says

    November 29, 2015 at 9:34 pm

    My dad was retired at the air force.
    My dad had a second marriage,retired from Air force before I born.
    My dad passed away with 91 years old, I am 34 years old now.
    Do I can get any benefit(?) like 5…
    Military ID (?)
    Discounts (?)
    College financial help or college classes given by of the military (?)

  29. Jean Piotrowski says

    January 29, 2016 at 2:31 pm

    My husband retired the Army in 1992 and passed away in 1995 He took SRB but because we had gotten divorced I was told I wouldn’t get the insurance. He continued to pay into the insurance after he retired and never took my name off the insurance. I am now 70 years old. Thank you for you answer

  30. Peggy Fowler says

    March 22, 2016 at 10:36 pm

    My email address is:
    [email protected]

    My husband was in the Air Force for 24 years. He is retired and also disable. While he was in service he did not have any Survivor’s Benefit plan.What do we need to do if something should happened to him first?

  31. Peggy Fowler says

    March 22, 2016 at 11:38 pm

    My email address is:
    [email protected]

    My husband was in the Air Force for 24 years. He is retired and also disable. While he was in service he did not have any Survivor’s Benefit plan.What do we need to do if something should happened to him first? Can he
    enroll in the Survivor”s Benefit Plan now?

  32. Evan Nelsen says

    December 7, 2016 at 5:55 pm

    Hello, I have a retired friend who is impoverished. She says that when her husband died while serving in the air force many years ago, she opted for a plan that would provide her income upon retirement instead of an immediate payment. She does not have the resources or knowledge to know how to claim this. Where should we start? Thank you.

  33. Sharon leimenstoll says

    February 24, 2017 at 9:32 am

    My husband is retired USAF .He is about to go into a nursing home. We have been separated for five years I understand on his death I am entitled to half his retirement. How to I get this. Sharon Leimenstoll

  34. Toni Spencer says

    March 8, 2017 at 11:47 am

    I married my husband after I retired, do I have to make him the Beneficiary, if I die before him? We have 1 daughter who is 19.

  35. Brandi says

    April 11, 2017 at 3:56 pm

    My father just passed away and was retired Navy. I need a list of who I need to contact please. I’m sorry I’m leaving a comment here but I have tried to call and contact may people and no one has provided me with any service because I am not military my self.

  36. brenda honeycutt says

    May 21, 2018 at 5:01 pm

    My husband passed away more than 40 yrs but I never applied for anything, can I still apply at this time for the Tricare program?

  37. Teisha says

    August 7, 2018 at 10:21 am

    Do you have a Military Id card still?

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