The Survivor Benefit Plan 

2023 Active Duty/Line of Duty Optional Annuity 

for Dependent Children Elimination & 

Annuity Reversion to Surviving Spouses

Public - Sep2022

SBP = Department of Defense (DoD) Survivor Benefit Plan

DFAS = Defense Finance and Accounting Service; the DoD agency 

that processes Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) payments

What Happens in 2023

*Please see our special focus webpage for FAQs: https://www.dfas.mil/sbp2023childoptrev*

The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 repealed the authority for the 

Optional Annuity for Dependent Children for Active Duty/Line of Duty survivors beginning 

January 1, 2023.

This means for the surviving spouse of an Active Duty/Line of Duty member who requested to 

have the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) annuity paid directly to an eligible dependent child or children, 

the annuity will revert to the surviving spouse beginning in 2023 (if she or he submits documentation 

and is eligible). The first SBP monthly annuity payment of the reversion will be on February 1, 2023. 

Please note: The Optional Annuity for Dependent Children is only allowed when the service 

member died on active or inactive duty, in the line of duty, after October 7, 2001. This does NOT 

affect SBP payments for spouses or children of service members who retired prior to passing away. 

 

If you are the SURVIVING SPOUSE of an Active Duty/Line of 

Duty member and you requested to have the Survivor Benefit 

Plan (SBP) annuity paid directly to an eligible dependent child 

or children, here is what you need to do: 

Fill out and return the completed eligibility packet DFAS mailed OR 

download the packet from this webpage 

https://www.dfas.mil/sbp2023childoptrev, fill it out and return the 

completed packet to DFAS as soon as possible. Specific instructions are 

included in the packet. If you are not sure if you are eligible, please fill 

out and return the eligibility packet so DFAS can research your 

eligibility. For surviving spouses who submit documentation and are 

eligible, the first SBP monthly annuity payment they will receive will be 

February 1, 2023. 

For CHILD SBP ANNUITANTS who are currently receiving the 

SBP monthly annuity payment because the surviving spouse 

requested the “Optional Child Annuity,” here is what you need 

to know:

Your SBP monthly annuity payments will be suspended after your 

January 3, 2023 payment unless DFAS receives documentation 

that the surviving spouse is not eligible (deceased or not eligible due to 

remarriage before age 55). If DFAS receives documentation that the 

surviving spouse is not eligible, your SBP monthly annuity payments 

can continue as long as you are eligible. If DFAS receives documentation that the surviving spouse is eligible, the SBP monthly annuity 

payments will revert to the surviving spouse beginning February 1, 

2023. DFAS will mail you information on the expected status of the 

2023 SBP annuity during the fall of 2022. 

Page 1

Note: Dec 2022 SBP payments 

will be made on Jan 3, 2023. 

Jan 2023 payments will be made 

on Feb 1, 2023. 
The Survivor Benefit Plan 

2023 Active Duty/Line of Duty Optional Annuity 

for Dependent Children Elimination &

Annuity Reversion to Surviving Spouses

Page 2 Public– Sep2022

SBP-DIC Offset Phased 

Elimination News

www.dfas.mil/sbpdicnews

SBP 2023 Optional Child 

Annuity reversion

www.dfas.mil/sbp2023childoptrev

DFAS Facebook

www.facebook.com/DFASOfficial

Manage your SBP annuity

www.dfas.mil/managesbp

School certifications

www.dfas.mil/schoolcerts

myPay

https://mypay.dfas.mil

Helpful DFAS Webpages for SBP Annuitants

What Happens Between Now and 2023

*Please see our special focus webpage for FAQs: https://www.dfas.mil/sbp2023childoptrev*

For CHILD SBP ANNUITANTS who are currently receiving the 

SBP monthly annuity payment because the surviving spouse 

requested the “Optional Child Annuity,” here is what you need 

to know:

As long as you remain eligible, you will continue to receive your SBP 

monthly annuity payments through January 3, 2023. At that time, the 

SBP monthly annuity payments will revert to the surviving spouse, if 

they are documented as eligible. 

If DFAS receives documentation that the surviving spouse is not 

eligible (either the surviving spouse is deceased or not eligible due to 

remarriage before age 55), your SBP monthly annuity payments can 

continue (as long as you are eligible). DFAS will mail you information 

on the expected status of the 2023 SBP annuity during the fall of 2022. 

If you are the SURVIVING SPOUSE of an Active Duty/Line of 

Duty member and you requested to have the Survivor Benefit 

Plan (SBP) annuity paid directly to an eligible dependent child 

or children, here is what you need to know: 

If an eligible child (or children) is currently receiving the SBP 

monthly annuity payments, they will continue to receive the SBP 

monthly payments through Jan. 3, 2023 (as long as they remain 

eligible). If the SBP annuity is currently suspended because the child 

is no longer eligible, it will remain suspended until your first payment 

on February 1, 2023.

If you submit documentation to DFAS that shows you are eligible, 

you will receive your first SBP monthly annuity payment on February 1, 

2023. Please submit your documentation as soon as possible.

 If you submit documentation to DFAS that shows you are not 

eligible, the eligible child can continue to receive the SBP annuity 

payments after January 3, 2023. 

Note: Dec 2022 SBP payments 

will be made on Jan 3, 2023. 

Jan 2023 payments will be 

made on Feb 1, 2023.