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HomeRetiredMilitarynewseventsnewsletterSeptember 2022 SBP Optional Annuity Dependent Children 2023 Changes

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#### **The 2023 Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) Elimination of the Optional Annuity for Dependent Children and Reversion of SBP Annuity to Surviving Spouses**

**Optional Annuity for Dependent Children****active duty or inactive duty in the line of duty after October 7, 2001.****do not impact the SBP coverage for families of a service member who retired****https://www.dfas.mil/sbp2023childoptrev****What Happens in 2023****The first SBP monthly payment to surviving spouses documented as eligible will be February 1, 2023.****paid on January 3, 2023****Can an Eligible Child Continue to Receive the SBP Annuity? Can a Spouse Choose to Have the SBP Annuity Paid to the Child?****What Happens Between Now and 2023**** January 3, 2023**                        - If a child or children lose eligibility because they marry or reach age 18 (or age 22 if a full-time student) prior to January 1, 2023, the annuity will be suspended until January 1, 2023. On January 1, 2023, the annuity will revert to the surviving spouse (if the spouse is eligible and submits documentation) and the first payment to the eligible spouse based on these changes will be made on February 1, 2023.
                        - If the annuity is already suspended because the child or children are no longer eligible, it will continue to be suspended until January 1, 2023. On January 1, 2023, the annuity will revert to the surviving spouse (if the spouse is eligible and submits documentation) and the first payment to the eligible spouse based on these changes will be made on February 1, 2023.
                        - If the annuity is suspended because the child/children are no longer eligible and we  do not receive eligibility documentation for the surviving spouse , the annuity will  remain suspended  until we receive the documentation.  
                        - If we have received eligibility documentation from the surviving spouse, and the spouse is  eligible , the  spouse will receive  the SBP annuity payment beginning with the January 2023 payment made on February 1, 2023.  The child/children’s last SBP payment will be the December entitlement, which will be paid  on January 3, 2023.
                        - If we have received eligibility documentation from the surviving spouse, and the spouse is  not eligible , the  child/children will continue to receive the SBP annuity payment,  even after January 1, 2023, as long as they remain eligible.
                        - If we have NOT received eligibility documentation from the surviving spouse, the annuity will be suspended beginning with the January 2023 entitlement which would have been paid on February 1, 2023 and remain suspended until we receive documentation.  The child/children’s last SBP payment prior to suspension will be the December entitlement, which will be paid  on January 3, 2023.
**The Process of Documenting Eligibility for Surviving Spouses****https://www.dfas.mil/sbp2023childoptrev****we encourage surviving spouses who are in this group to provide us with their documentation as soon as possible. ****https://www.dfas.mil/sbp2023childoptrev****We Do Need Eligibility Information for ALL Surviving Spouses****all ****There are two reasons: **** if the surviving spouse is documented as not eligible (or deceased), we can continue to pay the SBP annuity to an eligible child****the annuity payments must be suspended as of January 2023****Surviving Spouses of Active Duty/Line of Duty Service Members Who Are Currently Entitled to SBP/SSIA ****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. ****retired****See Our Special Focus Webpage for Additional Information****new Quick Reference Guide****https://www.dfas.mil/sbp2023childoptrev**
Page updated Sep 28 2022

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