Survivor Benefit Plan Calculator

Calculate military Survivor Benefit Plan costs and annuity payments.

By Konstantin Iakovlev · Updated April 2026 · Source: DFAS

$

SBP Cost

$195.00

Survivor Payment

$1,650.00

SBP Details

Retired Pay$3,000.00
SBP Premium (6.5%)$195.00
Net After SBP$2,805.00
Survivor Receives (55%)$1,650.00

Use the Survivor Benefit Plan Calculator above to calculate your results. Enter your values and see instant results — all calculations run in your browser.

Disclaimer: This calculator is for informational purposes only and does not constitute tax, financial, or legal advice. Results are estimates based on the information you provide and current rates. Always consult a qualified tax professional or financial advisor for advice specific to your situation.

How It Works

Electing the military Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) at retirement is a decision with lasting financial weight, and this tool lays out both sides of it for service members retiring in 2026. It shows the monthly premium you would pay and the annuity your beneficiaries would collect, so the trade-off is visible before you commit. Those numbers matter because SBP is one of the main ways a retiree can keep income flowing to a spouse or child after death.

Your premium is a share of the base amount you choose to cover. For 2026 retirements, that share is 6.5% of the elected base amount, and the base can be set anywhere from $300 up to your full retired pay. The survivor annuity, paid to an eligible spouse or child, generally amounts to 55% of that same elected base.

Two opposite errors are common: treating the premium as trivial over a long retirement, or locking in a larger base amount than the family will realistically need. Because premiums come out of gross retired pay and the annuity is taxable to the recipient, both figures deserve a careful look. Weighing any private life insurance you carry against SBP helps you see how the pieces fit together.

Example: Colonel John Doe's 2026 SBP Decision

  1. 1 Colonel John Doe retires in 2026 with a monthly retired pay of $8,000. He wants to ensure his spouse receives a substantial benefit and elects a base amount of $5,000.
  2. 2 His monthly SBP premium would be 6.5% of $5,000, which is $325. His spouse's potential annuity would be 55% of $5,000, equaling $2,750 per month.
  3. 3 Colonel Doe's monthly SBP premium: $325. His spouse's potential monthly SBP annuity: $2,750.
  4. 4 This means Colonel Doe's retired pay will be reduced by $325 each month, but in the event of his passing, his spouse would receive $2,750 per month for life, adjusted for cost-of-living increases.

Source: DFAS · Last updated: April 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does the Survivor Benefit Plan cost?
SBP premiums are 6.5% of your base amount (chosen retirement pay level). For a retiree receiving $3,000/month who selects full coverage, the premium is $195/month. Premiums stop after 30 years of payments and reaching age 70.
How much does SBP pay to the surviving spouse?
SBP pays the beneficiary 55% of the selected base amount. If you select full retired pay as your base and receive $3,000/month, the survivor receives $1,650/month. This annuity is adjusted for COLA and continues for the life of the spouse.
Is SBP worth the cost?
SBP provides guaranteed, inflation-adjusted income for life at a subsidized rate. The government pays about 40% of the true cost. Compared to a commercial annuity providing equivalent benefits, SBP is generally a better value, especially for longer-lived survivors.

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