SBP Info

You are retirement bound!

What is SBP? Learn in 2 minutes by watching the informative video below. Retired pay stops upon your death. Only through participation in SBP can a monthly annuity be paid to your survivors. Regardless of marital status, all retirees must make an election regarding SBP. 

Out-processing Steps for Retiring USAF/USSF Members (JBAB):

This section provides guidance on required pre-retirement actions as outlined in DoDI 1332.42.

1. Read this FAQ for retiring members and SBP Briefing Slides
2. Your spouse reads this FAQ (if applicable)
3. Run your retired pay and SBP premium estimates here
   • Calculator demo:
     
4. Required Form: All retiring members, regardless of marital status, are required to complete DD Form 2656, Data for Payment of Retired Personnel (v. Mar 22). This form reflects your SBP decision and sets up your Retired Pay Account with DFAS. Failure to complete will cause delays in retired pay and auto max spouse SBP coverage.
   • Open form in Microsoft Edge, if issues loading form then select on top right "Open in Internet Explorer Mode"
   • There are 3 pages of instructions at the end of the form if needed
5. Submit Form: Upload directly to DFAS via AskDFAS tool
   • Select "Submit a Ticket"
   • Select "For Branch of Service Use Only" and "Retiree SBP Documentation"
   • Complete all fields and Upload File - 2656 is an interactive form and MUST be converted to a standard PDF before uploading (Save as PDF or PRINT TO PDF). Form will NOT be processed if in incorrect format.
   • Keep your ticket information and DD Form 2656 for your records and final out-processing
   • Please note, if DFAS does not receive a valid DD Form 2656 prior to retirement, retired pay will be delayed and max spouse coverage will be auto established
6. IN RETIREMENT: promptly notify DFAS of any dependency changes that may affect your SBP.
   • Any Retiree Pay or SBP questions in retirement, call DFAS directly at 800-321-1080