By Army Retirement Services      May 2026

It’s important to know that if you elected SBP at retirement, you are responsible for updating your SBP election during retirement when certain life events occur.  

Every issue of Army Echoes reminds Retired Soldiers to update their SBP election within one year of a change in dependent status such as gaining a child, marriage, divorce, or death. Ignoring this reminder can result in a Retired Soldier or surviving spouse accumulating a substantial debt or, in some cases, losing SBP coverage for a dependent. To change an SBP election, unless otherwise noted, submit a DD Form 2656-6 (SBP Election Change Certificate), to DFAS with supporting documentation (for example, divorce decree, marriage certificate, death certificate, birth certificate, adoption decree, or guardianship decree). The mailing address is on the DD Form 2656-6 or you can submit it through askDFAS customer service tool at https://www.dfas.mil/dfas/AskDFAS/. For more detailed information and access to the form wizard for the DD Form 2656-6, go to the DFAS website at https://www.dfas.mil/RetiredMilitary/provide/sbp/maintain/. 

SBP premiums are suspended when DFAS is properly notified there is no eligible SBP beneficiary for an SBP category. However, a retired Reserve Soldier will continue to pay child RCSBP costs for the RCSBP coverage previously received even when there is no longer an eligible child.