New! Reserve Component Survivor Benefit Plan (RCSBP) elections in the Integrated Personnel and Pay System - Army (IPPS-A)

By Patty Cruz       April 2026

Did you know that as a Reserve Component (RC) Soldier, you can now submit your Reserve Component Survivor Benefit Plan Election (RCSBP) within the Integrated Personnel and Pay System – Army (IPPS-A)?

Reserve Component Soldiers receive notifications directing them to contact their Retirement Services Officer (RSO) prior to receiving their Notification of Eligibility (NOE) for non-regular retired pay. This allows you to receive your mandatory RCSBP counseling in preparation for their RCSBP decision. Once the NOE is published, you should receive a notification from IPPS-A that includes the following attachments:

  • NOE for Non-regular retired pay
  • RCSBP fact sheet
  • RCSBP counseling form
  • DD Form 2656-5, RCSBP election certificate

You have 90 days from the date of the publication of the NOE to complete and submit the RCSBP election certificate, DD Form 2656-5.

We understand that you are busy with your family life, your full-time job, and your Army job, and as a result, prioritizing you can be difficult. So, if you are within the 90-day window and have not received your RCSBP counseling, call your RSO as soon as possible. You still need to make this decision even if you are not ready to hang up the uniform. If you do not, you will receive automatic coverage by law.

Once you have received your RCSBP counseling from your RSO and completed the DD Form 2656-5, you will upload it in IPPS-A where it will be processed and approved. Here’s how:

  1. Sign in to IPPS-A by going to: https://my.ippsa.army.mil
  1. Go to the “Pay-Absense-Incent-Ded (PAID)” tile
  2. Use the drop-down menu under “Entry Type” to select “Benefits”
  3. Then click “Add” at the bottom
  4. Once you transfer to the new screen, click the search button next to “Benefits Category” and select “RCSBP”. Read the instructions carefully so that your submission goes through on the first try.
  5. Select the RCSBP Option that you are electing. If you choose to elect RCSBP coverage (B or C), you will have additional fields to enter such as “Type of Coverage” and “Level of Coverage”. You will only need to enter an amount if you choose “B-Reduced Retired Pay” for the level of coverage.
  6. The “Change Reason” is “Initial”
  7. Next, click “Attach” and upload your DD Form 2656-5, signed RCSBP counseling form, and any other supporting documentation as one pdf.
  8. Lastly, click “Submit” and it will be routed to Army Human Resources Command for the Army Reserve and the State Joint Force Headquarters for the Army National Guard.

Don’t wait until the last minute. Take the time to prioritize you. For more information, reach out to your RSO. They are here to help!

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