SBP CalculatorSurvivor Benefit Plan Cost, Spouse Annuity & Break-Even
The Survivor Benefit Plan pays your spouse 55% of the base amount you choose for life, and costs 6.5% of that base amount each month until you have paid 30 years and reached age 70. Enter your retired pay and ages to see the premium, the after-tax cost, the spouse annuity and how premiums compare with what your spouse could collect.
Formulas from DoD’s Survivor Benefit Plan guidance, 10 U.S.C. 1452 and the DoD FMR Volume 7B, Chapter 45.
Premiums vs payout (with COLA)
How the Survivor Benefit Plan works
Military retired pay stops when the retiree dies. The Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) continues 55% of a base amount you choose, from $300 up to your full gross retired pay, to your spouse for life, with cost-of-living raises. Spouse coverage costs 6.5% of the base amount each month, taken from retired pay before tax.
Premiums stop once you have paid for 360 months (30 years) and reached age 70. Some retirees, including those who entered before March 1, 1990, disability retirees and reserve retirees, pay the lower of 6.5% or a threshold formula: 2.5% of a threshold amount ($1,096 in 2026) plus 10% of the base amount above it.
The formulas
Since January 1, 2023, the SBP-DIC offset (“widow’s tax”) is gone, so a surviving spouse can receive both SBP and VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation in full.
SBP cost and annuity by base amount
| Base amount (monthly) | Premium (6.5%) | Spouse annuity (55%) | Annuity per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1,000 | $65.00 | $550.00 | $6,600 |
| $2,000 | $130.00 | $1,100.00 | $13,200 |
| $3,000 | $195.00 | $1,650.00 | $19,800 |
| $4,000 | $260.00 | $2,200.00 | $26,400 |
| $5,000 | $325.00 | $2,750.00 | $33,000 |
Is SBP worth it?
The annuity lasts your spouse’s whole life and rises with inflation, which is hard to buy privately.
They reduce your taxable retired pay, which lowers the real cost.
Declining SBP or choosing less than full coverage requires your spouse’s notarized consent.
Between the 2nd and 3rd anniversary of retirement you can end coverage, with spouse consent, but premiums are not refunded.
How to use this SBP calculator
- Enter your gross retired payFrom the retirement calculator or your retirement estimate.
- Choose a base amountFull coverage uses all of it; a reduced base can be as low as $300.
- Set agesYour age and your spouse’s at retirement, and how long each might live.
- Read the break-evenSee how long your spouse would need to collect to recover the premiums.
Related military calculators
Every pay, retirement, VA, PT test, ASVAB and time tool in one place, filtered by who you are.
VA compensation is separate from retired pay and does not count toward SBP.
SBP FAQ
6.5% of the base amount you elect for spouse coverage. Full coverage on $3,000 of retired pay costs $195 a month, taken before tax.
55% of the base amount for life, increased by every retiree COLA. Full coverage on $3,000 pays $1,650 a month.
After you have paid 360 monthly premiums (30 years) and reached age 70, coverage continues free.
$1,096. Retirees eligible for the threshold method pay the lower of 6.5% or 2.5% of $1,096 plus 10% of the base amount above it.
Yes. The SBP-DIC offset was eliminated on January 1, 2023, so both are paid in full.
Once, between the second and third anniversary of retirement, with your spouse’s consent. Premiums already paid are not refunded.
$300 a month. The maximum is your full gross retired pay.
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Manzoor Ahmad
Calculator developer & web designer · 13+ years in web development and SEO
Last reviewed: October 30, 2026I am a pharmacist turned tech geek, and I design, code and test every calculator on DexoCalc myself. I have not served in the military, so this tool does not run on opinion: the 6.5% premium, 55% annuity, paid-up rule and threshold formula come from 10 U.S.C. 1452 and DoD FMR Volume 7B, Chapter 45, with the 2026 threshold of $1,096.
Spot a result that does not match an official source? Tell me and I will re-check it.
Sources
- Military Compensation: Survivor Benefit Program
- DoD FMR Volume 7B, Chapter 45: SBP premiums
- 10 U.S.C. 1452: Reduction in retired pay
Disclaimer: DexoCalc is independent and not affiliated with the Department of Defense (Department of War), the Department of Veterans Affairs or any military branch. Results are educational estimates; official records and your chain of command decide.
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