The Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act: Survivor Benefit Plan Open Season


     The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2023 includes a Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) Open Season. The SBP Open Season began on December 23, 2022 and ends on January 1, 2024.

     The SBP Open Season allows for retirees receiving retired pay, eligible members, or former members awaiting retired pay who are currently NOT enrolled in SBP or RCSBP (Reserve Component Survivor Benefit Plan) to enroll. For a member who enrolls during the SBP Open Season, the law generally requires that the member will be responsible to pay retroactive SBP premium costs that would have been paid if the member had enrolled at retirement (or enrolled at another earlier date, depending on the member’s family circumstances).

     For retirees receiving pay, enrollment does require paying the premiums plus interest for the time period since the date they were first eligible to enroll, as well as the monthly premiums moving forward.

     The SBP Open Season also allows eligible members and former members who are currently enrolled in either SBP or RCSBP to permanently discontinue their SBP coverage. The law generally requires the covered beneficiaries to concur in writing with the election to discontinue. Previously paid premiums will not be refunded.

     DFAS is working to prepare the forms, policies, and processes required to facilitate this SBP Open Season. We will be not be able to answer specific questions until we obtain official DoD guidance on the new law, policy, and processes.

     In the meantime, we created a special focus webpage to post information and instructions as they become available.

     Please check our special focus webpage for news and information - https://www.dfas.mil/sbpopenseason23
 
Page updated December 23, 2022