DD Form 2656-8 Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) - Automatic Coverage Fact Sheet

DD Form 2656-8 Instructions

The law states that every United States service member that has a spouse or children and retired on or after September 21, 1972, is automatically covered under maximum-rate SBP unless selected otherwise before retirement. The purpose of DD 2656-8 is to correct automatically established SBP coverage to include a former spouse or any dependent or incapacitated children the retiree may have.

1. The form consists of eight items that either identify the service member or provide information about the dependents. Boxes 1 through 3 are for entering the full name, social security number, and date of birth of the retiree. Box 4 describes the marital status and Box 5 describes the dependency status.
2. Box 6 calls for the spouse's name, social security number, date of birth, and the date and place of marriage.
3. Box 7 is for listing all dependent children under the age of 22, children over the age of 22 disabled before the age of 18, and children with a disability incurred before the age of 22 while attending school.
4. Box 8a, 8b, and 8c are for certification by the signatures of the retiree and a witness and for the date of signing respectively.

DD 2656-8 Related Forms

1. DD Form 2656, Data for Payment of Retired Personnel is the main form in the DD 2656 Forms series and is used for electing an SBP and designating beneficiaries for retired pay.
2. DD Form 2656-1, SBP Election Statement for Former Spouse Coverage is a form used by spouses and former spouses of servicemen for purposes of providing information regarding SBP benefits.
3. DD Form 2656-2, SBP Termination Request is used to voluntarily discontinue participation in the Uniformed ServicesSurvivor Benefit Plan.
4. DD Form 2656-5, RCSBP Election Certificate is used by Reserve Component Members to make an election for the Reserve Component Survivor Benefit Plan during the 90-day period after receiving notification of eligibility to claim Reserve retired pay.
5. DD Form 2656-6, SBP Election Change Certificate is used by a retired army member along with the appropriate documentation to change a Survivor Benefit Plan election.
6. DD Form 2656-7, Verification for Survivor Annuity is used by the surviving spouse, former spouse or dependent children to verify eligibility for an annuity under the SBP, Retired Servicemen Family Protection Plan or Reserve Component SBP.
7. DD Form 2656-10, SBP/RC SBP Request for Deemed Election is used by former spouses to provide information related to SBP coverage.
8. DD Form 2656-11, Statement Certifying Number of Months of SBP Premiums Paid is a form submitted in order to contest the number of months credited toward Paid-up SBP by the DFAS.