The Survivor Benefit Plan is a military retirement survivor protection program that provides monthly payments to a designated beneficiary if the retired service member dies. In a divorce involving military retirement the SBP election must be addressed in the decree.

SBP coverage for a former spouse must be elected by the service member or ordered by the court within specific time windows. Missing those windows can permanently eliminate the former spouse's SBP coverage regardless of what the decree says.

SBP coverage has a cost, a premium is deducted from the retired pay. The decree should address who is responsible for that cost.