Reserve Component Survivor Benefit Plan (RCSBP)

27 Feb Reserve Component Survivor Benefit Plan (RCSBP)

The Reserve Component Survivor Benefit Plan, or “RCSBP”, provides the same benefits to survivors of Reserve or Guard retirement-eligible servicemembers.

Reserve or Guard members may enroll in RCSBP when they become eligible for retired pay. At that point, there are three options for enrolling in RCSBP:

Take Advantage

Option A: You can decline to participate, but can still enroll if and when you:

• Get married (within one year of marriage)
• Begin receiving retired pay at age 60

Option B: You can defer the annuity payments until the date of your 60^th birthday (also called a “deferred annuity”).
Option C: You can elect have the annuity payments paid immediately upon your death (also called an “immediate annuity”).
To enroll in RCSBP, visit https://www.esd.whs.mil/DD/ to download DD Form 2656-5, “Reserve Component Survivor Benefit Plan (RCSBP) Election Certificate”.