While the number of survivors of military retirees likely would rise slightly through the decade, the projected outlays in benefits would rise more significantly, according to a white paper issued in January by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). In 2012, roughly 300,000 survivors of retirees would collect an average of $12,577 in benefits. By 2022, CBO projects, 319,000 survivors of retirees would collect an average of $15,189 in benefits.