Beneficiaries of the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) who do not receive at least 50 percent of the base amount selected by their deceased spouse should see their annuities rise to 50 percent in May 2007. Those already receiving 50 percent or more will see no increase. A final rise in SBP payments to 55 percent will occur in April 2008 for annuitants who are not already receiving 55 percent. The increases represent the final phase-out of a two-tier system that restricted many surviving spouses to maximum annuity payments of as little as 35 percent.
