Fill Out SGLV 8286 Online

What is SGLV 8286 used for

The form records three decisions that shape a member's SGLI coverage:

• The coverage amount, which can be elected up to the program maximum shown on the VA website, in the increments the program allows
• A reduction or complete declination of coverage, for members who want less than the automatic amount
• Beneficiary designations, naming who receives the proceeds and in what shares

Who still files the paper form

Members with full-time SGLI coverage manage elections and beneficiaries in SOES, and the VA states plainly that they no longer need SGLV 8286 for those changes. SOES is available at any time through milConnect with a Common Access Card or DS Logon.

The paper form remains the correct route for members with part-time SGLI coverage, which applies to certain National Guard and Reserve members who are covered only on duty days. If you are unsure which group you fall into, your unit personnel office can confirm before you fill anything out.

How to fill out SGLV 8286

When the paper form applies to you, complete it carefully and in full:

• Member identification: name, Social Security number, branch of service, and duty status
• Coverage election: the amount you want, or the box declining or reducing coverage
• Beneficiary section: each beneficiary's name, address, relationship, share, and how payment should be made
• Signature and date: sign in front of the certifying official at your personnel office, who also signs the form

Where to send it

Submit the completed form to your branch of service personnel office. The office certifies the election, files it in your official records, and the coverage or beneficiary change takes effect according to the program's rules.

Keep a copy. Beneficiary disputes usually come down to which valid designation was on file most recently, so a dated copy in your own records is worth having.