The veterans who are thinking about being a part of the battlefield want to have a surety that their dependents will be taken good care of while they are gone, provided it may be permanent or temporary. The surviving spouse cannot have remarried after the veteran's death even if the surviving spouse is currently single. The following website may be visited for further details: www.vba.va.gov/bln/dependents/index. VA Memorial Benefits for Surviving Spouses and Dependents. In addition to burial assistance, educational assistance and health care benefits, the spouse also falls under the eligibility criteria of receiving different sorts of financial help and monetary benefits. Read my series of posts explaining the Basics of Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC). Around 67,000 surviving spouses of deceased veterans could be set to receive full survivor's benefits due to the elimination of the "military widow's tax." I do not response to Individual claim and legal questions, although I do catalog them for post / video ideas. This benefit is called Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), and it is paid on a monthly basis. …my own grandfather died of the symptoms of his PTSD after he fought at the Battle of the Bulge in WW2, and the VA left my grandmother high and dry….that was before I was even an attorney. This benefit – often referred to as “service-connection of the cause of death” – provides a monthly payment to the surviving spouses of veterans if the veteran’s service-connected condition (or conditions that SHOULD have been service connected while the Veteran was living) were a contributing factor to the veteran’s death. Some spouses and surviving spouses may also be eligible. Many veterans know about the basic health care and education benefits available to them through the Department of Veterans Affairs: Tricare and the GI Bill.­­­ While these benefits alone are substantial, numerous other programs help provide more benefits to veterans and their families. The first benefit that my Firm always considers is “Accrued Benefits”. … Qualifying surviving spouses and dependents may be eligible for VA burial benefits including interment in one of the 135 VA national cemeteries. 8 VETERANS BENEFITS were not recovered or identified, buried at sea, donated to science, or cremated and scattered. Some of these programs are for low-income families only, and others are based on the veteran’s service-connected disabilities (if any). Spouses and other family members of enlisted personnel, whether active-duty, retired, deceased or part of the National Guard or reserves, may qualify for TRICARE health care coverage. Please refer to the table of contents in the top right column of this page for more topics on Benefits for Survivors of Veterans. TRICARE provides comprehensive coverage for both service members and their families, including surgeries, prenatal care, births, prescription medicine, dental care and services for individuals with special needs. While you may be entitled to survivor benefits, this doesn’t guarantee the VA won’t deny your claim. As the survivor of a Veteran or service member, you may qualify for added benefits, including help with burial costs and survivor compensation. This also lowers the “disposable” amount of retirement income. Seriously – if you are a Veteran’s surviving spouse, and are in the midst of grieving your loss, these justifications sound “logical”. Just so you know, I don’t give legal advice on the Blog…I focus my writing on how the process works and what the law means, but I can’t advise individuals on their claims. Spouses of veterans who die after January 2000 do not lose these burial benefits when they remarry. 2 Benefits that Might be Available to Surviving Spouses of Veterans. There are certain conditions that need to be met, of course, in order to qualify. Find out About Other GI Bill Benefits. The provided benefits are equally significant for the veteran as well as their families. Find an attorney – I don’t care if it is my firm or another accredited VA attorney. Surviving spouses and dependent children may also be eligible for burial benefits through the VA. These cash benefits for survivors include dependents indemnity compensation (DIC), accrued disability compensation benefits, and death pension. My father was in WWII and the Korean War. What do I have to prove to receive DIC benefits? Survivor Education Benefits The Department of Veterans Affairs administers the Survivors and Dependents Education Assistance Program, which provides financial assistance for widowed spouses and dependents of deceased service members. Here’s what one Veteran said about the Guidebook: I would like to get some advice. I have used his ID at Home Depot and never had a problem, but maybe things are changing. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. And so past wives or past husbands who have been divorced are no longer going to be eligible to receive DIC benefits. A veteran must be or must have been eligible for burial benefits himself for his spouse to receive burial benefits from the VA. Benefits for Surviving Spouses and Families of Veterans, Your Future Depends on Your State of Mind, Writing Military-to-Civilian Resumes: Make Your Resume Interviewable, Work-Therapy (CWT) and Compensated Work-Therapy Transitional Residence (TR) Programs. Yes, the spouse and dependents of an eligible veteran can receive a free burial in a VA cemetery, even if they die before the veteran. If you need a lawyer, fill out a contact form at the law firm of Attig Steel: https://www.attigsteel.com/contact-us/. Burial Benefits. 2 Benefits that Might be Available to Surviving Spouses of Veterans. This can help cover payment for the gravesite or headstone when the veteran dies. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Educational benefits for families, particularly the children of deceased, MIA, POW, and disabled veterans, may be offered in your home state, or the state in which you plan to attend school.. This benefit is called … Surviving military spouses can sometimes receive veterans disability compensation. If you were married for at least 20 years and the veteran had at least 20 years of military service that overlapped with your 20 years of marriage, your ex-spouse may continue coverage. The provided benefits are equally significant for the veteran as well as their families. However, federal law grants state courts the right to divide military benefits as long as specific conditions are met. 1. SUMMARY. If the veteran’s death was related to service, the VA will pay up to $2,000 toward the burial expenses. If you were married for at least 20 years; the veteran had at least 20 year… Having said that, I really feel strongly that you are going to need to contact an accredited VA Attorney for help on that one…the VA did not recognize PTSD as a medical condition until the later part of the 20th century…. Benefits available to spouses of veterans include: Survivors Pension. Why not? Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Two benefits are available for veterans' spouses: a free plot in any of the VA cemeteries in the U.S. and a tombstone or grave marker. Burial benefits include burial in a national cemetery, a grave marker, perpetual care and a burial flag, which are provided to the spouse and family free of charge. VA will pay up to $2,000 toward burial expenses for deaths on or after September 11, 2001, or up to $1,500 for deaths prior to September 11, 2001. So, do widows of veterans get benefits? It’s not ready for publication yet, but in that Veterans Law Guidebook, I will go into detail about the wide array of benefits available to the surviving spouse a deceased veteran. My mother is now 85 yrs old and requires 24 hour care due to Alzheimer’s. And, if that condition affects a “vital organ,” like a heart or lung or the brain, the VA must meet a heightened standard in making the determination as to whether a veterans surviving spouse is entitled to DIC. Check out my free ebook: “8 Things You Should Know Before Hiring a VA Attorney” to help you in your search for an attorney. If the Veteran is buried in a VA national cemetery, some or all of the cost of transporting the deceased may be reimbursed. Surviving spouses and children of deceased military service members and veterans can get DIC or death pension benefits. Surviving military spouses can sometimes receive veterans disability compensation. Once the surviving spouse has received a COE, they will have to go through the regular steps of applying for a home loan, including determining the type of loan they are looking for and having their credit and income reviewed. You asked what benefits the state provides for the spouse of a deceased veteran. The Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) program provides education and training opportunities to eligible dependents of certain veterans. There is one exception to this rule. Proving Gulf War Syndrome claims (Part 2 of 2), What is Gulf War Syndrome claims (Part 1 of 2). If you are the surviving spouse of a veteran, the United States owes you a debt that can never truly be repaid. Aside from the governmental benefits provided to spouses, each state provides a different set of benefits for veterans and their spouses. Copyright 2016 - VeteransLawBlog.org - All Rights Reserved | Terms & Conditions | Legal Disclaimer, The Veterans Law Blog® is NOT a law firm. Eligible dependents may be memorialized only in national or state veterans cemeteries. DIC is available to a surviving military spouse (a widow or widower) and his or her dependent children. Required fields are marked *. The Veterans Benefits Administration has created a "survivors" Web site for spouses and dependents of military personnel who died on active duty and for the survivors and dependents of veterans who died after leaving the military. the deceased veteran was discharged from service under other than dishonorable conditions, AND; he or she served 90 days or more of active duty with at least 1 day during a period of war*, AND; you are the surviving spouse or unmarried child of the deceased veteran, AND; your countable income is below a yearly income limit set by law. The provided benefits are equally significant for the veteran as well as their families. See, 38 C.F.R. That contributing factor does not need to be the SOLE cause of death, or even the primary cause of death. It just needs to contribute. If there are multiple wives and ex-wives, it’s going to go to the wife or excuse me, the husband, we have veterans who are men and women, the surviving spouse that was actually married to the deceased veteran at the time. If you or a loved one are a surviving spouse of a World War II vet, you may be eligible for a special Veterans Administration benefit called Aid and Attendance to help pay for home or facility care. DIC is available to a surviving military spouse (a widow or widower) and his or her dependent children. Spouses may also be buried beside the veteran, even if the spouse is the first to die. However, certain conditions are necessary … The benefits below are NOT the only 2 types – there are educational benefits, health-care enrollment, and a host of other benefits that might be available to surviving spouses of veterans under any circumstances. 2 Benefits that Might be Available to Surviving Spouses of Veterans. Published on June 25th, 2019 The US government doesn’t just take care of its veterans, it takes care of its veterans’ dependents too. If the Veteran had a claim pending at the time of his/her suicide, then the surviving spouses of veterans may be able to substitute into the veteran’s pending claim and recover monies that should have been paid for benefits to the Veteran while the veteran was living. If you are the spouse of a deceased veteran, you may be eligible for several Veterans Administration benefits, including health care, Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), Survivor's Pension, Aid and Attendance long-term care benefit, home loans and burial. 38 / Room 147 11000 University Parkway Pensacola, FL 32514 Tel: (850) 474-2550 Fax: (850) 474-2671 mvrc@uwf.edu. (These benefits also are usually available for spouses and children of deceased veterans.) In fact, I am working on writing a Veterans’ Survivors Handbook. An eligible spouse can receive a free burial space and a free marker. If widowed spouses do not remarry, they may pay premiums into TRICARE and maintain coverage until age 65, after which time they are eligible for Medicare. The spouse of a disabled veteran may also be eligible to receive benefits from his or her state of residence. Not Just The Death Benefits For Spouses Of Veterans Here at US VetWealth, we have designed an alternative to the SBP and what typically goes along with it, VGLI. Unfortunately many women are unaware that they are eligible for this benefit. You can also subscribe without commenting. You are welcome to contact my firm for a consultation – we do a lot of survivors’ claims like this – but you should also talk to other accredited VA attorneys, as the Attig Law Firm is not the only VA Disability law firm out there…you have a CHOICE!! These cash benefits for survivors include dependents indemnity compensation (DIC), accrued disability compensation benefits, and death pension. Veteran spouses may also be eligible for a VA home loan in certain instances. The VA, in conjunction with the National Cemetery Association, provides a number of burial benefits to spouses of deceased veterans. The monthly benefit for a 100 percent disabled veteran without children or a spouse is $2,858.24. Many spouses and children of veterans have questions about VA survivor’s benefits. As the spouse or dependent child of a Veteran or service member, you may qualify for certain benefits, like health care, life insurance, or money to help pay for school or training. One benefit an ex-spouse may continue to receive is health benefits. Burial benefits available include a gravesite in any of our 153 national cemeteries with available space, opening and closing of the grave, perpetual care, a Government headstone or marker, a burial flag, and a Presidential Memorial Certificate, at no cost to the family.Some Veterans may also be eligible for Burial Allowances. It's Simple and Easy. VA.org is not associated with VA.gov (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs) in any way. The problem is, they are about as logical as 3 Dollar Nickel. The cashier politely told me that I needed to get my own military spouse ID for future discounts. Such benefits include Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), Survivor’s Pension, and burial benefits.. I’m working on the Comprehensive Guide to VA Survivor Benefits for the surviving spouses (men and women) of deceased Veterans. The Survivors Pension benefit, which may also be referred to as Death Pension, is a tax-free monetary benefit payable to a low-income, un-remarried surviving spouse and/or unmarried child(ren) of a deceased Veteran with wartime service. Surviving spouses and children of deceased military service members and veterans can get DIC or death pension benefits. Widows of wartime veterans, or surviving spouses of deceased wartime veterans, may be eligible for a benefit from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) known as “Survivors Pension with Aid and Attendance”. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) grants burial benefits for spouses of veterans. §3.312(c)(3). “In Memory of” is the mandatory first line. Your email address will not be published. Those unable to work or perform daily activities can also receive a supplemental allowance. Hours: 0800-1700 If you want to get an attorney to professionally advocate on a claim for survivors benefits due to a Veteran’s Suicide, please take a look at my eBook: “8 Things a Veteran Should Know Before Hiring an Attorney”. There are certain cash benefits that are available to survivors of deceased active duty members and deceased veterans. In case you are a spouse of a deceased veteran, you are entitled to certain benefits. It will include perpetual care, their names, and birth dates are inscribed on the veteran’s headstone. Non-service-related Death If your surviving spouse passed away before substitution was available (October 10, 2008), the only option you have is to file an accrued benefits claim on VA Form 21-534 within one (1) year of the veteran’s death. It’s a monthly benefit intended to assist military spouses and dependents financially in this time of need. This benefit is called Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), and it is paid on a monthly basis. 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