Yes, The VA Does Provide a Survivor Benefit, However…
Dec 06 2010
It’s getting worse. Commercial financial firms are now phone soliciting for business using the VA’s survivor benefit to get their foot in the door with you. Be warned.
Originally, we heard about commercial financial firms presenting the VA’s survivor benefit to residents of retirement communities and assisted living facilities. Now these firms are directly contacting people over the phones.
Yes, the VA has a survivor benefit but there are conditions for eligibility. First off, the military member has to be deceased. I mention this because some firms try to get you to apply before the member has passed. This indicates some firms don’t even know how the VA programs work; a clear sign that the firm’s objective is not helping you with VA benefits but getting into your pocket. Eligibility for the VA’s Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) is:
• The military member’s death must be Service-connected, or,
• Immediately preceding death, the member was VA rated totally disabled for a period of least 10 years, or,
• From the date of discharge from the Service, the member was rated totally disabled for at least 5 years preceding death, or,
• Former POWs who died after 30 Sept 1999, and were totally disabled for at least 1 years preceding death.
DIC is not based on financial need. There are other VA programs for survivors that are based on financial need and by that I mean very low income—poverty level. DIC provides $1154 a month and the other programs vary but are around $650 a month. All VA benefits are tax-free.
The objective behind these financial firms is to get access to your financial data and sale you other financial products. Some of these VA programs require you to submit a financial report and that is the point of the solicitations. These firms gain your financial info in order to apply for the VA benefit and the sales pitches follow.
Some of these firms also pitch legal products like trusts to hide your assets so you appear low-income to qualify for a VA program. They will also pitch insurance, annuity and investment products. All products that produce large commissions for the firms.
These organizations are not authorized Veteran Service Organizations (VSO) yet they may lead you to believe they are. A real VSO is chartered by the VA to help people apply and follow-up on VA claims. The VSO service is free. Go to a VSO if you have questions or need help. Here’s where to find a VSO in your area:
Search for the County Veteran Service Office in your state at http://www.va.gov/statedva.htm.
A complete list of all VSOs is at http://www1.va.gov/vso/index.cfm
The VA does not solicit for your business. If you are approached to conduct business with the VA, either walk away or proceed carefully.
Your link to VSO’s works, but the DVA web page doesn’t have the list that you apparently think it does. The search link from there is unwieldy.
OKJack™Group™
Middle & Working Class Disabled American Veterans
We Paid the Dues that Aren’t Required!™
my colonel husband died at va/san francisco/ fort miley sept 30, 2007. can i use fort miley for medical assistance?? thak you.
colonel husband died sept. 30, 2003. thank you.
am i entitled to use Fort Miley, san francisco??
thank you
Hi, so you think SBP is a good deal. I paid into the program for
27 years and then my wife passed on. What do I get out of the deal
Zero, nada, zip. So I paid for the person who passed on and his wife get my bucks. Tell me where is the good deal????if I had put my money into an insurance program I would have got something. What say you???
Many Financial Planning firms are going to Senior homes of every variety and attempting to gain access to your financial information by applying for aid and attendance for you or your spouse (if a veteran) claiming this is is an “unknown VA benefit” that only they can get for you. I have seen sales materials of one firm that promisses “99.9% success rate, we guarantee your results for you” These are sales packsges sold to Financial Planning Organizations to help them gain access to your private financials. Don’t fall for this ploy, you can get aid and attendance for your loved one by contacting any legitimate Service Organization ( American Legion, VFW, DAV, etc.) or your county or state service office, at no charge and they will protect your privacy. They will not sell or use any financial information they learn in the process of helping you. The VA will not disrtibute this information nor make any attempt to profit from their knowledge of your finances.
In response to BR GIBAULT
Your comments were the exact reason I declined the SBP program when I retired from the Army and later on when I retired from my Department of Defense civil service career. I am sorry we did not meet and have a chance to discuss this masubject before you made your deision to “buy in”.
My husband paid into SBP when he retired from the Army. If it were not for the SBP I would be destitute. I am handicapped and cannot work and am 63 years old. It does work for some.
My late husband, Lt.Col (ret) Kerry Linley) who died 3/1998 from agent orange. He felt when the died I would not be entited to any
benefits as he did not buy surviror benefits when he retired. However, he insited I not fail to renew the Military Retired Magazine
so I would know what was going on with benefits. His late friend, called, came and took me to the VA office in Abilene, TX to request
benefits. After securing all the information they needed, off it went to
the Waco,TX VA office for consideration. At the close of their checking,
I was approved for DIC. Three years later I remarried and the benefit
was stopped. If he had not insisted I continue taking your publicatyion,I would have never know Pres. George Bush signed the
order to reinstate the benefits to widows as their remarriage had
nothing to do with the government providing assistance to us.
Truly, I will always be thankful to your magazine and have paid for a lifetime order.
Janet Linley Ulrich, San Angelo, TX
Please elaborate on Ms Janet Ulrich. My situation is about the same, I re-married before age 55…is that the reason I was denied SBP..My husband was LTC in the Army for 23 yrs & married to (only) me thirty years. Thank You!!!
Mrs Dionne, I figure Mrs Ulrich is talking about the legal change that allowed survivors who remarried after age 57 to keep their DIC benefits. SBP beneficiaries lose benefits remarrying before age 55. DIC beneficiaries lose benefits for remarrying before age 57. If the marriage ends, then SBP and DIC payments will start again. Survivors with both SBP and DIC who remarry after age 57 keep both benefits in full.