DI

[Song]

 About SC 

Edited December 5, 2016 by Song

[Berta]

When my husband died Gastone, they pulled his last comp check out of our checking account 2 weeks after he died..

But that was their MOS , then  . I think it might even be part of the 21-526 form now to retrieve that last check sooner.

Every vet here with a spouse should get the spouse up to speed on DIC or at least have the special folder I mentioned here and on some radio shows we did, that would hold their DD 214. a blank 21-526, any insurance policies, marriage licence, any divorce decrees from prior marriages, (even if VA has that info already), Birth certificates of children,their VA award letters etc etc...I will have to search for the list...or find the show link...

My husband was very upset 22 years ago to call the VA and find that his claims had not moved at all..

but 6 months prior to that they said if he called back in October they would probably have a decision by then.

he started talking  to me about DIC and feared if they killed him ( his 1151 claim raised that potential) that I would not get DIC.

I had never given DIC a thought but he had been active at the Prodigy Vets BBS and he knew all about DIC for years before he became totally disabled. Still, he appeared to be doing much better after a major stroke and a few hours later he wanted to walk out to the barn to see the horses.That was a miraculous thing that he could even walk-the VA told me he would Never walk again. It was a glorious fall day, and he got  over being upset with the VA. Then he suddenly collapsed and died as I gave him CPR.

It is a gift that any vet can give to their spouse to have info and important VA stuff on hand for when they expire.The best thing they can put into that special file is their hadit password - and then the spouse can always get their own hadit password if they choose.

He was only 47 years old.

I have used PCs since 1988. Without knowledge of how they work , after the internet became a reality, I would have lost my claims. Every spouse should not only know how to use a PC but also know CPR.

I couldn't bring him back with CPR-it was a massive heart attack- but I tried ,and that alone has given me some peace.

You make a good point,.....I was totally unprepared for his demise.Sudden death syndrome due to his IHD and DMII ,both had been misdiagnosed and never treated. His pending 1151 was specifically for better PTSD treatment but he added at the end of the claim that he felt their PTSD  treatment had been inappropriate and he feared they probably misdiagnosed other conditions like possible heart disease or additional strokes and that they could cause his death without better VA health care.

He was right. 1151 P & T Stroke, 100% P & T , posthumous award  after death from 30% SC PTSD to 100% SC P & T PTSD , AO IHD death, 50% SC and DMII AO death third DIC award....they could not even rate it.And HBP award under 1151., And SMC...

I will try to find the death file list and post it here (maybe it is here already)

 

 

 

 

 

[Berta]

Song what are these conditions diagnosed as:

" ( and his whole teeth and the lower jaw are artificial ,only have half stomach ,these all cause by the war" 

[Gastone]

Ms B, is the 21-526 (I'm too lazy to look it up, easier to ask) used to claw back the Comp pulled out of your Joint account?

How did the VA find out your husband had passed? i know SSA get's a heads up from the Funeral Director.

The Vets, where their relatives have access to their Direct Deposit Comp & SSA payments, (Checks or Debit Cards) have somehow manged to circumvented notifying the VA as well as probably the SSA.

Your late husband wasn't the Lone Ranger when it came to not keeping the spouse in the VA Info Loop. Maybe, it's just a guy thing. As slick as I like to think I am, my wife would be a mess. I've started filling out all the VA Notification and DIC Claims forms. All she has to do is fill in some dates and sign. If I fracked anything up, I'm sure she'll find a way to let me know after I'm gone.

Thanks for the quick response.

 

[Berta]

Gastone, things have sure changed. This is the way  VA now Handles the last check of a deceased veteran:  ( as of June 2016) I am glad I looked this up because I didnt know what the VA would do these days.

"6.  As survivor, am I eligible for my loved one's month of death compensation?

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced immediate actions to quickly identify and pay surviving spouses who are eligible to receive the deceased veteran’s VA compensation or pension benefit for the month of the veteran’s death.  

This benefit is only payable to surviving spouses of veterans who were receiving VA compensation or pension benefits at the time of their death. 

Because VA does not always know if a veteran is survived by a spouse, some surviving spouses have not received the month-of-death benefit to which they are entitled. 

If you are a surviving spouse of a veteran who was receiving VA benefits at the time of death and believe you may be eligible for the month-of-death benefit, please click here and provide the information requested.  VA will determine your eligibility. "

 

http://www.va.gov/survivors/faqs.asp

VA found out right away because after I called SSA ,I called the VA. Ironically I got Wendy Woff ,the vet rep (they gave us  their names in those days) at 800# who my husband had talked to earlier that AM.

Ms. Woff got very upset because she felt maybe it was something she said...she could hardly believe he was talking to her a little more than 4 hours before I called  the VA about his death.I calmed her down best as I could. I was in shock myself.

Then the Organ Bank called  ( I think because SSA told them) and fortunately I had known my husband's wishes ,so that set up the autopsy and the organ harvest. My Army husband died in a non VA hospital. I didnt know who I was supposed to call...this was over 30 years ago but the hospital apparently informs SSA when someone dies in a private hospital. SSA called me right away 2 hours afer he died,to tell me they would change my SSDI Mother's benefits  to survivors SSDI benefits. SSA could do that within a few days to set up their monthly SSDI check to me....yet VA cant even figure out dependency amounts these days, for vets who the VA knows already has a spouse and children... ....

 

.

[Berta]

I forgot to add here that every DIC claim is also a wartime pension claim, if the survivor is possibly eligible for a wartime pension, which depends on whether the deceased veteran had wartime service, and if the survivor has low income and/or many medical expenses. The details on Wartime survivors pension are here under a search.

I got a nice letter over 30 years ago ,when my Arm,y husband died,, and then also some time after my USMC husband died, telling me I was eligible for the wartime survivor's pension but I made too much money to collect it.

At least the letter was nice. I was one of the first VVA (Vietnam Veterans of America) non- vet members and VVA told me to apply for DIC when my Army husband died.I didnt know how to handle that claim and the DIC was denied.I think the VA was definitely correct however. Long ago.... and that husband always said, if I die go to the VA and they will help you.....but he had never been to the VA himself...I guess he thought I would be eligible for the wartime pension.... wartime does not mean in combat---wherever the vet served , if during a period of war, that is the criteria for this pension, but it is reduced by any other income the survivor has, yet medical expenses can often be deducted from their income,increasing the pension rates.

 

Edited November 25, 2016 by Berta

[Berta]

Gastone due to a fairly new law a few years ago, many surviving spouses now have the right to remarry and and still attain their DIC:

18.  I am a widow/er; if I remarry, do I lose my benefits? If I later get divorced or my new spouse dies, do I get my VA benefits back?

 

Regarding Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), a remarried surviving spouse whose subsequent marriage is annulled or declared void can reestablish eligibility as a surviving spouse.  However, effective September 30, 1998, the law was changed to allow a surviving spouse to reestablish DIC eligibility after termination of remarriage.  Therefore, after September 30, 1998, eligibility for DIC is established in any case in which the remarriage of the surviving spouse is terminated by death, divorce, or annulment.  Also, remarriage of a surviving spouse after the age of 57 does not preclude continued payment of DIC.  

Regarding Death (Survivor’s) Pension benefits, the law generally requires a surviving spouse’s entitlement to be terminated if the surviving spouse remarries, regardless of age, even if that remarriage is terminated by death or divorce.  However, VA regulations establish limited exceptions that generally allow entitlement to Death Pension to be reestablished if the marriage was:
•         Annulled or declared void.
•         Terminated by death or divorce on or after January 1, 1971, and before November 1, 1990.
      

http://www.va.gov/survivors/faqs.asp

By the way The Office of Survivors -VA, their home page can be reached through the above link, helped me help a widow member here years ago .

They do not help with the claim itself and cannot advise on denials, because we have the appeal process, but they can help sometimes to get through some of the other problems that a DIC claimant might have.