How Does A Wife File For Widows Pension?

[Cruinthe]

I am 100% T&P as of 2002. If I were to die tomorrow, what pension or benefits would my wife of 5 years be entitled to?

My wife actually reads the 2009 Benefits for Veterans guide, and she thinks she saw something that said she gets no pension unless I have been 100% T&P for 10 years or more.

Anyone have any clarifications?

Thanks in advance!

[robert51]

I am 100% T&P as of 2002. If I were to die tomorrow, what pension or benefits would my wife of 5 years be entitled to?

My wife actually reads the 2009 Benefits for Veterans guide, and she thinks she saw something that said she gets no pension unless I have been 100% T&P for 10 years or more.

Anyone have any clarifications?

Thanks in advance!

i was told the same thing ,, something to the affect you have to be married 10 years and after 10 years of 100% PT it does not matter how you go ... but before it has to be as a result of your SC

[sharon]

http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/dependents/Spouse.htm

It is a VA Form 21-534. The other forms you will need is addressed in the attached web page.

[Cruinthe]

Thanks for the clarification!

http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/dependents/Spouse.htm

It is a VA Form 21-534. The other forms you will need is addressed in the attached web page.

[Berta]

VA can award a death pension to any widow or widower with limited income if the veteran had honorable service and was a wartime veteran.

The pension amount is reduced dollar for dollar by other income but medical expenses can often ward off some of that offset money.

The 534 is an application for both Pension and DIC.

If a vet has had established 100% SC P & T rating for ten years, then the DIC award is usually easy to obtain.

Regardless of cause of death.

In other cases DIC depends on a finding of direct service connected death.

The SC disability has to be found by medical evidence to have contributed to or to have directly caused death.

There are other ways DIC can be obtained and there are links in our DIC forum to those types of claims.