Vet Died & Widow Needs Help Fast!

[Cavman]

A local 72 year old vet who was 100% passed recently that I know and am trying to help his widow. He was 100% rated for about 3 years when he died of cancer. He also received A&A for the wife and now widow. He was getting ready to file for homebound for her also. She is totally disabled and has to have someone take care of her 24 hours a day. Their income went to 1900.00 a month with his VA money gone once he passed. Her mortgage payment alone is 1200.00 per month plus he had just financed a new car for 400.00 per month to get her and him to doc and back weekly. I know its a 10 year thing for her to continue to draw his VA, but is their anything I can file for her to try and get her help? Is she elgible for anything from the VA?

[stillhere]

A local 72 year old vet who was 100% passed recently that I know and am trying to help his widow. He was 100% rated for about 3 years when he died of cancer. He also received A&A for the wife and now widow. He was getting ready to file for homebound for her also. She is totally disabled and has to have someone take care of her 24 hours a day. Their income went to 1900.00 a month with his VA money gone once he passed. Her mortgage payment alone is 1200.00 per month plus he had just financed a new car for 400.00 per month to get her and him to doc and back weekly. I know its a 10 year thing for her to continue to draw his VA, but is their anything I can file for her to try and get her help? Is she elgible for anything from the VA?

DId he die of a SC disease or one that would be SC under agent orange or for that matter ANY of the VA presumatives?? That would be the main question. Also is she aware she can keep the last months payment from the month he died?

If she can meet the means test which it appears she can she would be eligible under that.

Good luck and I am sure others will be by!

[broncovet]

First, with a 1200 mortage payment and only 1900 per month income (with 63% of her income going to housepayment), she needs to do something pretty fast or she will likely loose her home. (Most of the time the loan company wants your housepayment to be no more than about 35% of your income, and for good reasons)

Since it will take a long time for the Va benefits to kick in, even if she is eligible for any more, she needs to address the housepayment. Some options are:

1. Sell the home and move into something considerably less expensive, either a smaller home or apartment/condo. She should get her house payment or rent down to about 665 per month or less to be able to sustain it longer term.

2. Possibly refinance at a lower interest rate.

3. Sharing her home with roomate(s) probably would be preferrable to loosing her home altogether.

4. If he had a significant amount of life insurance, she could consider "annuitizing" it. An annuity converts a lump sum, such as 200,000 dollars, into steady monthly income that a widow may need. These are available through a licensed life insurance agent. As a former insurance agent who has delivered death claim checks, I know the average widow spends the entire life insurance proceeds, on average, in 2 years.

[Berta]

She should use VA form 21-534 and apply for DIC and death pension. The VA considers both when they get the 534 and will only award one if she is eligible for either DIC or pension award.

Death pension depends on war time honorable service of the veteran and limited income.

DIC requires proof of SC causing or contributing to death.

If he died of one of the new presumptives for AO there is possibility she can use the Fast Track VA system at the VA web site which could possibly make her DIC go faster.

[Cavman]

DId he die of a SC disease or one that would be SC under agent orange or for that matter ANY of the VA presumatives?? That would be the main question. Also is she aware she can keep the last months payment from the month he died?

If she can meet the means test which it appears she can she would be eligible under that.

Good luck and I am sure others will be by!

No, his lung cancer wasn`t related to his death.

What do you mean if she meets the mean test? What is that?

[jbasser]

I feel for this leady Cavman. Tell her to hang in there. What is her family wanting to do?

J

[Berta]

"He was 100% rated for about 3 years when he died of cancer"

Was this an Agent Orange lung cancer rating?

You stated:"No, his lung cancer wasn`t related to his death."

What is the exact wording as to cause of death and contributing factors on his death certificate?

Was an autopsy done and if so does she have a copy of it yet?

Edited November 8, 2010 by Berta