Is Dic Automatic If You Are T&p

[red]

Can anyone fill me in on DIC. I am 100% service connected T&P. If I die does my widow receive DIC or does it have to be connected to the service connected portion of my disability. Also, since she has had a stroke and would not be able to handle phone calls, paper work, etc., what is the process that should be taken to get it started. And does anyone know what she would receive? I an not dying right now and hope I have a long life to take care of her, but who knows? I would have someone call the right people if this was needed. She would need the money for someone to take care of her. If somebody could give me the steps I need to take care of, i would place them in a death folder that I am making up, just in case. I have also got to hire a lawyer or someone to do a revocable trust to spell everything out. I understand this is very expensive. Had anyone here done that? Thanks again Hadit for all the help. Red

[Berta]

Everyone is right- there is no means test for DIC but ,as the 21-534 shows, they have many Net worth and income questions:

http://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/VBA-21-534-ARE.pdf

This is because the 534 form is also used for determining potential death pension eligibility -if DIC is not awarded.

I would think with a claim for DIC that does not involve pension at all-maybe she could avoid those questions but I don't see that mentioned anywhere on this form-that you can eliminate the answers.

Sharon has the best advise here of all- to get the complete packet from the VA and to fill out in advance what you can and make sure this is put with your DD 214 someone where it is easily located after your death.

I noticed when I downloaded the 534, that it looks a little different from the one I filled out 16 years ago.

But I gave them all financial data etc and clarified on my form that I also had re opened my husband's 2 pending claims.

It took time for me to get another certified marriage license - this is something you could do in advance in case they ask you for another certified copy of what they already asked for when you filed for SC comp.

I suggest that anyone making up a death file, make sure your passwords are there for any bills you pay on line, and for any sites such as hadit that you want to know of your death.

I also suggest writing yur own obituary- or at least putting a note in this file of what you want the obit to say.

I wrote my husband's obit and even much of the service information for his burial at Bath VA.

I made sure every award e ad was in the obit and also I stated he was a service disabled veteran.

This obit triggered the American Legion to call me and to have time to get in touch with the Color Guard veterans and to buy bullets for the gun salute and get their uniforms in shape.

This stuff was NOT handled by the VA Chaplains service or the VA Cemetery service nor the undertaker.

Maybe things have changed there and I will find out and post here.This is for any burial in a National VA Cemetery.

I thought this was normal SOP for a military funeral but it wasn't.

So I was profoundly glad I had written that obit myself. I gave it to the undertaker with Rod's DD214 and 215 so he could check it all and he said he would publish it without changes as soon as he confirmed it.

For the services, although the Chaplain knew Rod -he could not possibly fathom what Vietnam meant to my husband.The Chapel was filled with primarily Vietnam vets we knew and some civilians.

What I wrote for the service was what I thought my husband would want written about him "before,during and after"

That was a mantra we had at the vet center-in the 1980s. The PTSD vets would alweays differentiate well between these 3 periods of their lives and of course their base point was the Vietnam War.

Part of what I wrote was sad and part of it was funny.There was no separate of my husband, as a person, from Vietnam.The other Vietnam combat vets there got it.So did my daughter. She went on to become a Vietnamese linquist for the USAF.His legacy to us was and still is -Vietnam.

My long point here is that it is a good idea to prepare well for your death. It brings Peace of Mind.

Often when my daughter is hone on leave I tell her this is where the insurance stuff is, this is where my vet org list is (I dont want her to leave them out in my obit) this is where the deeds are etc etc/, and I have budget book that holds the passdwords for the bills I pay on line. This stuff makes our kids uncomfortable but they need to know this stuff.

PS this is VERY important-I have made it clear to my doctor, daughter, lawyer etc I am an organ donor. So was my husband.

Here in NY the Eye Bank is also the donor harvest place and they call next of kin as soon as they learn of a death.

Even if you have never documented your wishes to be an organ donor-the next of kin can make that decision.

So now is the time to let your family know of your wishes on that.

If you die in reasonably good health, the organ harvest might require cremation or closed casket.These are things to discuss now with your loved ones.

[john999]

You know this DIC thing is a big problem for me since my wife just does not want to deal with these things. Everytime I try to talk to her about it she shuts down. She is entitled to three survivor benefit plans including SSA, VA and my federal pension. She does not know the first thing about it. I have given up worring about it since she is not worried. I think they call it denial.

[vmo]

If you are just filing for "DIC"---you do not need to fill in the income and net worth section of VA Form 21-534. The income and net worth pertain to VA Widow's/widower Death Pension (which is a "needs" based type benefit). Gross income is counted. Many widows are not eligible for VA Widow Death Pension because of the amount Social Security or other private retirement income (it depends on "How much?"). However, when applying for DIC for service connected death, other income does not effect it. There use to (may still be) be an offset between DIC and SBP---others may know more about this.

[Berta]

John -that is so unfortunate. Two local widows contacted me when their veteran husbands died.For some reason neither one of them knew if the vet had a claim pending at death or even if he was already SCed for something.All I could do is tell them to contact one of the local VSOs and fill out the 534 form.They didnt know how to use a PC either.

I have some vet friends locally whose wives do not even have a clue as to their husband's medical situations and what meds they are on.

I don't understand that.An emergency -if on a trip or something-could require a non VA ER situation and the EMTS etc would have to know what meds the veteran was on and hopefully the vet would be able to tell them.

VMO said:

"There use to (may still be) be an offset between DIC and SBP---others may know more about this."

Yes there still is an offset and new legislation has been submitted to fight this inequity:

http://www.naus.org/news/news_survivor_smw.html

Thanks for the info as to eliminating need to fill or the income stuff if the claim is solely for DIC.