Question On My Wife

[grent]

I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW LONG YOU HAVE TO BE ON VA DISABILITY COMP FOR MY WIFE TO RECEIVE PAYMENT WHEN I DIE

HOW MUCH WILL MY WIFE RECEIVE OF MY COMP AFTER IM GONE

WILL SHE BE ABLE TO GO TO THE COMISSARY ECT??

[grent]

Grent - you would need to be 100%SC or TDIU, continously for 10 yrs, or any amount of yrs, if your SC disease is a cause of your death. At present the widow receives $1195, monthly and a bonus of $254 a month, if you were receiving 100% or TDIU Comp for the 8 yrs prior to your death and she was married to you those 8 yrs. If you die as a result of Service-Connection she will be able to use the commissary and should receive ChampVA medical insurance'

pr

Hi Phil after 20 years of being 100% tdiu isnt it true no matter what you die from the wife gets $ 1, 195 plus the bonus? Could you explain? Thanks Phil.

[Philip Rogers]

No, as one of the requirements is that you be 100% or TDIU and that your spouse be married to you the 8yrs "immediately" preceeding your death. So, technically, someone who's been married to their spouse less than 8yrs doesn't qualify for the bonus. I believe the VA also requires a new spouse to be married to the veteran at least one yr, immediately prior to death, in order to qualify for DIC. I think this is required to prevent certain types of persons from marrying dying veterans just for the DIC money.

pr

Hi Phil after 20 years of being 100% tdiu isnt it true no matter what you die from the wife gets $ 1, 195 plus the bonus? Could you explain? Thanks Phil.

[john999]

Flip

You mean if I am 91 year old widower I can't marry 18 year old to pass on my DIC to a new generation? You know many Civil War vets did this and had surviving wives that lived well into the 1950's and beyond.

[mags1023]

We just replaced my wife's ID card this week at Tyndall AFB and I saw her's was INDEF and they said that is what they are doing for retired spouses now. It cuts down on their workload.

[Philip Rogers]

John,

Yes, you can but she'll only get the $1195 DIC and won't get the bonus money, plus has to be married to ya for the year before your death. I'm lookin'!!! I'd love to pass it on. It's roughly $300 a week, plus ChampVA. Whatta deal!!

pr

Flip

You mean if I am 91 year old widower I can't marry 18 year old to pass on my DIC to a new generation? You know many Civil War vets did this and had surviving wives that lived well into the 1950's and beyond.

Edited May 20, 2012 by Philip Rogers

[Testvet]

How do they handle DIC and SS payments? is there any offsest or can widows collect both?