Survivor Info On Reps

[Berta]

We have had questions lately from widows of veterans, here in the main forum, and although we have a DIC forum, I don't want this info to be overlooked by any of them who might have REPS potential.

(or perhaps their children would qualify).

The REPS application (Restored Entitlement Program) is part of the 21-534 form.

Although I filled out the application when I applied for DIC, it was not awarded to me until my deceased husband's death was awarded as a direct service connected death,16years after the VA had received the REPS application.

Since the VA never persued the REPs benefit, which I had raised to them after my DMII AO death award came, in 2009, I persued it myself.

I dont feel many vet reps are fully aware of how REPS works so I posted in the DIC forum here all I know on how it works.

Since VA made no attempt to follow through on what they should have done in my regard, (to forward the application and the award letter to REPS in St Louis), that could be the status quo for many survivors who never know they are eligible upon an award of a direct service connected death and if the REPS payment is never properly followed through by VA ,it is never received.. It can involve a significant amount. In my case it was a five figure award.

REPS is not awarded on “as if” deaths- such as the ten year rule DIC or Section 1151 DIC.

Many Nehmer survivors were eligible for REPS.

This link contains the REPS criteria:

I used my personal example in this link to explain it :

My daughter joined the Military when she graduated and since has gotten her college degrees, but if she had pursued college at that time, there would have been a potential REPS benefit for her, as I understand these regulations.

Maureen ,in the first link, did get the REPS benefit:

REPS is technically a Social Security Program,with liason with the VA to 'restore' up to 2 years of the loss of the SSDI “Parent's” benefit ,generated by a SSDI spouse's SSDI award, that the Omnibus Reconciliation Act took away from survivors under President Reagan,which can be restored by a VA award of a direct service connected death.