Widow / C-file?

[Guest terrysturgis]

I had a friend who passed away about a year and a half ago. His widow is seeking DIC information that she thinks is in his C-file. Can she request it direct or does she have to request it through the Trust they had set up? Thanks. Terry Sturgis

[Berta]

Terry- the widow has to file the 21-534 ASAP-hope she did-

because any accrued benefits due her will be lost after the one year filing date as well as the best EED- date of death of the veteran.

I deal with many widow claims and often they dont want to even look at the long form for DIC.

But- it shows no disrespect to their spouse to get this form in right away-

A trust might have nothing to do with the c file. She should request a copy of it as surviving spouse of the veteran.

If VA has no documentation on her yet such as marriage license etc-and even if they do- she might have to supply this to get the c file-I got a copy without any documents-they had the marriage license.

I went through a rigamorale to get better copies of med recs the VA had sent me years ago- The FOIA woman insisted I had to send them the court forms as Administrator of Rod's estate-

I sent them but this was BS-they already had this stuff for the FTCA -I dont think a widow has to legally send them this stuff- just proof of marriage.That was for the med recs-

Maybe this is what you mean by a trust?

I dont know what DIC information would be in his c file- a widow gets a new C file-with an X before the veteran's c file number and it becomes her c file yet should contain whatever was in his before he died.

Edited December 30, 2006 by Berta (see edit history)