Widows And Sbp Dic

[Berta]

This situation does not come up here much but it sure does on other sites---

Widows of retirees who paid into the SBP fund find that -if their spouse dies in combat-the SBP from DOD is offset to their DIC.

The Corning Leader- our only local newspaper- had a long letter from an SBP widow in the Editorials as she just found out after award for DIC that it would be offset to her SBP.

Her husband believed he would die in Iraq and took steps such as the SBP program to believe he was providing for his family.He did die in Iraq and I dont know who helped her with the DIC claim but they never mentioned the SBP offset.

She is asking all to ask their COngressmen and Senators to support S 935 and HR 1927 to stop this inequity.

Also please see Gold Star Wives, Inc: for full explanation

http://www.goldstarwives.org/congress-va-2004.htm

This is a new site that is trying to resolve some of the many inequities that widows face:

http://www.vetsurvivors.com/

They dont seem to have a forum but I will contact them and see what they do-

Widows often find themselves in situations where they cant find anyone with the right answers-

When we walk into a vet rep org- and are not a veteran-we present problems for any rep who doesnt have a clue on widow's benefits.

I have challenged a major deficiency in the widow's regs.

Section 1151 widows are often forgotten when they make new regs for widows.

A new reg has been proposed for 38 CFR and I asked the VA to correct this to include Sec 1151 widows.

Widows and certainly widowers -whose wives have died due to service-

are in an exclusive club that no one wants to join.

Often people feel that we dont even have a right to get DIC or accrued benefits-yet we didn't write the regs that say we can.

And it is grossly unfair to find out that the SBP that a soldier like this woman's husband-17 years in service-paid into- did not provide for her what he thought it would as it is offset dollar for dollar to her DIC.

[Pete53]

Thanks Berta.

[free_spirit_etc]

Yes. I have read about the SBP / DIC offset. It kind of matches the Retiree offset. If you retire from a civilian job you don't have to waive an equal amount of retirement to get your VA payment. But if you retire from the military you do.

I can see an offset on Pension - as it is needs based. But not the other.

But the real unfair thing about the SBP offset is that these guys PAY for it. It is NOT a free benefit. I tink it is 6.5% of their retirement pay. So if you want your spouse to get HALF of your $2000 a month retirement pay -- you PAY $130 a month out of YOUR benefits to "buy into" SBP. Then if she gets DIC -- they take away the entie amount of SBP because it is greater than the $1000 a month the survivor is getting. The guy could have bought a DIFFERENT kind of insurance for that amount of investment --one the widow could keep.

I am not sure how the offset works for children. If the vet selects the spouse / child option --and the spouse isn't eligible due to DIC -- can the SBP go to his / her children? Or is the SBP considered "Paid" and Taken Back -- therefore not avalibale to the next survivor.

Free

This situation does not come up here much but it sure does on other sites---

Widows of retirees who paid into the SBP fund find that -if their spouse dies in combat-the SBP from DOD is offset to their DIC.

The Corning Leader- our only local newspaper- had a long letter from an SBP widow in the Editorials as she just found out after award for DIC that it would be offset to her SBP.

Her husband believed he would die in Iraq and took steps such as the SBP program to believe he was providing for his family.He did die in Iraq and I dont know who helped her with the DIC claim but they never mentioned the SBP offset.

She is asking all to ask their COngressmen and Senators to support S 935 and HR 1927 to stop this inequity.

Also please see Gold Star Wives, Inc: for full explanation

http://www.goldstarwives.org/congress-va-2004.htm

This is a new site that is trying to resolve some of the many inequities that widows face:

http://www.vetsurvivors.com/

They dont seem to have a forum but I will contact them and see what they do-

Widows often find themselves in situations where they cant find anyone with the right answers-

When we walk into a vet rep org- and are not a veteran-we present problems for any rep who doesnt have a clue on widow's benefits.

I have challenged a major deficiency in the widow's regs.

Section 1151 widows are often forgotten when they make new regs for widows.

A new reg has been proposed for 38 CFR and I asked the VA to correct this to include Sec 1151 widows.

Widows and certainly widowers -whose wives have died due to service-

are in an exclusive club that no one wants to join.

Often people feel that we dont even have a right to get DIC or accrued benefits-yet we didn't write the regs that say we can.

And it is grossly unfair to find out that the SBP that a soldier like this woman's husband-17 years in service-paid into- did not provide for her what he thought it would as it is offset dollar for dollar to her DIC.