Survivor Benefits can be a real lifeline for the surviving spouse of a Veteran and their dependents, especially if the Veteran’s death was sudden or unexpected. The VA and Department of Defense provide a variety of programs to help the surviving spouse and their children both financially and with other benefits like healthcare and education.
Here is an overview of the benefits available to the spouses and dependents of deceased veterans.
Who Qualifies for VA Survivor Benefits? Key Takeaways
- There are financial, educational, and burial benefits available to the surviving spouse of a Veteran or service member
- Veterans and their spouses and dependents can get pre-need eligibility for a final resting place with the National Cemetery Administration
- Surviving spouses and dependents may be able to get a “no-fee” passport to visit the American cemetery or memorial for the deceased on foreign soil
- If a service member dies during active duty, the Department of Defense pays a one-time $100,000 payment to be split with up to ten specified recipients
What are veteran survivor benefits?
Veteran survivor benefits are plans designed to help a deceased veteran’s family prepare for their future. These benefits include immediate needs like burial and funeral and longer-term benefits designed for financial assistance like the veteran’s pension, healthcare, and education benefits.
Compensation and pension benefits for veteran survivors
If the deceased veteran was receiving a pension or was eligible for a pension when they died, the surviving wife or husband may be eligible to receive some of those benefits. There are a few different programs that handle these monthly payments, including the Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) program, which provides a monthly benefit paid to eligible survivors. Some surviving spouses may qualify for more than one.
Dependency and Indemnity Compensation
One of the survivor’s benefits for the spouse of a deceased service member or veteran is DIC, or Dependency and Indemnity Compensation. DIC is a monthly, tax-free payment provided to the surviving spouse of a deceased veteran who died in the line of duty or from a service-related injury or illness.
There are a few criteria for qualifying for DIC. To qualify, the deceased service member must have died:
- While on active duty or
- During active duty for training or
- Inactive duty training or
- From a service-related injury or illness
In some cases, Dependency and Indemnity Compensation is also provided to the spouses of veterans who became totally disabled from service-related conditions even if they died from another cause unrelated to their disability. The Survivor of a disabled veteran qualifies if:
- The Veteran was rated 100% disabled for at least 10 years immediately preceding their death or
- If the Veteran died less than 10 years after being discharged, they must have been continuously rated as totally disabled from the date of discharge and for at least five years before their death or
- The Veteran was former prisoner of war (POW) who was continuously rated as totally disabled for at least one year immediately preceding their death and
- The Veteran had a discharge that was not dishonorable
Death Pension
Death Pension, also known as VA Survivor’s Pension, is another monthly tax-free benefit available for a wartime veteran’s surviving spouse and unmarried children. The Death Pension has income and net worth limits set by Congress, so those with higher net worth may not qualify.
If the surviving spouse has remarried, or the deceased Veteran had a dishonorable discharge, they may not qualify for the Death Pension.
Otherwise, in order to qualify, the deceased Veteran service member must have:
- Entered active duty on or before September 7, 1980, and served at least 90 days of active military service with at least one day of that active duty taking place during a covered wartime period or
- Entered active duty on or after September 7, 1980, and served at least 24 months or the full period for which they were called or ordered to active duty (though there are some exceptions) with at least one day of that active duty taking place during a covered wartime period or
- Was an officer who entered into active duty after October 16, 1981, and hadn’t served on active duty for at least 24 months previously
These are the wartime periods officially recognized by Congress for determining pension benefits:
- Mexican Border period May 9, 1916, to April 5, 1917
- for Veterans who served in Mexico, on its borders, or in adjacent waters
- World War I – April 6, 1917, to November 11, 1918
- World War II – December 7, 1941, to December 31, 1946)
- Korean War – June 27, 1950, to January 31, 1955
- Vietnam War era (for Veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam) – November 1, 1955, to May 7, 1975
- Vietnam War era (Veterans who served outside the Republic of Vietnam) – August 5, 1964, to May 7, 1975
- Gulf War – August 2, 1990, to an undetermined future date yet to be set by law or presidential proclamation
Aid & Attendance
Surviving spouses may be entitled to additional benefits if they are patients in a nursing home, permanently housebound, or require the aid & attendance of another person for assistance. For service member deaths that occurred on or after January 1, 1993, these surviving spouses will also receive a basic rate for Aid & Attendance, plus an additional payment for any dependent children. A surviving spouse who meets these conditions might also have a higher income limit for their Survivor’s Pension.
Survivor Benefit Plan
The Survivor Benefit Plan, or SBP, is another program from the Department of Defense that provides a monthly annuity to dependents of a deceased Veteran. This annuity is based on a percentage of the deceased service member’s pay, and it is paid for life.
All active duty members automatically receive SBP coverage, as well as reserve members who die of service-related causes while training. Reserve members who do not die during training can also choose coverage after 20 years of qualifying service.
The cost of SBP is lower than a conventional insurance policy because the government pays a portion of the premiums. The maximum annuity for a surviving spouse is 55% of the service member’s retired pay, and survivor payments generally increase annually to keep pace with inflation.
Death gratuity
The Department of Defense provides a $100,000 payment called a Death Gratuity to the survivors of a service member who died on active duty. It is also paid out to the survivors of service members with certain reserve statuses.
The Death Gratuity is designed to help the survivors of a deceased service member with immediate expenses and the adjustment period after the service member’s death. It is usually paid within 72 hours of the Department of Defense receiving DD Form 397, Claim Certification, and Voucher for Death Gratuity Payment, and is paid by the deceased service member’s last military command.
The service member can choose up to ten people to receive equal portions of the gratuity. In the case of 10 recipients, they will each receive 10% of the total.
Healthcare benefits for survivors
In many military families, the service member’s spouse and dependents rely on the service member’s military healthcare coverage. This does not automatically change after the service member dies. Because of this, the surviving spouse and dependents of a service member have additional health care benefits available to them.
Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs
While surviving spouses are still eligible for TRICARE as long as they don’t remarry, there is another program called CHAMPVA (Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs). Under CHAMPVA, some Survivors and dependents, including those of totally disabled veterans, can receive reimbursement for medical expenses including inpatient and outpatient care, prescriptions, mental health care, medical equipment, and nursing care.
To qualify for the Survivor or dependent to qualify for CHAMPVA, the deceased veteran must have:
- been VA-rated as permanently and totally disabled from a service-connected disability at the time of death or
- Died in the line of duty on active duty service (for reasons other than misconduct)
- In most cases, these family members are eligible for TRICARE and thus not eligible for CHAMPVA, but there are exceptions)
Note: that a surviving spouse who remarries before the age of 55 may no longer qualify for CHAMPVA. A surviving spouse who remarried after 55 will not lose CHAMPVA eligibility.
Education and training benefits for survivors
There are also benefits to help pay for education or job training, as the surviving spouse is often the sole earner in the household after the service member dies.
Fry Scholarship
The Fry Scholarship, or the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship, provides financial support for education-related expenses like tuition, fees, books, and housing. The surviving spouse or child of a Service member who died during active duty after September 10, 2001, may be eligible for up to 36 months of benefits with the Fry Scholarship.
The surviving spouse of a deceased veteran or service member may lose their Fry Scholarship eligibility of they remarry, The child of a deceased service member must use their Fry Scholarship benefits between their 18th and 33rd birthdays but may still be eligible if they get married.
Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program
The Survivors’ and Dependents’ Education Assistance Program offers education and training benefits to eligible dependents of deceased or disabled Service members. This program is available for Survivors and dependents of Veterans who:
- are permanently and totally disabled from a service-related condition or
- died during active military service or
- died as a result of a service-related condition
Montgomery GI Bill Death Benefit
The Montgomery GI Bill Death Benefit is another program designed to alleviate the financial stress on the Surviving spouse and children to pursue higher education after the death of the service member.
The benefit amount is a one-time payment equal to the service member’s military pay reduction minus accrued benefits. By default, the payment is made to the service member’s life insurance (SGLI/VGLI) beneficiaries but will go to their spouse if no beneficiary is specified.
The service member must have been eligible for the Montgomery GI Bill for their beneficiaries to be eligible for the Montgomery GI Bill Death Benefit.
Other benefits available to survivors
There are other VA benefits available to the Survivors of veterans, like Bereavement Counseling, social security benefits, and group life insurance. You can contact your local Veterans Affairs office for additional information and guidance. Your state may also offer additional benefits.
VA Home Loan Guaranty
The Veterans’ Association will help eligible unmarried Surviving spouses (and those who remarry after the age of 57) to become homeowners. A VA Home Loan can help buy, refinance, repair, or maintain a home for a primary resident. In other words, you cannot use a VA loan to buy a secondary home like a rental or vacation property.
To qualify you must be a recipient of Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC). Surviving spouses may qualify for a VA home loan guaranty if:
- The deceased service member or Veteran died on active duty or from a service-related disability
- The deceased was a prisoner of war for more than 90 days or is listed as missing in action
- The deceased was a totally disabled veteran, even if they died from an unrelated cause
- The surviving spouse remarries after the age of 57
The VA home loan guaranty includes several programs such as:
- Purchase loans – to buy, build, or improve a primary residence
- Cash-out refinance loans – to replace an existing loan with a new one under different terms (for example, refinancing at a lower interest rate)
- Interest rate reduction refinance loans – to reduce monthly mortgage payments or make them more stable over time
While the VA does not have a minimum required credit score, lenders typically use credit scores to determine interest rates. You still need to meet your lender’s other requirements to be approved for a VA-guaranteed loan. This includes credit, income, and potentially other requirements.
“No-Fee” passports
“No-fee” passport may be available to the immediate family members of a deceased service member (meaning the surviving spouse, children, parents, and siblings) for the purpose of visiting the grave or memorial site of the deceased at an American military cemetery on foreign soil.
Burial benefits from the National Cemetery Administration
The Nation Cemetery Administration provides pre-need eligibility for a final resting place in a National Cemetery for eligible service members, Veterans, spouses, and eligible dependents. This includes a marker or headstone, a flag for draping the casket (or accompanying the urn), and a Presidential Memorial Certificate.
There are also Burial Benefits and Burial Automatic Payments to help offset the expense of burial, the cost of the plot, and any transportation costs for the service member’s remains. The benefits vary in amount depending on whether the service member or Veteran’s death was connected to their service or not.
For deaths not connected to service, you must apply for burial benefits within two years of the Veteran’s death. For service-related deaths, there is no time limit.
How can I apply for VA survivor benefits?
If you’re ready to apply for VA survivor benefits, there are several ways to apply. You can fill out the application online, mail in your application to the Department of Veterans Affairs, or visit your local VA office in person. The Office of Survivors Assistance has a list of frequently asked questions that may help you.
You can also work with a VA-accredited attorney to offer expert guidance on getting the survivors’ benefits owed to you. It’s hard enough to deal with the death of a family member, but navigating the bureaucracy of government offices while grieving is even harder. A VA-accredited attorney will help you ensure that all of your forms are done correctly the first time so that you don’t have unnecessary waiting periods before you start to receive the benefits owed to you.