A new regulation recently announced by the Department of Veterans Affairs is expected to lead to faster decisions and quicker payments for certain types of survivors’ claims.
VA had been required to address claims for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation and Survivors Pension separately, resulting in a longer claims process, as a formal decision was required for both benefits.
With the change, effective Feb. 23, VA will begin paying the higher of the two benefits, which is generally DIC — without delaying the process to develop the lesser benefit.
“This commonsense change streamlines the survivors' claims process, reduces administrative burdens, and delivers quicker decisions to beneficiaries during challenging times,’” said VA Secretary Doug Collins in a statement.
DIC is a tax-free monthly monetary benefit paid to eligible surviving spouses, children and parents of a service member who died in the line of duty or veterans who died from service-connected injuries or illnesses. Survivors Pension offers tax-free monthly payments to qualified surviving spouses and unmarried dependent children of wartime veterans who meet certain income and net worth limits set by Congress.
According to VA, in most instances, DIC provides a greater economic benefit than Survivors Pension. However, this is not the case if all the following conditions are met: The claimant is the veteran’s surviving spouse; has no dependents; is residing in a nursing home; or has applied for or is currently receiving Medicaid.
If all these criteria are met, Survivors Pension ― rather than DIC ― will be awarded, and the DIC claim will not be further developed.
For more information, contact the VA benefits hotline on 800-827-1000.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.