| |
• The Department of Veterans Affairs pays the Dependency and Indemnity Compensation, a tax-free monthly amount of $967, to surviving spouses who do not remarry. Once remarried, the DIC stops. An additional $241 is paid for each dependent child until age 18, with special additional amounts for special needs.
• Eligible spouses and children also may be entitled to monthly payments under the Uniformed Services Survivor Benefits Plan. A surviving spouse, or children if there is no spouse or the spouse later dies, of a member who dies while on active duty is entitled to 55 percent annuity of retired pay while under 62 years of age and 35 percent when 62 or older.
• The retired pay is determined as the benefit that would have been payable to the member had the member been retired on total disability on the date of death. A spouse loses the SBP entitlement if remarried the under age 55, but it might be reinstated if that marriage ends in divorce or because of death. The spouse’s DIC of $967 is offset from the SBP.
• The surviving spouse and dependent(s) may also qualify for up to 45 months of full-time education benefits from the VA.
• An unremarried surviving spouse and minor dependents are eligible for space-available medical care at military medical facilities or are covered by Tricare (Medicare after age 65). Dental insurance coverage and full Tricare are extended for three years after the member’s death.
• An unremarried surviving spouse and qualified unmarried dependents are eligible to shop at military commissaries and exchanges. Families of retired members retain privileges so long as a spouse is not remarried.
• The next-of-kin of a member whose death occurs overseas in a terrorist or military action is exempt from paying the decedent’s income tax for at least the year in which the death occurred. Payments made by the VA are tax-exempt.
— Source: Office of the Secretary of Defense
|
|
| |
|
| |
Lesko’s offer couldn’t come at a better time, said Adamouski and Kristen Andrade, whose husband, Spc. Michael Andrade, was killed Sept. 24 in Iraq when his Humvee collided with a 5,000-gallon fuel tanker.
Both widows have heard complaints from others who didn’t know about services available to them, such as through Army Emergency Relief.
It came as no surprise to AER’s Greg Mason that surviving spouses have said they didn’t know anything about benefits and services provided, such as interest-free loans. “ If there are a number of spouses who have not heard about us for months, I don’t doubt that. … Generally, it’s the knowledge of the soldier in the military, and whether he takes that home and tells his spouse is iffy at best,” said Mason, the deputy director of finance retired colonel who spent 28 years in the Army.
Andrade is still finding her way, and thinks Lesko might be a good avenue.
br> “ There is so much I don’t know about benefits and all, and I’m sure this could really help,” she said. “When they contacted me, I was surprised. I said ‘Wow, people are actually thinking about us.’ I think this will be helpful to people left behind.”
— More information is available at: www.helpyourself.lesko.com
Surviving spouses can request help by e-mailing: matthew@lesko.com or by calling (301) 929-8400.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For an extensive list of grants and other forms of free money available to Veterans and their families, go to the January 26th Edition of Lesko's Lessons" in the 2004 Newsletter Archives, or Click here |
