Government Benefits & Notification When Getting Affairs In Order

If you are the spouse, child or dependent parent of a veteran, you may be eligible for survivor compensation in a few different forms. 

VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (VA IDC) is a tax-free benefit for survivors of a veteran who died in the line of service or as a result of a service-related illness or injury. 

More information, including application forms, can be found here.

A VA Survivors Pension offers monthly payments to qualified surviving spouses, and the unmarried dependent children of war-service Veterans, who meet certain net worth and income limits that are set by Congress. 

Additional information and an online application form can be found here. 

VA Aid and Attendance benefits and Housebound allowance may be available for those who receive a VA Survivors Pension. This is a monthly payment for survivors who have a permanent disability that necessitates staying primarily in your house. 

Further information — there is a mail-in form and in-person application instructions — can be found here.

Bereavement Counseling through certain Vet Centers may also be available for surviving spouses, dependent parents and children. 

More information can be found here.

And, be sure to check out the comprehensive online brochure about VA Survivor Benefits and visit our VA Funeral Assistance page as well. 

Sources

“Survivor compensation”. US Department of Veterans Affairs. https://www.va.gov/family-and-caregiver-benefits/survivor-compensation

If you’re covering the costs of your veteran loved one’s burial and funeral, you may be eligible to receive VA funeral cost benefits. To qualify for these benefits, both you and the veteran must meet certain eligibility criteria.

The veteran must have:

• Been honorably discharged, and
• Fulfilled one of the following conditions:
  • Received care from a VA facility,
  • Received a VA pension,
  • Died from a service-related disability.

You must:

• Be the surviving spouse or legal-union partner, child, parent or close family member of the veteran, or served as executor of their estate.

For more detailed information on the veterans burial allowance, including:

• Your eligibility status
• What expenses are covered by the benefits
• How much time you have to file a claim
• The amount you may receive

Visit the US Department of Veterans’ Affairs Veterans Burial Allowance page for more information, including the documents you’ll need. You can apply for benefits online.

Sources

“Veterans death benefits.” USA.gov. https://www.usa.gov/veterans-death-benefits

“Veterans burial allowance and transportation benefits.” US Department of Veterans Affairs. https://www.va.gov/burials-memorials/veterans-burial-allowance/

“Apply for a Veterans burial allowance and transportation benefits”. US Department of Veterans Affairs. https://www.va.gov/burials-memorials/veterans-burial-allowance/apply-for-allowance-form-21p-530ez/introduction

To notify the Social Security Administration of a death (they handle reports for both Social Security and Medicare recipients) do one of the following:

• Give the funeral director your loved one’s Social Security number, and they will report the death to the SSA.

OR

• Contact your local Social Security office or call the main SSA number at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) to report the death. Note that you can only report the death in person or via phone — the SSA will not accept email or online reports. If you are reporting the death, you can initiate the process without the death certificate, but you will need it to complete the report.

Applying for Survivor’s Benefits

Spouses, divorced spouses, dependent parents, and children who are minors, K-12-enrolled or disabled may be eligible to continue receiving the person’s Social Security and/or Medicare benefits. You can check more detailed eligibility requirements on the Social Security Administration website. 

You can apply for benefits directly on the SSA’s website, or make an in-person appointment by calling the main SSA number (1-800-772-1213) and letting the agent know you’d like to set up an appointment to apply for survivor’s benefits.

Information you’ll need includes: 

• Your own social security number and place of birth (city, state, and country).
• The last five years of work information for the person who died:
  • Employer name(s)
  • The dates worked
  • Average number of hours worked
  • Pay rate(s)
• Information on past and current marriages
  • Your former spouse or spouse’s birthday and Social Security number 
  • The date you got married and/or divorced
  • The location you got married (city, state, and country)
• Names of children age 17 or younger, age 18 or 19 if enrolled in a K-12 school full-time, or any age if they have a disability that developed at the age of 21 or before
• For direct deposits of any benefit payments, you’ll need the routing number and account number of your bank account

Sources

“Report the death of a Social Security or Medicare beneficiary”. USA.gov. https://www.usa.gov/social-security-report-a-death

“Survivor benefits”. Social Security Administration. https://www.ssa.gov/survivor

“Who can get Survivor benefits”. Social Security Administration. https://www.ssa.gov/survivor/eligibility