VA to Provide Payments to Eligible Surviving Spouses
The
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced immediate actions to quickly
identify and pay surviving spouses who are eligible to receive the deceased
veteran’s VA compensation or pension benefit for the month of the veteran’s
death.
This
benefit is only payable to surviving spouses of veterans who were receiving VA
compensation or pension benefits at the time of their death.
Because VA
does not always know if a veteran is survived by a spouse, some surviving
spouses have not received the month-of-death benefit to which they are
entitled.
If you are
a surviving spouse of a veteran who was receiving VA benefits at the time of
death and believe you may be eligible for the month-of-death benefit, please go
to www.va.gov
and provide the information requested.
VA will determine your eligibility.
When you
reach the web page to ask your question, please select:
·
“Question”
for the Type of Inquiry.
·
“Survivors Month of Death Benefit” for your
Topic.
On the
second page of the web form, please make sure to include:
·
Your
full name, address and contact preference (e-mail, phone number, or US Mail),
·
And,
the veteran’s
o
First
and last name,
o
Social
Security Number or VA claim number,
o
Veteran’s
date of birth,
o
Branch
of service,
o
Service
number, if you have it, and,
o
Service
dates, if possible.
VA has also established a special Survivors’ Call Center
for spouses who believe they may be entitled to this retroactive month-of-death
benefit.
Surviving spouses are encouraged to contact the Survivors’ Call Center
at the toll-free telephone number, 1-800-749-8387. Call center agents will assist surviving
spouses in providing VA with the information needed to determine their
eligibility.
The Call Center
is open Monday through Friday from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm central standard
time.