If you are the spouse of a deceased veteran, you may be eligible for several Veterans Administration benefits, including health care, Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), Survivor’s Pension, Aid and Attendance long-term care benefit, home loans and burial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Health Care For Spouses<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The surviving spouse of a veteran may be eligible for various health care\nbenefits through TRICARE or the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the\nDepartment of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA).<\/p>\n\n\n\n TRICARE is the military\u2019s health care program. It is managed by the Defense\nHealth Agency. The program is for\ncurrent and retired Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Pubic\nHealth Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration personnel\nand their families. To qualify for TRICARE, the service member an\/or family\nmember must be enrolled in the Denfense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System\n(DEERS), an automated information system with current data on all military\npersonnel and dependents who are eliglible for military benefits. Members of\nthe National Guard and Reserves may also qualify for TRICARE. Types of benefit\ninclude health plans, dental plans, vision plans, prescription medicines and\nspecial needs programs. Read more about TRICARE<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n CHAMPVA is a special Veterans Administration health care program for surviving\nspouses and children of veterans with disabilities or service members who died\nin the line of duty. The VA shares the cost of CHAMVA health care services and\nsupplies with individuals who are eligiblle for the program. Types of services\ncovered by CHAMPVA include You can download the CHAMPVA\nservices guide here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dependency and\nIndemnity Compensation (DIC) for Spouses<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Veterans Administration provides\ntax-free financial benefits to the surviving spouse, child or parent of a\nservice member who died while on active duty, active duty for training or\ninactive duty training, or died from a service-related illness or injury. This\nbenefit is called Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Surviving spouses may also be eligible\nfor this benefit if the veteran didn\u2019t die from a service-connected illness or\ninjury but was eligible to receive VA compensation for a service-connected\ndisability rated as totally disabled for a certain period of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is a congressionally mandated benefit with annual\ncost-of-living increases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Surviving Spouse DIC\neligibility requirements include having been:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The 2020 monthly tax-free\npayment amount is $1,340.14. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The VA also provides\nadditional financial benefits for special circumstances such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Note: the monthly benefit amount and\nadditional benefits for special circumstances are calculated differently If the\nveteran died before January 1, 1993.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Survivors Pension<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Un-remarried, low-income spouses of a deceased veteran may\nbe eligible for a Survivors Pension. The benefit pays up to $9,224 per year\n(approximately $768 per month) for a spouse without a dependent child.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To qualify for this benefit, the veteran must have:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The spouse must have been married to the veteran for at\nleast a year prior to their passing and meet various VA income and asset\nrequirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If the spouse is eligible for both DIC and a Survivors\nPension, the VA will pay the higher of the two benefit amounts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Aid and Attendance <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Aid and Attendance is a special VA benefit for veterans and\nspouses who need long-term care. It is a reimbursement for care that helps cover\nthe cost of home care, adult day care, board and care, assisted living or a\nskilled nursing facility. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Veteran requirements include having served 90 days of active\nduty with at least 1 day during a wartime period and receiving anything other\nthan a dishonorable discharge. <\/p>\n\n\n\n To qualify for the benefit, the spouse must have:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Aid and Attendance for spouses pays up to $1,228 per month ($14,742\nper year) tax-free. For spouses already receiving DIC, the amount is $332.00\nper month. <\/p>\n\n\n\n