Benefits for Military Widows
At times of war, benefits to military widows is an issue of utmost importance to many military families. Discussions of this kind can seem ghoulish or be emotionally difficult before the fact. Unfortunately, the death of a family member in foreign military service is just as poor a time to be thoroughly exploring all the possible benefits that may be available to a widow.
-
The Funeral
-
The Veterans Administration provides benefits for the funeral of a dead serviceman. Those who died in a service-related death on or after Sept. 11, 2001, are eligible for up to $2,000 applied toward burial expenses. For deaths on or before Sept. 10, 2001, the benefit is $1,500.
A serviceman who dies outside of duty is eligible for $300 for burial and funeral expenses, and a $300 plot allowance from the VA.
A departed veteran's family is eligible for these benefits if it is not already receiving a similar funeral benefit from another government department, and the veteran was either on active duty or received a discharge on conditions that were not dishonorable. The veteran must also meet at least one of the following conditions: 1) death due to a service-related disability; 2) receiving a VA pension or other compensation at the time of death; 3) was otherwise entitled to, but not collecting, a VA pension; 4) died in a VA facility.
Death Gratuity
-
This is a one-time, tax-free payment meant to help cushion the financial blow of losing a provider in military service. Widows are eligible if their spouse met any of the following conditions: 1) Was an active-duty military member who died in the line of duty or while traveling to that duty; 2) Was a member of the Reserves who died while on inactive duty training; 3) Was a member of the Reserves who was on active duty and died, or was under authorized travel to active duty or inactive duty training and died en route; 4) Was an ROTC member who died while on annual training if under orders for more than 13 days, or while on authorized travel to/from training; 5) Was an ROTC applicant who died on a field training or practice cruise; 6) The death occurred while traveling to or from or while at the place of final acceptance and entry into the Armed Forces, if he has been provisionally accepted for duty.
Life Insurance
-
All members of the Armed Forces are eligible for Servicemember's Group Life Insurance (SGLI). This life insurance may be purchased in increments of $10,000 for $6.50 per increment (i.e. $50,000 has a premium of $32.50), up to $400,000. Military widows are likely beneficiaries of this insurance.
Access to Veterans Benefits
-
Widows may also be eligible to receive a death pension from the VA. A widow may be eligible if: 1) the deceased was not dishonorably discharged; 2) the deceased served at least 90 days on active duty and at least 1 day during a period of war; 3) the applicant is a surviving spouse or unmarried child of a deceased veteran; 4) their income is below the legal limit (for a surviving spouse with no children, this is $7,933).
A widow is also eligible for continued access to TRICARE, or the military's HMO. Surviving spouses enjoy continued TRICARE coverage for one year after the serviceman's death. After one year, the spouse is required to pay an annual membership fee the same as that paid by retirees to enroll (or re-enroll) in TRICARE.
Widows are also allowed to continue residing in their existing base housing, or to continue receiving their off-base housing allowance, for one year after the servicemember's death.
Dependency and Indemnity Compensation
-
A widow is eligible for this benefit if she meets any of the following conditions: 1) She married the deceased before Jan. 1, 1957; 2) She was married to a servicemember who died on active duty; 3) She married the deceased within 15 years of discharge from the time of service in which the condition that caused the death was caused or aggravated; 4) She was married to the deceased for at least one year, had a child with the deceased, and was continuously cohabitating with the veteran. If separated, she must not be at fault and has not remarried.
-
