The Department of Veterans Affairs
2009-01-07

The Department of Veterans Affairs 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
• First and last name,
• Social Security Number or VA claim number,
• Veteran’s date of birth,
• Branch of service,
• Service number, if you have it, and,
• 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.

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