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Questions & Answers
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Q600: How long will my spouse have to wait to get her VA death pension check after I die?
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A1: The Veteran has to be 100% permanent and total disability for 10 years for the spouse to be eligible for Dependent Identity Compensation which is referred to as the DIC. (GR) 12/4/20
A2: There are two programs for which an eligible spouse can file for after the veteran's death. One is Dependency Indemnity Compensation (DIC) and the other is the widow/er pension. How long it takes is dependent on when/if the surviving spouse files. If you are a service connected (SC) veteran and die from one of your SC conditions, your spouse may be entitled to DIC. This is a fixed amount of compensation they will receive monthly exempt from taxation. If the veteran dies from something not related to the military, then the only option would be the widow/er pension. This is a needs based program and the veteran must have served 90 days on active duty and and least one of those days had to have been during a period of war. The pension centers handle both DIC and the widow/er pension claims. It is recommended to seek counsel with a Veteran Service officer. By submitting all the evidence the first time will minimize the time it takes to process the claim. I have had Fully Developed Claims done in 2 - 3 weeks. This is NOT the norm. Generally speaking you can look to have it completed in 3-4 months. There are always exceptions. Some completed sooner and some will take longer. (DS) 12/4/20