VA benefits (US Department of Veterans Affairs) cease when a veteran dies. If a veteran dies before their spouse, any pension benefits being received by the couple will immediately stop. The surviving spouse must submit an entirely new application to the VA to have benefits reinstated. Along with a death certificate, the surviving spouse must supply any and all additional documentation required for their specific benefits, which may include some of all of the following:
~the deceased veteran's discharge papers,
~their marriage certificate,
~personal financial information such as income, assets and expenses,
~a physician's statement detailing the surviving spouse's medical diagnosis and ability to care for themselves, and
~a statement from any long term care provider (assisted living community, home care agency, etc.) detailing their care and associated costs.
Even if these documents were already submitted to the VA, they must be submitted again after a veteran dies. There is a substantial wait time of several months to a year for survivors pension benefits to begin, so being organized and prepared to start the application process is a critically important part of your long term care planning strategy.
Please contact us today to discuss your estate planning and long term care goals.
