Question:

Hello Jim,

I hope this message finds you well. First, I want to thank you for all that you do for veterans and their families. I need assistance with recovering due benefits to my family after my father passed. He was a veteran, was receiving monthly benefits, and unfortunately it all stopped after he passed. My mom was a young widow and life was very challenging for us. Can you please help point me in the right direction to get to the bottom of this matter? I appreciate your time and help, looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Jim's Reply:

I'm sorry for your loss.
 

When a veteran who is receiving disability benefits dies the surviving dependents aren't automatically awarded any benefits other than some burial and funeral expenses. If the veteran died of a service connected condition, the surviving dependent is allowed to apply for DIC.
 

To be eligible for the DIC benefit the veteran must have either passed from a service connected condition or have been rated as permanently and totally disabled for an uninterrupted period of ten or more years. If your father had a relatively minor disability rating and didn't die of that condition your mother may not be eligible for any VA benefit.
 

I get the idea that this may have happened a long while ago and that complicates everything. If an application for DIC benefits isn't received in the first year after death, the record closes and can be very difficult to reopen.
 

You're welcome to get back to me if I've missed something.