Veteran’s Widow Receives $313K in Retroactive Payments

In 2018, a veteran’s spouse was denied Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) — the tax-free monetary benefit paid to eligible survivors of military service members who died in the line of duty or as the result of a service-related injury or disease. Her spouse died in 2004 as the result of coronary artery disease. 

She visited the VVA’s Michigan State Council Veterans Benefits Program in January 2023 to see if she could still qualify for any benefits. VSO Jake Carriveau filed an 0995 form for DIC, and the VA granted compensation dating back to June 2003 and Aid & Attendance payments dating to 2018. The veteran’s surviving spouse received a retroactive payment of $313,000.

Contact a VVA Veteran Service Officer to assist with your claim in states that have a benefits program here, or search for a VSO from another organization through the VA’s website in states where we do not. Enter your ZIP code or city and state, and you’ll see which VSOs serve your area.