Nearly 11,000 survivors receiving retroactive VA payments

12/29/2008 - WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- Officials from the Department of Veterans Affairs have identified nearly 11,000 surviving spouses of deceased veterans who will receive a lump-sum payment before the new year to correct an error in their VA benefits. Also documented were more than 73,000 who previously had been paid. VA officials are still tracking down eligible survivors.

"I am pleased that our task force working to correct this problem has been able to identify this first group this week," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B. Peake. "We understand the difference these funds can make for these surviving spouses, especially during the holiday season."

Payments were released to these survivors Dec. 29. The total value of the payments is about $24 million.

At issue is a 1996 federal law that makes a surviving spouse eligible to receive the veteran's VA compensation or pension benefit for the month of the veteran's death. VA officials failed to properly implement that law in all cases.

Most likely to have been affected by this problem are surviving spouses who never applied for VA survivors' benefits following the death of a veteran. Eligible for the payment are surviving spouses of veterans who died after Dec. 31, 1996. The department does not have current addresses for many of them, which makes the process of contacting them difficult.

VA officials have established a special Survivor Call Center at (800) 749-8387 for spouses who believe they may be eligible for this retroactive benefit. The call center is open Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. CST. Inquiries also may be submitted through the Internet at www.vba.va.gov/survivorsbenefit.htm. (Courtesy of Air Force Retiree News Service and Veterans Affairs)

24 million / 84,000 people = $285.71 on average. This is one of those government fixes that I wouldn’t have minded as much working out to more. If they are going to spend it anyway, I’d rather see it go to those who deserve it for service.

2 posted on 12/29/2008 4:20:52 PM PST by Ingtar (For the first time in my adult life, I am NOT proud of America.)

Ditto. A high school pal lost a testicle and part of his upper thigh when his APC ran over a mine in 1969. He recovered, came home and married and then fathering three children. When he left the Army, he was awarded a 95 percent disability and I wouldn't say he didn't deserve every penny.

3 posted on 12/29/2008 4:25:46 PM PST by Eric in the Ozarks

24 million / 84,000 people = $285.71 on average.

I think I misunderstood - I thought 73,000 had already been paid, just not documented and these 11,000 payments total 24M == ~$2181 each for the missing first month.

Going to have my brother in law check on this for his mom.

5 posted on 12/29/2008 5:26:36 PM PST by swmobuffalo ("We didn't seek the approval of Code Pink and MoveOn.org before deciding what to do")

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