Bill’s pension was filled with an effective date of July 1st, 2019.  He has been married for 45 years.

He passed away October 5th.

How will his passing affect his back pay and his wife’s pension going forward?

He is due pension $$ for July, August and September.  In October he would have been paid for September.  The September  check would be paying for August.  The August check would have been paying for July.  He did not live the full month of October so he is only due (3) months back pay at the couple pension rate.  Last year the couple rate was $2,230 a month which totals $6,690 for the 3 months.  VA will pay up to $6,690 for his final expenses.

What happens if someone other than his wife pays for these expenses?

Example –   a son/daughter pays funeral expenses of 15,000, VA will reimburse them $6,690 as a debt to this estate but not the total $15,000.

His wife (if she qualifies medically and financially) can then file for a widow’s pension, which was $1,209 monthly under last years rate.  They will back date this to the original effective date of the couple pension so her effective date would be July 1, 2019.  This is because he died  and she filed within a year of his death.

*IF SHE PAYS FOR THE FINAL EXPENSES OUT OF THE DECEASED HUSBAND AND HER MONEY, IT IS NOT CONSIDERED A DEBT TO HIS ESTATE AND THEY WILL NOT PAY HER ANYTHING. I TELL FAMILIES TO WRITE A CHECK TO THE CHILD AND HAVE THE CHILD PAY THE FUNERAL HOME SO IT WILL BE A DEBT TO HIS ESTATE.