This month, we’ve been talking about Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), a VA compensation benefit available to eligible survivors of veterans who died due to reasons connect to their service. Today, we’re going to discuss when a survivor should file for DIC as this could affect the amount of compensation he or she receives.
We strongly urge survivors to apply for DIC benefits immediately after the death of the veteran (preferably within one year). The law will permit a survivor to apply with no limit to the time frame after the veteran passes away, but places significant limits on how much compensation can be recovered.
Survivors who apply within a year typically recover the most in DIC benefits as this enables them to receive benefits back to the date of the veteran’s death–no matter how long the VA takes to process the claim. If the survivor files the application for DIC after the one-year mark of the veteran’s death, then the Effective Date of the DIC claim will be the date of the application. But if you are a survivor and didn’t apply for DIC within the one-year window, there may still be ways to back compensation dating from your loved one’s death.
On that note, as with any benefits from the VA, it’s important to closely examine the Granting Decision to ensure the Effective Date is correct. It’s not uncommon for errors involving the Effective Date to occur, and this can affect the amount of compensation you receive.
If you have questions about DIC or other veterans’ benefits, the expert staff of Jan Dils, Attorneys at Law, can help. Contact us to schedule your free initial consultation today.
