vet dies while A&A claim pending

[tcostin]

Hello.  This is my first post.

My father passed away last week.  He served in the Army Air Corps in WWII. His claim for A&A has been pending for about 4 months.   He has been continuously married to my Mom for 61 years.   For the last three months, due to his last illness, my My Dad was bedridden and required a live-in caretaker and numerous unreimbursed medical expenses, which I documented almost up to his death with two updates to the application. 

Is my mother entitled to keep this claim going or is the claim going to be closed out just because he happened to die before the claim was processed?

I am filling out form 21-601 on the advice of the American Legion.  Is this the right form to request the A&A claim stay open? 

Thanks,
Tim

[vetadmin]

Tim,

Sorry for your loss and the difficult time this is for your family.

You can file for any medial expenses that were paid of the pockets other than your dad's. Whoever paid for those expenses, can file for reimbursement using the 21-601.  You need to write a letter and include all the receipts and proof of payments that are related to his care.

It can take up to a year to receive the funds, so patience will be needed.  If your mom is a care situation, you need to do a 21-534 and make the appliation in her name as the widow. 

[VSR]

Hello.  This is my first post.

My father passed away last week.  He served in the Army Air Corps in WWII. His claim for A&A has been pending for about 4 months.   He has been continuously married to my Mom for 61 years.   For the last three months, due to his last illness, my My Dad was bedridden and required a live-in caretaker and numerous unreimbursed medical expenses, which I documented almost up to his death with two updates to the application. 

Is my mother entitled to keep this claim going or is the claim going to be closed out just because he happened to die before the claim was processed?

I am filling out form 21-601 on the advice of the American Legion.  Is this the right form to request the A&A claim stay open? 

Thanks,
Tim

Tim,

Actually, your mother should only turn in the VA Form 21-534.  This will ensure that she gets paid any benefits to which he was entitled.  The 21-601 will only pay you based on the expenses you paid.  As the surviving spouse of a veteran, she doesn't need to turn in any expenses.  She just gets paid the money because she was his dependent.  Please message me or post a reply if you have any questions.

[Magi]

Hello.  This is my first post.

My father passed away last week.  He served in the Army Air Corps in WWII. His claim for A&A has been pending for about 4 months.   He has been continuously married to my Mom for 61 years.   For the last three months, due to his last illness, my My Dad was bedridden and required a live-in caretaker and numerous unreimbursed medical expenses, which I documented almost up to his death with two updates to the application. 

Is my mother entitled to keep this claim going or is the claim going to be closed out just because he happened to die before the claim was processed?

I am filling out form 21-601 on the advice of the American Legion.  Is this the right form to request the A&A claim stay open? 

Thanks,
Tim

[pawprint1979]

just wanted to clarify a few things here.

if a vet had a claim for AA pending before death (or any type of claim pending before he died), that claim with "close out" once the VA is notified the veteran died.

If the vet has a spouse, she should only send the 534.  That is correct.  She may want to make mention of the fact the vet had a claim for ____ pending before he died. 

If the vet did not have dependents on the award before he died, then the person who paid the last expenses can submit a claim for accrued. 

The person who paid the last expenses will be reimbursed up to the amount of accrued benefits available. 

First the VA decides how much accrued benefits are available.  If a spouse applies for the accrued (along with a claim for death pension and/or DIC), then she is entitled to receive the entire amount of accrued benefits available, no matter what.  If $10,000 in accrued benefits are availalble, she gets the whole amount.


If there is no spouse or other dependents on the award before death then the person who paid the last expenses can apply.  Now this person's accrued payment will vary.  Lets say there are $10,000 available for accrued benefits.  Lets say the funeral expenses were $5,000.  The person paid the $5,000 in last expenses and sends a receipted bill. They will get reimbursed for the $5,000.  The remainder of accrued benefits available will NOT be payable.  This is how the law is set up.

[Caroliso]

pawprint or anyone,

what if the Vet dies after A&A is awarded and is being paid?  If the date of death is the middle of the month, and the VA is notified, do payments stop immediately or is the final month (first of month after death) paid?

[vetadmin]

You need to notify the VA of his passing, and hang on to the money as it will have to be returned.

Not sure if they will ask for the month he passed in back.  To the best of my knowledge they should not.

I apologize for the delay in a reply to you.  We had the hurricane here in VA, and had power and internet issues.