Tuesday, June 19, 2012

How to Fill Out Death Benefits for Widows of the Air Force

By Lena Freund

The Veterans Administration (VA) handles death benefits to widows of all branches of the U.S. armed forces, including the Air Force. A surviving spouse of a veteran of the U.S. Air Force is entitled to a number of benefits from the VA; among them, a survivor benefit. Everything you need in order to apply for the survivor benefit can be found on the VA website.

Open the Veterans' Administration website. Place your mouse over the "Veteran Services" heading on the menu bar at the top of the page. You will see a drop-down menu on your screen.

Scroll down and click on "Death Benefits." The page that opens will allow you to choose whether your husband died while in active service or after active service.

Click on the option that applies to you. You will now see a page inquiring as to your relationship with the deceased soldier.

Click on "Spouse" at the top of the triangle. The next page will include a list of forms to use to apply for whichever benefit you are trying to claim. This page will have two columns: the left column opens Word documents explaining each individual benefit and how to apply. The right column includes the forms to fill out to apply for each benefit.

Click on VA Form 21-534, in the left column of the first row. This opens the form as a PDF file.

Save a copy of the file to your desktop and then print it.

Fill out the form and either mail it or deliver it in person to the closest Veterans' Administration office.

Call the VA at 1-800-827-1000 if you do not have Internet access. Ask for Form 21-534 to be mailed to your home. Remember to ask for the address of the closest benefits administration facility to mail the form back.

The base rate that the VA pays survivors is $1,154 per month. If there are children in the household who are under 18, then the surviving spouse is eligible for a transitional extra $286 per month. The VA also makes adjustments to their payments if the surviving spouse has medical issues that leave her handicapped or unable to easily leave her home.

Make sure to fill out the form in full and as accurately as possible. Often, if information is incorrect or incomplete, the paperwork will not be processed by any government agency.


http://www.lenderva.com

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