You do not need to do everything this week.
Most survivor benefits do not need to be decided right away. Take care of yourself and your family first. When you are ready, we can sit with you, by phone or in person, and go through every item on this page together. Reach out to us any time.
The first days
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If your loved one died on active duty
The service branch will assign a Casualty Assistance Officer (the Army and Air Force say CAO, the Navy and Marine Corps say CACO) to your family. This person helps with the death gratuity, life insurance, transportation of remains, funeral honors and survivor benefit paperwork. Keep their name and number close.
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If your loved one was a veteran
Call the VA at 800-827-1000 to report the death and ask about survivor benefits and burial allowances. Tell the funeral home that the deceased was a veteran, because many funeral directors can arrange military honors and burial in a national cemetery.
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Gather the key documents
These include the death certificate (order several certified copies), the DD-214 or other service records, your marriage certificate, children's birth certificates, Social Security numbers, and any insurance policies. If the DD-214 is missing, we can help you request it.
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Find someone to talk to
TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors) answers its helpline 24/7 at 800-959-8277, and can connect you with peer mentors who have lived through the same loss.
Immediate payments from the military
Death Gratuity
A tax-free payment of $100,000 paid by the military to the designated survivor of a service member who dies on active duty (and certain reservists and Guard members). It is usually paid within days to help with immediate needs.
SGLI / VGLI
Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance pays up to $500,000 to the named beneficiaries. Veterans may have kept coverage through Veterans' Group Life Insurance (VGLI). Claims are filed through the casualty office or with the Office of Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance.
Monthly survivor benefits
Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC)
A tax-free monthly payment for surviving spouses, children and, in some cases, parents. You may qualify if the service member died in the line of duty, or if the veteran's death was related to a service-connected injury or illness.
File with VA Form 21P-534EZ (spouses and children) or 21P-535 (parents).
Survivors Pension
A needs-based monthly payment for low-income surviving spouses and unmarried children of wartime veterans, even when the death was not related to service.
The same application form as DIC. The VA reviews you for both.
Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP)
A monthly annuity for the survivors of service members who die in the line of duty, and of military retirees who enrolled in SBP before their death.
Survivors benefits
Spouses and children may also qualify for Social Security survivors benefits based on the service member's work record. Call Social Security at 800-772-1213.
Education for spouses and children
Fry Scholarship
Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, which can cover tuition, housing and books, for the children and surviving spouses of service members who died in the line of duty on or after September 11, 2001.
Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA)
Monthly education and training payments for the spouses and children of veterans who died of a service-connected condition, or who were permanently and totally disabled.
Many states also offer free tuition at state colleges for Gold Star children and spouses. Ask us what your state provides.
Health care and housing
- TRICARE: surviving spouses and children of active-duty service members generally keep TRICARE coverage. Children are covered until they age out, and spouses for a set period and longer in some cases.
- CHAMPVA: VA health coverage for survivors who qualify for DIC but are not eligible for TRICARE.
- VA home loan: some surviving spouses can use the VA home loan guaranty, and those receiving DIC pay no funding fee.
Burial and memorial honors
- Burial in a VA national cemetery, with an opening and closing of the grave, a liner, and perpetual care, all at no cost. Spouses and dependent children can be buried there too. National Cemetery Scheduling Office: 800-535-1117.
- A government headstone, marker or medallion.
- A U.S. burial flag and military funeral honors, including the folding and presenting of the flag and the playing of Taps.
- A Presidential Memorial Certificate.
- A burial and plot allowance for some veterans' families, to help with funeral costs.
- The Gold Star Lapel Button and the Next of Kin Lapel Button, requested through the service branch.
Grief and emotional support
Grief after a military loss can be complicated, especially after a death by suicide, an accident, or a death far from home. You deserve support too.
- TAPS: a 24/7 helpline at 800-959-8277, peer mentors, survivor seminars and Good Grief Camps for children.
- VA Vet Centers: free, confidential bereavement counseling for the families of service members who died on active duty. Vet Center Call Center: 877-927-8387.
- Military OneSource: free counseling and support for eligible military families at 800-342-9647.
- 988, then press 1: if you or someone in your family is in crisis, the Veterans Crisis Line is there for families too.
How we help families
A steady guide
We help you understand which benefits apply to your family and keep track of what has been filed, so nothing slips through the cracks.
Paperwork support
We help gather records and fill out survivor benefit forms, then connect you with accredited representatives who file claims at no cost.
Trusted partners
We work with a licensed insurance broker who can help your family review life insurance and mortgage protection, and we connect you with local programs for other needs.
Someone who cares
We check in. We remember your soldier's name. Our motto is Fallen, but not forgotten, and we mean it.