Veterans and their families have given up a lot to protect our country. The United States government estimates approximately 3.9 million military service veterans have a disability connected to their time in the armed forces. Although VA disability benefits are available, they can often be frustratingly difficult for veterans to obtain.
A surviving spouse can sometimes qualify for disability compensation through the VA. This type of benefit is called Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (VA DIC). As explained by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), VA DIC is a “tax-free monetary benefit” available to a “surviving spouse, child, or parent of a service member who died in the line of duty, or the survivor of a Veteran who died from a service-related injury or illness.” Here, our Chicago metropolitan region and State of Illinois VA disability lawyer highlights four (4) key things you should know about qualifying survivor’s benefits through Veterans Affairs. Our attorneys handle Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) and Veteran service-connected disability claims. (more…)
With more than 25 million cases confirmed nationwide as of late January 2021, COVID-19 remains a serious public health crisis. To address the economic fallout, Congress has approved rounds of stimulus payments. As noted by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the first stimulus payment was for up to $1,200 to qualifying individuals. The second stimulus payment was up to $600 for qualifying individuals. It is possible more stimulus payments will be approved in 2021.
Dealing with the loss of a spouse is never easy. It is even more challenging if you are trying to navigate the Social Security claims process. You may be wondering: Can I get widow benefits through Social Security disability? The answer is ‘it depends.’ While survivor benefits are not guaranteed through disability, you may be eligible for compensation. Here, SSDI attorney Harold W. Conick explains how survivor benefits work under the Social Security disability program.
