The state Department of Military and Veterans Affairs in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA) has announced the period for filing for restoration of Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) benefits is Dec. 15.
DIC is for all eligible surviving spouses of veterans, and the USDVA pays a basic monthly DIC benefit of approximately $967 to surviving spouses of service members who die while on active duty and spouses of veterans who died of service-related causes. The Veterans Benefit Act of 2003 restored entitlement to DIC for surviving spouses who remarried on or after the survivor’s 57th birthday. Under previous law, spouses were not eligible for DIC benefits unless the spouse’s subsequent marriage ended.
Applications received after Dec. 15 will not be considered. For more information, call 1-800-624-0508 or visit the Web site at www.state.nj./us/military.