United States Department of Veterans Affairs

Partnerships, Groups and Associations for Survivor's Aid and Benefits

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Labor (DOL) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) offer a wide range of benefits and services to the survivors of U.S. military personnel who died during active service to their country.


The Partnership

Please click on the logo or image links below to see what is available from each agency.


VA Signature graphic  --   The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers a wide range of benefits and services for the surviving spouse, dependent children and dependent parents of deceased veterans and military servicemembers.

Image of soldier and family courtesy Department of Defense.  --   The Department of Defense (DoD) offers a number of benefits and services dedicated to survivors of military personnel who died on active duty.  The two web sites that are shown next are good places to start.

  • MilitaryHOMEFRONT is the central, trusted, up-to-date source for Service members and families to obtain information about all Quality of Life programs and services.


  • Department of Defense also offers you access to Military OneSource Online, where you can find help to cope with life’s issues.


  • Survivor's Guide to Benefits  --  A Department of Defense publication in PDF format.

Image of a Social Security Card  --   Social Security Administration (SSA) provides survivor's benefits to:
  • A widow or widower -- full benefits at full retirement age (currently age 65), or reduced benefits as early as age 60
  • A disabled widow or widower -- as early as age 50
  • A widow or widower at any age if he or she takes care of the deceased's child who is under age 16 or disabled, and receiving Social Security benefits
  • Unmarried children under 18, or up to age 19 if they are attending high school full time. Under certain circumstances, benefits can be paid to stepchildren, grandchildren, or adopted children. Children at any age who were disabled before age 22 and remain disabled.
  • Dependent parents age 62 or older
  • Social Security Administration offers an on-line benefits calculator to help with your decisions

Department of Labor Seal   --  The Department of Labor (DoL) provides many of the same benefits to survivors of deceased veterans ("Eligible persons", 38 USC, Part III, Chapter 41, Sec. 4101 (5)) as to the returning veterans.  An outline of services available has been made available by DoL in an enclosed document.    Please click here.

More information may be found at the Military Spouse web site, a collaborative DoL / DoD effort.  DoL also is working with DoD to add information on military installations and their employment readiness programs to America's Service Locator (ASL) www.servicelocator.org, which helps individuals to locate One-Stop Career Center services.

Questions about or problems using this web site may be referred to the Webmaster, Veterans Benefits Administration.  Please do not use this e-mail for benefits questions.    You should use the Contact VA web messaging form for that purpose.

Thank you.

This page has been accessed Counter   times since July 19, 2005.