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HELPING VETERANS' SURVIVORS -- "We try to
inform
them about what's going to occur with their
money
and what they're going to expect."
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Helping veterans' survivors
CHRISSY VICK
Daily News Staff
When a military retiree dies, there is often a widow or widower left
behind with a huge financial burden.
It's something Randy Reichler sees every week.
As the retired affairs officer for Camp Lejeune, Reichler handles an
average of 87 widows and widowers who are going through that very thing
each year.
"They often don't know what (bills) are coming out; they have no
insurance," he said. "There were three this last year that lost their
homes, so the financial hardship is immense when this happens. The
funeral cost is rough on them."
Add to that the burden of losing that month's paycheck. According to
federal regulations, once the Defense Finance Accounting Service is
notified of a death, the retiree's pay is immediately ceased. DFAS
electronically withdraws the last payment from the checking account and
later sends a check to the beneficiary for a pro-rated portion of the
military pay when the retiree was still living.
"I have literally had spouses have their husband die on the 31st of the
month and DFAS stopped the check and turned around and repaid it 60 days
later, when they didn't need to stop it at all," he said.
For many, losing a paycheck immediately after the death is the worst
timing possible. It could mean bounced checks and unpaid bills. Reichler
has to counsel widows on how to deal with that, among other things.
"Widows have often not dealt with the finances," Reichler said. "I'm in
an age where the female usually took care of the finances, but older
retirees' spouses often never dealt with finances."
U.S. Rep. Walter B. Jones, R-Farmville, hopes one House bill can help.
The Military Retiree Survivor Comfort Act, or H.R. 657, was recently
introduced by Jones to offer immediate financial relief to the surviving
beneficiaries of retirees, according to a press release.
The same legislation was introduced in recent years, but never made it
out of committee.
Jones said the bill would "forgive the overpayment" made to the
surviving beneficiary if they have a joint bank account. To offset that
cost, the recipient receiving the payment would "forgo the first month
of Survivor Benefit Plan payments," according to the release.
"The individual amounts will be small, but they will provide great
comfort to those who are already suffering a loss," Jones said.
Reichler says the bill would be a short-term benefit.
"People need a little bit of transition time," he said. "There is a lot
we have to do when somebody dies - it's a lot to go through."
Amelia Grissett, director of Onslow County Veterans Services, sees that
also.
"Sometimes their money is frozen, sometimes for 45 days; and they do not
see any of that money," Grissett said. "So that would be an immediate
help to them."
Veterans Affairs assistance can also take months before going into
effect to help a spouse, she said, adding a further burden.
"We try to inform them about what's going to occur with their money and
what they're going to expect," she said. "We have to let them know that
basically their money is going to be tied up for a period of time."
Sometimes spouses have to depend on family for help, she said.
Clifton Major, a volunteer veteran service officer with the Disabled
American Veterans, hopes that never happens to his own family. The
retired Marine says H.R. 657 is a good idea.
"Death is unexpected," he said. "If I were receiving just the retired
pay, that would give me some peace of mind for my family."
But for a veteran to really have a peace of mind, they need to prepare
for such things, he said. And anything the government can do to help is
a big deal.
"It gives them an opportunity to restructure their finances so that it's
not coming when everything is happening when they're not emotionally
ready to think about business," Major said. "I think it would be good to
recognize the fact that at that time the family is going through a lot."
Contact staff writer Chrissy Vick at
cvick@freedomenc.com or
by calling 353-1171, ext. 239.
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Larry Scott
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