View Rule

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) proposes to amend its adjudication regulations concerning the processing of survivors benefits claims. Currently, VA is required to consider a claim for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) as a claim for survivors pension, and a claim for survivors pension as a claim for DIC. This proposed amendment would clarify VA’s authority to pay the higher benefit between DIC and survivors pension, absent a specific election of the lesser benefit by the claimant. The intended effect of this amendment is to streamline and improve the timeliness of the adjudication of claims processing for VA survivor benefits.