The veteran's surviving spouse was denied restoration of Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) benefits due to the law not authorizing DIC for remarried spouses who remarry after the age of 55, which is what happened in this case. The appellant missed the cutoff by only about 6 months.
The deciding factor: The law does not authorize DIC for surviving spouses who remarry after the age of 55, and the appellant's remarriage was within that timeframe.
- Claimed conditions
- Not specified in the text
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 27, 2006
- Citation
- 0608766
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The appellant withdrew her appeal for death pension benefits, and the claim was dismissed.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD due to an inadequate medical opinion.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.