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VA Form 21P-534a Printable, Fillable in PDF – It is necessary to complete and submit VA Form 21P-534a, Application for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation by a Surviving Spouse or Child – In-Service Death Only, to properly assess an applicant’s eligibility for compensation, benefits, death pension, and/or death compensation after his or her spouse or child has died in the line of duty. It is utilized by the surviving wives and children of veterans who died while serving in the military on active duty. As of October 1, 2018, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) published the most recent version of the VA Form 21P-534a, rendering all earlier versions null and void in their entirety. The form, which replaces the now-outdated VA Form 21P-534a, may be downloaded from the link provided below.
An associated VA form, VA Form 21P-534, Application for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation, Death Pension, and Accrued Benefits by a Surviving Spouse or Child, is used to apply for VA benefits as well as any money the VA may owe the dead veteran’s surviving spouse or child. A veteran’s death that happened while on active duty, or when a veteran died of a service-connected disability or non-service-connected injury while qualified to receive VA compensation for a service-connected disability, is known as a service-connected disability death (SCD). Survivors and children should submit VA Form 21P-534EZ, Application for DIC, Death Pension, and/or Accrued Benefits, to provide the necessary information and evidence to substantiate a claim for a survivor’s pension, accrued benefits, or dependency and indemnity compensation, among other benefits.
Instructions For Completing VA Form 21P-534a
- Fill out a notecard with the veteran’s complete name and Social Security number (SSN).
- Include your complete name, social security number, and date of birth, as well as whether or not you have lived with the veteran continuously from the date of marriage until the date of his or her death (for surviving spouses only).
- Provide a cause for the separation, as well as the length of time and the date of separation (if applicable).
- Please include information on any children of the deceased soldier who are currently in your care (i.e., their full names, dates of birth, social security numbers, places of birth, and their relationship to you).
- Make a note of your current postal address as well as your phone number. If the mailing address has changed, please indicate this in the corresponding area.
- If you wish the VA payment to be transferred directly into your bank account, please indicate that preference.
- Make a note of the kind of account you have, its number, and the transit number assigned by the financial institution.
- Make a declaration that the assertions on the form are accurate and full, to the best of your knowledge, and then sign the document and make a note of the date on which it was signed.
- Finally, the Military Casualty Assistance Officer (a person assigned to you to help you in completing the form) is responsible for completing the last sections of the form. To assist the casualty, the Casualty Assistance Officer (CAO) must jot down the victim’s complete name, rank, telephone number, and email address.