Surviving spouses and dependents face a uniquely complex financial landscape — one shaped by benefit eligibility rules, tax implications, and major life transitions like remarriage or homeownership. This session walks through the survivor benefit ecosystem, the professionals and programs that support survivors through it, and the ethical considerations counselors should keep in mind when working alongside survivors.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify and utilize appropriate resources, support services, and professionals for tasks like estate settlement, tax preparation, and financial planning, while understanding the ethical standards that should guide financial service providers.
- Analyze how major life events, such as remarriage or homeownership, financially impact survivor benefits (including SBP/DIC, Tricare, and VA Home Loan eligibility) and TSP distribution pathways.
- Evaluate which federal and state tax abatements may apply to a survivor’s situation and determine how these abatements influence long-term financial planning.
- Explain the roles of key support personnel (like the Casualty Assistance Officer), the features of foundational programs (like the HEART Act), and differentiate between various monetary, educational (Fry Scholarship vs. DEA), and healthcare benefits available to Survivors.
