1.4: Standard of Living
Improve the standard of living and income status of eligible survivors of service-disabled veterans through compensation,
education, and insurance benefits.
Other Information:
Purpose and Outcomes: The Nation has a long and extensive history of providing benefits to families of war veterans. There
are two programs that help meet Objective 1.4, Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) and Dependents Educational Assistance
(DEA). The purpose of the DIC program is to provide monthly payments to veterans’ survivors. This program recognizes the veterans’
sacrifice made in defense of the Nation and redresses the loss the family suffered. The program outcomes for the DIC Program
are to: • Recognize and compensate the surviving spouse and dependent children of veterans whose deaths are determined to
be service-connected; • Ensure a minimum standard of living and acceptable level of income for surviving spouses and dependent
children in receipt of DIC; and • Provide parents’ DIC to low-income parents of veterans whose deaths were related to military
service. In doing so, these beneficiaries will receive a measure of security in their lives. At the end of FY 2002, approximately
331,000 survivors were receiving DIC benefits. The number of survivors in receipt of DIC is expected to decline slightly as
the source population (service-connected disabled veterans) ages and dies. Strategies and Processes: The DIC Program is a
component of the VA’s Compensation and Pension Program. Therefore, the same improvement strategies and processes addressed
in Objective 1.2 apply to the DIC Program and will be used to ensure survivors of veterans are able to maintain a minimum
standard of living.
Indicator(s):
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