Proposed VA Benefit Change Could Give 50,000 Veteran Spouses Extra Money
The proposed Love Lives On Act would eliminate what advocates have long called the military's "remarriage penalty."
The Love Lives On Act, included in the Take Care of America's Veterans Act (TCAVA), could provide an extra $1,700 monthly benefit to approximately 50,000 surviving military spouses who choose to remarry before age 55. Currently, many surviving spouses lose certain survivor benefits if they remarry before age 55, creating a "remarriage penalty."
This bill aims to eliminate that penalty, allowing affected spouses to continue receiving or restoring their benefits. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that around 4,750 spouses would regain eligibility for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) payments, while an additional 1,350 would see their military Survivor Benefit Plan restored.
The average age of widowhood in the US is 59 for both men and women, but for active military families, it's much younger, at 32. Advocates argue that surviving spouses should not lose financial support merely for rebuilding their lives after a tragedy. However, the bill may face challenges in passing due to the need for establishing a suitable financial component to maintain and expand benefits.
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