## Chapter 2. Development

#### Table of Contents

> 1\. Separate Claim Not Required 2-1
>
> 2\. Separate Claim Required 2-3

## Chapter 2. Development

#### 1. Separate Claim Not Required

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| ##### In   | > This topic contains information on developing for     |
| troduction | > accrued benefits, including                           |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   · when a separate claim is not required             |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   · who should receive notification                   |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   · information to include on the notification        |
|            |     document, and                                       |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   · application filing time limits.                   |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| ##### C    | > June 4, 2004; Change #01                              |
| hange Date |                                                         |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| #####      | > A separate claim for accrued benefits on *VA Form     |
| a. When a  | > 21-601*, *21-614* or *21-551* is *not* required if    |
| Separate C |                                                         |
| laim Is No | -   · review discloses that there are accrued benefits  |
| t Required |     due and payable on the death of a veteran, and      |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   · *VA Form 21-534, Application for Dependency and   |
|            |     Indemnity Compensation or Death Pension by a        |
|            |     Surviving Spouse or Child* or *VA Form 21-535,      |
|            |     Application for Dependency and Indemnity            |
|            |     Compensation* is being forwarded to a claimant.     |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| ##### b. W | > Inform the preferred beneficiary of accrued benefit   |
| ho Should  | > information.                                          |
| Receive No | >                                                       |
| tification | > ***Reference***: For more information on determining  |
|            | > the line of succession of preferred beneficiaries,    |
|            | > see                                                   |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   · M21-1MR, Part VIII, 1.5, and                      |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   · [38 CFR 3.1000(a).]{.underline}                   |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

Continued on next page

2-1

1\. Separate Claim Not Required, Continued

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| #####      | > On the notification document, state the               |
| c. Informa |                                                         |
| tion to In | -   · approximate amount of accrued benefits due and    |
| clude on N |     payable, if known, on the notification document,    |
| otificatio |     and                                                 |
| n Document |                                                         |
|            | -   · time limit in which the application (*VA Form     |
|            |     21-534* or *21-535*) must be filed.                 |
|            |                                                         |
|            | > ***Reference***: For more information on the required |
|            | > time limits for application for accrued benefits, see |
|            | > M21-1MR, Part VIII, 2.1.d.                            |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| ##### d.   | > Use the table below to determine the proper time      |
| Applicatio | > limit for eligibility for accrued benefits.           |
| n Filing T |                                                         |
| ime Limits |                                                         |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+-----------------------------+----------------------------------------+
| If ...                      | Then ...                               |
+-----------------------------+----------------------------------------+
| accrued benefits are        | the application must be filed within   |
| payable other than          | one year of the veteran's death.       |
|                             |                                        |
| -   · to hospitalized       |                                        |
|     veterans under [38 CFR  |                                        |
|     3.1001,]{.underline} or |                                        |
|                             |                                        |
| -   · as returned checks    |                                        |
|     under [38 CFR           |                                        |
|     3.1003]{.underline}     |                                        |
+-----------------------------+----------------------------------------+
| an accrued lump sum is      | the application must be filed within   |
| payable under [38 CFR       | five years of the veteran's death.     |
| 3.1001]{.underline}         |                                        |
+-----------------------------+----------------------------------------+
| only proceeds of returned   | there is no time limit for filing a    |
| and canceled checks are     | claim.                                 |
| payable under [38 CFR       |                                        |
| 3.1003]{.underline}         |                                        |
+-----------------------------+----------------------------------------+

#### 

#### 

#### 

#### 

#### 2-2 

#### 2. Separate Claim Required

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| ##### In   | > This topic contains information on developing for     |
| troduction | > accrued benefits, including                           |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   · when a separate claim is required                 |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   · when to send                                      |
|            |                                                         |
|            | 204. *- VA Form 21-614, Application for Accrued Amounts |
|            |      of Veteran\'s Benefits Payable to Widow, Widower,  |
|            |      Child or Dependent Parents*                        |
|            |                                                         |
|            | 205. *- VA Form 551, Application for Accrued Benefits   |
|            |      by Veteran's Spouse, Child or Dependent Parent*,   |
|            |      and                                                |
|            |                                                         |
|            | 206. *- VA Form 21-601, Application For Reimbursement   |
|            |      From Accrued Amounts Due a Deceased Beneficiary*,  |
|            |      and                                                |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   · what information to include on the notification   |
|            |     document with                                       |
|            |                                                         |
|            | 207. *- VA Form 21-614*                                 |
|            |                                                         |
|            | 208. *- VA Form 551*, and                               |
|            |                                                         |
|            | 209. *- VA Form 21-601*.                                |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| ##### C    | > June 4, 2004; Change #01                              |
| hange Date |                                                         |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| ##         | > A separate claim for accrued benefits is required if  |
| ### a. Whe | > a claim cannot be initiated on                        |
| n a Separa |                                                         |
| te Claim I | -   · *VA Form 21-534*, or                              |
| s Required |                                                         |
|            | -   · *VA Form 21-535, Application for Dependency and   |
|            |     Indemnity Compensation*.                            |
|            |                                                         |
|            | > ***Note***: Issues on appeal to the Court of Appeals  |
|            | > for Veterans Claims (CAVC) at the date of any         |
|            | > claimant's death are in a pending status and accrued  |
|            | > benefits applications must be sent to the proper      |
|            | > person or persons.                                    |
|            | >                                                       |
|            | > ***Reference***: For more information on when to send |
|            | > accrued benefit applications, see *De Landicho v.     |
|            | > Brown*, 7 Vet. App. 42 (1994).                        |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

Continued on next page

2-3

2\. Separate Claim Required, Continued

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| #####      | > Send *VA Form 21-614*, *Application for Accrued       |
| b. When to | > Amounts of Veteran's Benefits Payable to Widow,       |
|  Send VA F | > Widower, Child or Dependent Parents* to the surviving |
| orm 21-614 | > spouse, child or children, or parents of the veteran, |
|            | > in order named, if accrued entitlement exists to      |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   · disability compensation or pension                |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   · annual clothing allowance                         |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   · subsistence or education and training allowance.  |
|            |                                                         |
|            | > ***Note***: Use *VA Form 21-614* in cases where *VA   |
|            | > Form 21-534* or *21-535* would not be appropriate     |
|            | > based on the circumstances in the case.               |
|            | >                                                       |
|            | > ***Example***: Use *VA Form 21-614* when there is no  |
|            | > entitled child or dependent parent and the surviving  |
|            | > spouse's entitlement to recurring death benefits is   |
|            | > barred because he/she was not married to the veteran  |
|            | > within the delimiting period.                         |
|            | >                                                       |
|            | > ***Reference***: For more information on basic        |
|            | > entitlement to accrued benefits, see [38 CFR          |
|            | > 3.1000.]{.underline}                                  |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| #####      | > On the notification document with *VA Form 21-614*    |
| c. Informa | > state                                                 |
| tion to In |                                                         |
| clude on N | -   · that the application *must* be filed within one   |
| otificatio |     year of the veteran's death to be eligible for      |
| n Document |     accrued benefits, and                               |
|  With VA F |                                                         |
| orm 21-614 | -   · the approximate amount of accrued benefits due    |
|            |     and payable, if known.                              |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| ###        | > Send *VA Form 551*, *Application for Accrued Benefits |
| ## d. When | > by Veterans Spouse, Child or Dependent Parent* to the |
|  to Send V | > proper person or persons if there is entitlement to   |
| A Form 551 | > amounts withheld from the veteran's award because of  |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   · hospital treatment, or                            |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   · institutional or domiciliary care.                |
|            |                                                         |
|            | > ***References***: For more information on             |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   · reduction in benefits due to hospitalization, see |
|            |     [38 CFR 3.551,]{.underline} and                     |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   · hospitalization of competent veterans, see [38    |
|            |     CFR 3.1001.]{.underline}                            |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

Continued on next page

2-4

2\. Separate Claim Required, Continued

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| ###        | > In the notification document with *VA Form 551* state |
| ## e. Info |                                                         |
| rmation to | -   · that the application *must* be filed within five  |
|  Include o |     years of the veteran's death to be eligible for     |
| n Notifica |     accrued benefits, and                               |
| tion Docum |                                                         |
| ent With V | -   · the approximate amount of accrued benefits        |
| A Form 551 |     payable and due, if known.                          |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| #####      | > Send *VA Form 21-601*, *Application For Reimbursement |
| f. When to | > From Accrued Amounts Due a Deceased Beneficiary* to   |
|  Send VA F | > the prospective claimant as the person who bore the   |
| orm 21-601 | > expense of last illness and burial if it appears that |
|            | > no person is entitled to benefits by relationship.    |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| #####      | > In the notification document with *VA Form 21-601*,   |
| g. Informa | > state                                                 |
| tion to In |                                                         |
| clude on N | -   · that the application *must* be filed within one   |
| otificatio |     year of the veteran's death to be eligible for      |
| n Document |     accrued benefits, and                               |
|  With VA F |                                                         |
| orm 21-601 | -   · the approximate amount of accrued benefits        |
|            |     payable and due, if known.                          |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

**2-5**