Source: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/USCODE-2011-title38/html/USCODE-2011-title38-partII-chap13.htm
Timestamp: 2015-10-04 07:37:19
Document Index: 169032801

Matched Legal Cases: ['§8031', '§4', '§1403', '§113', '§405', '§6', '§401', '§4', '§5', '§1301', '§5', '§1302', '§402', '§1', '§1', '§2', '§405', '§14', '§1302', '§4', '§5', '§4', '§4', '§405', '§405', '§405', '§405', '§405', '§1303', '§8031', '§205', '§706', '§401', '§1304', '§404', '§101', '§405', '§1304', '§5', '§405', '§1310', '§410', '§405', '§204', '§112', '§1403', '§1310', '§4', '§302', '§5', '§4', '§104']

CHAPTER 13 - DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION FOR SERVICE-CONNECTED DEATHS
CHAPTER 13—DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION FOR SERVICE-CONNECTED DEATHS
1301.Definitions.
1302.Determination of pay grade.
1303.Cost-of-living adjustments.
1304.Special provisions relating to surviving spouses.
SUBCHAPTER II—DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION
1310.Deaths entitling survivors to dependency and indemnity compensation.
1311.Dependency and indemnity compensation to a surviving spouse.
1312.Benefits in certain cases of in-service or service-connected deaths.
1313.Dependency and indemnity compensation to children.
1314.Supplemental dependency and indemnity compensation to children.
1315.Dependency and indemnity compensation to parents.
1316.Dependency and indemnity compensation in cases of prior deaths.
1317.Restriction on payments under this chapter.
1318.Benefits for survivors of certain veterans rated totally disabled at time of death.
SUBCHAPTER III—CERTIFICATIONS
1321.Certifications with respect to pay grade.
1322.Certifications with respect to social security entitlement.
1323.Certifications with respect to circumstances of death.
1997—Pub. L. 105–33, title VIII, §8031(b)(2), Aug. 5, 1997, 111 Stat. 669, added item 1303.
1991—Pub. L. 102–83, §§4(b)(3)(B), 5(b)(1), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 405, 406, renumbered items 401 to 423 as 1301 to 1323, respectively, and in item 1323 substituted “with respect to circumstances of death” for “by Administrator”.
1988—Pub. L. 100–687, div. B, title XIV, §1403(a)(2), Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4130, added item 418.
1982—Pub. L. 97–306, title I, §113(b)(2), Oct. 14, 1982, 96 Stat. 1432, struck out item 403 “Coverage of members of Reserve Officers’ Training Corps”.
1976—Pub. L. 94–433, §405(6), (8), Sept. 30, 1976, 90 Stat. 1379, substituted “surviving spouses” for “widows” in item 404 and “surviving spouse” for “widow” in item 411.
1969—Pub. L. 91–96, §6, Oct. 27, 1969, 83 Stat. 145, substituted “Determination of pay grade” for “Computation of basic pay” in item 402 and “Certifications with respect to pay grade” for “Certifications with respect to basic pay” in item 421.
Uniformed Services, Promotion of Members in Missing Status; Effective Date
Provisions of section 552(a) of Title 37, Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed Services, for full effectiveness for all purposes of promotion of a member while in a missing status notwithstanding a determination of death before the making of the promotion effective as of Nov. 24, 1971, for the purposes of this chapter, see section 2 of Pub. L. 93–26, Apr. 27, 1973, 87 Stat. 26, set out as an Effective Date of 1973 Amendment note under section 552 of Title 37.
The term “veteran” includes a person who died in the active military, naval, or air service.
(Pub. L. 85–857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1126, §401; Pub. L. 91–24, §4(a), June 11, 1969, 83 Stat. 33; Pub. L. 91–96, §5, Oct. 27, 1969, 83 Stat. 145; renumbered §1301, Pub. L. 102–83, §5(a), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 406.)
1991—Pub. L. 102–83 renumbered section 401 of this title as this section.
1969—Pub. L. 91–96 struck out par. (1) which defined “basic pay”.
Par. (1). Pub. L. 91–24 substituted “sections 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, or 207 of title 37” for “sections 232(a), 232(e), or 308 of Title 37”.
Amendment by Pub. L. 91–96 effective first day of second calendar month which begins after Oct. 27, 1969, see section 8 of Pub. L. 91–96, set out as a note under section 1302 of this title.
Cost-of-Living Increases in Compensation Rates
For limitation on increases in dependency and indemnity compensation payable under this chapter, see section 8005 of Pub. L. 101–508, set out as a note under section 1101 of this title.
§1302. Determination of pay grade
(a) With respect to a veteran who died in the active military, naval, or air service, such veteran's pay grade shall be determined as of the date of such veteran's death or as of the date of a promotion after death while in a missing status.
(b) With respect to a veteran who did not die in the active military, naval, or air service, such veteran's pay grade shall be determined as of—
(1) the time of such veteran's last discharge or release from active duty under conditions other than dishonorable; or
(2) the time of such veteran's discharge or release from any period of active duty for training or inactive duty training, if such veteran's death results from service-connected disability incurred during such period and if such veteran was not thereafter discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable from active duty.
(c) The pay grade of any veteran described in section 106(b) of this title shall be that to which such veteran would have been assigned upon final acceptance or entry upon active duty.
(d) If a veteran has satisfactorily served on active duty for a period of six months or more in a pay grade higher than that specified in subsection (a) or (b) and any subsequent discharge or release from active duty was under conditions other than dishonorable, the higher pay grade shall be used if it will result in greater monthly payments to such veteran's surviving spouse under this chapter. The determination as to whether an individual has served satisfactorily for the required period in a higher pay grade shall be made by the Secretary of the department in which such higher pay grade was held.
(e) The pay grade of any person not otherwise described in this section, but who had a compensable status on the date of such person's death under laws administered by the Secretary, shall be determined by the head of the department under which such person performed the services by which such person obtained such status (taking into consideration such person's duties and responsibilities) and certified to the Secretary. For the purposes of this chapter, such person shall be deemed to have been on active duty while performing such services.
(Pub. L. 85–857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1126, §402; Pub. L. 86–492, June 8, 1960, 74 Stat. 161; Pub. L. 89–622, §1, Oct. 4, 1966, 80 Stat. 873; Pub. L. 91–96, §1, Oct. 27, 1969, 83 Stat. 144; Pub. L. 92–169, §2, Nov. 24, 1971, 85 Stat. 489; Pub. L. 94–433, title IV, §405(1)–(3), Sept. 30, 1976, 90 Stat. 1379; Pub. L. 102–54, §14(b)(2), June 13, 1991, 105 Stat. 283; renumbered §1302 and amended Pub. L. 102–83, §§4(a)(1), (b)(1), (2)(E), 5(a), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 403–406.)
1991—Pub. L. 102–83, §5(a), renumbered section 402 of this title as this section.
Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 102–54 substituted “department” for “Department”.
Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 102–83, §4(b)(1), (2)(E), substituted “Secretary” for “Administrator” before period at end of first sentence.
Pub. L. 102–83, §4(a)(1), substituted “administered by the Secretary” for “administered by the Veterans’ Administration”.
1976—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 94–433, §405(1), substituted “such veteran's” for “his” in two places.
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 94–433, §405(1), substituted “such veteran's” for “his” in introductory clause and items (1) and (2) and “such veteran” for “he” in item (2).
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 94–433, §405(2), substituted “such veteran” for “he”.
Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 94–433, §405(2), substituted “such veteran's surviving spouse” for “his widow”.
Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 94–433, §405(3), substituted “such person's” for “his” in two places and “such person” for “he”.
1971—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 92–169 provided, with regard to determination of veteran's pay grade at date of his death, that in the case of a promotion after death while the veteran is in a missing status, the pay grade determination date is the date of such promotion.
1969—Pub. L. 91–96 substituted “Determination of pay grade” for “Computation of basic pay” in section catchline.
Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 91–96 substituted provisions determining the pay grade of a veteran who died in the active service for provisions determining the basic pay of a veteran who died in the active service as that prescribed on Jan. 1, 1957, or on the date of his death (whichever is the later date) for a member of a uniformed service on active duty of the same rank and years of service.
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 91–96 substituted provisions determining the pay grade of a veteran who did not die in the active service for provisions determining the basic pay of a veteran who did not die in the active service as that prescribed on Jan. 1, 1957, or on the date of his death (whichever is the later date) for a member of a uniformed service on active duty of the same rank and years of service.
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 91–96 redesignated former subsec. (c)(1) as (c) and substituted “pay grade” for “basic pay” and “assigned” for “entitled”. Former subsec. (c)(2) redesignated (e).
Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 91–96 substituted provisions determining the applicability of a higher pay grade of a veteran who had served six months or more in a pay grade higher than that specified in subsec. (a) or (b) for provisions determining the basic pay of a veteran who had served six months or more in a rank higher than that specified in the former provisions of subsec. (a) or (b).
Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 91–96 redesignated former subsec. (c)(2) as (e), substituted “pay grade” for “basic pay”, and struck out “and years of service” after “responsibilities”.
1966—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 89–622 substituted “any subsequent discharge or release from active duty was under conditions other than dishonorable” for “was so serving in such rank within one hundred and twenty days before death in the active military, naval, or air service or before last discharge or release from active duty under conditions other than dishonorable”.
1960—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 86–492 added subsec. (d).
Section 3 of Pub. L. 92–169 provided that: “For the purposes of chapter 13 of title 38, United States Code, this Act [amending this section and section 552 of Title 37, Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed Services] becomes effective upon the date of enactment [Nov. 24, 1971]. For all other purposes this Act becomes effective as of February 28, 1961.”
Section 8 of Pub. L. 91–96 provided that: “This Act [amending this section and sections 322 [now 1122], 401 [now 1301], 403, 411 [now 1311], and 421 [now 1321] of this title] shall take effect on the first day of the second calendar month which begins after the date of enactment [Oct. 27, 1969].”
Section 2 of Pub. L. 89–622 provided that: “The amendment made by this Act [amending this section] shall take effect on the first day of the second calendar month after the date of enactment of this Act [Oct. 4, 1966].”
§1303. Cost-of-living adjustments
(a) In the computation of cost-of-living adjustments for fiscal years 1998 through 2013 in the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation payable under this chapter, such adjustments (except as provided in subsection (b)) shall be made by a uniform percentage that is no more than the percentage equal to the social security increase for that fiscal year, with all increased monthly rates (other than increased rates equal to a whole dollar amount) rounded down to the next lower whole dollar amount.
(b) For purposes of this section, the term “social security increase” means the percentage by which benefit amounts payable under title II of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 401 et seq.) are increased for any fiscal year as a result of a determination under section 215(i) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 415(i)).
(Added Pub. L. 105–33, title VIII, §8031(b)(1), Aug. 5, 1997, 111 Stat. 668; amended Pub. L. 107–103, title II, §205, Dec. 27, 2001, 115 Stat. 990; Pub. L. 108–183, title VII, §706, Dec. 16, 2003, 117 Stat. 2672.)
The Social Security Act, referred to in subsec. (b), is act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, 49 Stat. 620, as amended. Title II of the Act is classified generally to subchapter II (§401 et seq.) of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 1305 of Title 42 and Tables.
2003—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 108–183 substituted “2013” for “2011”.
2001—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 107–103 substituted “2011” for “2002”.
§1304. Special provisions relating to surviving spouses
No dependency and indemnity compensation shall be paid to the surviving spouse of a veteran dying after December 31, 1956, unless such surviving spouse was married to such veteran—
(1) before the expiration of fifteen years after the termination of the period of service in which the injury or disease causing the death of the veteran was incurred or aggravated; or
(2) for one year or more; or
(3) for any period of time if a child was born of the marriage, or was born to them before the marriage.
(Pub. L. 85–857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1127, §404; Pub. L. 90–77, title I, §101(a), Aug. 31, 1967, 81 Stat. 178; Pub. L. 94–433, title IV, §405(4), (5), Sept. 30, 1976, 90 Stat. 1379; renumbered §1304, Pub. L. 102–83, §5(a), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 406.)
1991—Pub. L. 102–83 renumbered section 404 of this title as this section.
1976—Pub. L. 94–433, §405(4), (5), substituted “surviving spouse”, “such surviving spouse”, and “such veteran” for “widow”, “she”, and “him”, respectively, in introductory clause and “surviving spouses” for “widows” in section catchline.
1967—Pub. L. 90–77 qualified widow of a veteran for receipt of compensation by reducing in par. (2) the requisite marriage period from five years to one year and by making her eligible for benefits in par. (3) in event of antenuptial birth.
§1310. Deaths entitling survivors to dependency and indemnity compensation
(a) When any veteran dies after December 31, 1956, from a service-connected or compensable disability, the Secretary shall pay dependency and indemnity compensation to such veteran's surviving spouse, children, and parents. The standards and criteria for determining whether or not a disability is service-connected shall be those applicable under chapter 11 of this title.
(b) Dependency and indemnity compensation shall not be paid to the surviving spouse, children, or parents of any veteran dying after December 31, 1956, unless such veteran (1) was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable from the period of active military, naval, or air service in which the disability causing such veteran's death was incurred or aggravated, or (2) died while in the active military, naval, or air service.
(c) A person who receives a payment under the provisions of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 2210 note) shall not be deprived, by reason of the receipt of that payment, of receipt of dependency and indemnity compensation to which that person is otherwise entitled, but there shall be deducted from payment of such dependency and indemnity compensation the amount of the payment under that Act.
(Pub. L. 85–857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1127, §410; Pub. L. 94–433, title IV, §405(7), Sept. 30, 1976, 90 Stat. 1379; Pub. L. 95–479, title II, §204, Oct. 18, 1978, 92 Stat. 1564; Pub. L. 97–306, title I, §112(a), Oct. 14, 1982, 96 Stat. 1432; Pub. L. 100–687, div. B, title XIV, §1403(b), Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4131; renumbered §1310 and amended Pub. L. 102–83, §§4(b)(1), (2)(E), 5(a), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 404–406; Pub. L. 108–454, title III, §302(b), Dec. 10, 2004, 118 Stat. 3610.)
The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, referred to in subsec. (c), is Pub. L. 101–426, Oct. 15, 1990, 104 Stat. 920, as amended, which is set out as a note under section 2210 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare.
2004—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 108–454 added subsec. (c).
1991—Pub. L. 102–83, §5(a), renumbered section 410 of this title as this section.
Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 102–83, §4(b)(1), (2)(E), substituted “Secretary” for “Administrator”.
1988—Subsecs. (b), (c). Pub. L. 100–687 redesignated subsec. (c) as (b) and struck out former subsec. (b) which read as follows:
“(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, when any veteran dies, not as the result of the veteran's own willful misconduct, if the veteran was in receipt of or entitled to receive (or but for the receipt of retired or retirement pay was entitled to receive) compensation at the time of death for a service-connected disability that either (A) was continuously rated totally disabling for a period of ten or more years immediately preceding death, or (B) if so rated for a lesser period, was so rated continuously for a period of not less than five years from the date of such veteran's discharge or other release from active duty, the Administrator shall pay benefits under this chapter to the veteran's surviving spouse, if such surviving spouse was married to such veteran for not less than two years immediately preceding such veteran's death, and to such veteran's children, in the same manner as if the veteran's death were service connected.
“(2) If a surviving spouse or a child receives any money or property of value pursuant to an award in a judicial proceeding based upon, or a settlement or compromise of, any cause of action for damages for the death of a veteran described in paragraph (1) of this subsection, benefits under this chapter payable to such surviving spouse or child by virtue of this subsection shall not be paid for any month following a month in which any such money or property is received until such time as the total amount of such benefits that would otherwise have been payable equals the total of the amount of the money received and the fair market value of the property received.
“(3) For purposes of sections 1448(d) and 1450(c) of title 10, eligibility for benefits under this chapter by virtue of this subsection shall be deemed eligibility for dependency and indemnity compensation under section 411(a) of this title.”
1982—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 97–306 inserted “or entitled to receive” after “was in receipt of”.
1978—Subsecs. (b), (c). Pub. L. 95–479 added subsec. (b) and redesignated former subsec. (b) as (c).
1976—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 94–433 substituted “such veteran's surviving spouse” for “his widow”.
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 94–433 substituted “surviving spouse”, “such veteran”, and “such veteran's” for “widow”, “he”, and “his”, respectively.
Subsec. (c) of this section effective with respect to dependency and indemnity compensation payments for months beginning after Mar. 26, 2002, see section 302(c) of Pub. L. 108–454, set out as a note under section 1112 of this title.
Effective Date of 1982 Amendment; Retrospective Payments
Section 112(b) of Pub. L. 97–306 provided that:
“(1) The amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall take effect on October 1, 1982.
“(2)(A) As soon as practicable after September 30, 1982, the Administrator of Veterans’ Affairs shall pay an amount determined under subparagraph (B) to each person who would have been entitled to a payment under chapter 13 of title 38, United States Code, for any part of the period beginning on October 1, 1978, and ending on September 30, 1982, if the amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section] had taken effect on October 1, 1978.
“(B) The amount of any payment to a person under subparagraph (A) is the amount equal to the total of all payments under chapter 13 of title 38, United States Code, that would have been made to that person for the period described in such subparagraph if the amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section] had taken effect on October 1, 1978.”
Amendment by Pub. L. 95–479 effective Oct. 1, 1978, see section 401(a) of Pub. L. 95–479, set out as a note under section 1114 of this title.
GAO Report Relating to Benefits for Survivors of Veterans and Members of Armed Forces
Pub. L. 102–568, title I, §104, Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4322, provided that:
“(a) In General.—The Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report with respect to the most appropriate combination of financial, health-care, educational, and other survivor benefits to meet the needs of survivors of veterans.
“(b) Contents of Report.—The report shall include the following:
“(1) A review and compilation of data on current and proposed survivor benefits programs that will permit an assessment of the adequacy of such benefits programs, including information on—
“(A) in the case of each current and proposed alternative survivor benefits program—
“(i) each benefit provided;
“(ii) the survivors entitled to the benefit;
“(iii) the extent to which survivors are entitled to similar benefits under the program; and
“(iv) the costs of providing such benefits under the program;
“(B) the extent to which current and anticipated benefits under current survivor benefits programs meet the current and anticipated financial, health-care, educational, and other needs of survivors; and
“(C) the differences, if any, in the survivor benefits provided under current and proposed survivor benefits programs to survivors of various categories of veterans and members of the Armed Forces (including survivors of veterans having service-connected disabilities, veterans without such disabilities, members of the Armed Forces who die during service in the Armed Forces, members of the Armed Forces retired under any provision of law other than chapter 61 of title 10, United States Code, and members of the Armed Forces retired under chapter 61 of title 10, United States Code (relating to retirement or separation for physical disability)).
“(2) A review and compilation of existing studies on the adequacy of survivor benefits provided under current and proposed survivor benefits programs to meet the financial, health-care, educational, and other needs of survivors.
“(3) A comprehensive assessment and evaluation of the adequacy of current and proposed survivor benefits programs, including data and methods for an assessment and evaluation of—
“(A) the feasibility and desirability of limiting the period of entitlement of survivors to survivor benefits;
“(B) the feasibility and desirability of modifying the provision of monetary benefits to survivors by—
“(i) revising the term of payment of any such benefits;
“(ii) replacing the periodic payment of such benefits with a lump sum payment;
“(iii) providing such benefits through insurance or other premium-based payment mechanisms; or
“(iv) carrying out any other revision or modification proposed before the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 29, 1992] by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, or organizations recognized by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs under section 5902(a)(1) of title 38, United States Code;
“(C) the feasibility and desirability of modifying the provision of health-care benefits to survivors;
“(D) the feasibility and desirability of modifying the provision of benefits to children survivors; and
“(E) the feasibility and desirability of consolidating, expanding, or otherwise modifying any program relating to the provision of survivor benefits.
“(4) The recommendations of the Comptroller General (including a proposal for legislation) on the most appropriate combination of survivor benefits to meet the current and anticipated financial, health-care, educational, and other needs of survivors.
“(c) Submission of Report.—The Comptroller General shall submit t