Understanding Your Veterans Benefits

Your military service has earned you and your family special benefits that extend beyond your lifetime. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers several programs that can provide for your loved ones after you're gone. Your spouse may be eligible for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), if you pass away due to a service-connected condition. Additionally, your family might qualify for burial benefits, including a free burial plot in a national cemetery, a headstone or marker, and a burial flag. To ensure your family can access these benefits, keep your discharge papers (DD Form 214) with your estate planning documents and inform your executor of their location.

You should also maintain a current list of all VA benefits you receive, as this information will be crucial for your family to continue receiving eligible benefits. When you work with me to create your Life & Legacy Plan, I will help you organize the information your family will need so they’ll know for sure they’ll receive all the benefits they are entitled to. No guessing, no extra work, and no lost benefits simply because they didn’t know what was available to them.

Creating Your Estate Planning Strategy

Life & Legacy Planning for veterans requires careful consideration of both military and civilian assets. I recommend you create a comprehensive list of your assets, including:

• Military pension and retirement accounts
• Life insurance policies (both military and private)
• Property and real estate
• Investment accounts
• Personal possessions with monetary or sentimental value

When you meet with me for a Life & Legacy Planning Session, I will support you to create this inventory before we create your plan, because this inventory is incredibly important. Without an inventory, your family will not know how to find your assets and assets you care about could easily get lost, or be difficult to find. 

Once you have created your inventory, we’ll meet for up to 2 hours and review your assets, your benefits, your family dynamics and your desires, values, and wishes for what you want to happen with everything you own and everyone you love, in the event of your incapacity, or eventual death. We’ll go through your asset inventory and I’ll tell you what will happen to each under your current estate plan. I’ll also tell you what will happen to your loved ones, including your minor children. Armed with this knowledge, you’ll then decide on the right plan for you, based on what’s important to you and in alignment with your budget. 

Note that service members can create basic estate planning documents through the military legal assistance office at no cost. This may or may not be an adequate option for you, depending on your needs. For example, if you have minor children, you need a comprehensive plan that will keep your children from being taken into the care of strangers or raised by people you’d never want to raise them, if something happens to you. Or, if you have a blended family, no children, a business, a child with special needs, or significant assets, you need a comprehensive plan that will keep your family out of court and conflict, which a free, documents-only plan will not do. Finally, for your plan to work when you need it to, your plan needs regular reviews and updates as your life changes, your family dynamics change, and your assets change. 

A free, documents-only plan is just that - documents. You won’t have a trusted advisor who has your back and will ensure your plan stays updated over time. But you get all these benefits (regular reviews, a comprehensive plan that keeps your family out of court and conflict, etc.) when you work with me and create a Life & Legacy Plan. So I encourage you to educate yourself before creating a plan based only on documents.

Working with a Trusted Advisor

While the military legal assistance office provides valuable services, you may benefit from working with an attorney who understands both veterans' benefits and estate planning, especially if you have a potentially complex situation, like a blended family, a family member with special needs, a debilitating illness, no children (yes, this is often a complex matter, not a simple one!), or many varied assets. A competent attorney can help you:

• Structure your estate to maximize benefits for your survivors
• Create trusts to protect assets if you need long-term care
• Navigate complex VA regulations
• Ensure your estate plan complies with state and federal laws
• Update your plan as laws and regulations change

Watch our webinar and book your complimentary Life and Legacy Planning session for more information and guidance about what’s right for you and your loved ones.

Your service to our nation demonstrates your commitment to protecting what matters most. Now, it's time to protect your own legacy through careful estate planning. By taking these steps, you're continuing your tradition of service by ensuring your family's security and well-being. Remember that Life & Legacy Planning isn't a one-time task. It’s imperative to review your plan regularly, especially after major life changes like marriage, divorce, a birth, or significant changes in your financial situation. When you work with me, we include regular reviews to ensure your plan works when you and your loved ones need it.

You deserve the peace of mind that comes from creating a comprehensive Life & Legacy Plan. It’s one of the greatest gifts you can give your loved ones, and it's a fitting way to honor the sacrifices you've made in service to our country.

How We Help You Honor and Protect Your Legacy

Veterans have already given so much in service to our country – you shouldn't have to worry about your family facing legal challenges or missing out on earned benefits. As your Lawyer for Life, we help you create a Life & Legacy Plan that honors your military service by ensuring your loved ones stay out of court and conflict, while maximizing the benefits you've earned through your service. Once you've created your plan, you can rest easy knowing your wishes will be honored and your family will be protected with the same dedication you showed to protecting our nation.