Does current law that protects benefits discourage widows from finding love again?

2016-05-16T23:09:52-04:00

DO YOU AGREE?

At issue is a host of payouts and benefits for surviving spouses, and a complex bureaucracy of rules covering them. In short, if a widow or widower of service members killed on active duty remarries before age 55, they lose all survivor benefits, which can total thousands of dollars a month.

Response by SGM Matthew Quick made May 16 at 2016 11:10 PM

2016-05-16T23:10:26-04:00

READ THE STORY:
http://www.armytimes.com/story/military/benefits/veterans/2016/05/14/military-widows-benefits-rules/84334712/

For military widows, the law protecting their benefits discourages finding love again

Federal rules cut off survivor benefits for those who remarry after a military spouse's death.

Response by COL Sam Russell made May 17 at 2016 6:58 AM

2016-05-17T06:58:46-04:00

These widow benefits were initially established to ensure that a fallen soldier's spouse was not left destitute while having to raise her children on her own in a country that frowned on women, especially single mothers, working. It was never meant to be a lifelong entitlement. Thus, it was law that if the widow remarried, that her new husband was expected to provide for her, versus the American tax payer. If she could show that her new spouse was unable to work, or deserted her, leaving her, once again, in a destitute condition, she could reapply for the widow benefits.
Our society has evolved such that once our government has provided a safety net or benefit, designed to prevent someone from collapsing into destitution, that benefit becomes a lifelong entitlement.
This issue is not about a dispassionate government, unwilling to allow a veteran's widow to remarry. It is about our government providing for a widow who otherwise is unable to provide for herself, and relieving the tax payer of that financial responsibility once that support is no longer required.

Response by SGT David T. made May 17 at 2016 10:10 AM

2016-05-17T10:10:48-04:00

I personally know someone in this boat. It doesn't discourage her from finding love again, only discouraged her from remarrying.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 17 at 2016 1:10 PM

2016-05-17T13:10:27-04:00

It is about choice. Receive a benefit or find true love, marry it, and move on.

Response by MSG Clyde Mills made Mar 8 at 2021 7:23 PM

2021-03-08T19:23:57-05:00

I see this as a way for the government to get out of paying the Surviving spouses benefits even though she / he wants to re- marry and try and heal a deep wound in their heart. But the Government wants the spouse to stay unwed in order to keep receiving the military survivors benefits. Which I call BS. In a big way. This spouse he / She has already lost the most precious thing they could lose in their life and that was their spouse to the military in a Combat war zone death. So because this spouse finds some new happiness, you want to strip her of everything she is owed due to her spouse giving their life in support of our great Country. Someone needs to open their darn eyes and look into this matter, because, for no reason at all should the surviving spouse ever and I mean ever lose their benefits if they re-marry if they find someone to help heal that hole in their heart from the loss of their original spouse in a combat war zone death.