Advising veterans and their surviving spouses is an important part of our law practice at Rebecca W. Geyer & Associates. Along with helping ensure that veterans’ estate planning documents are in order, we want to be sure veterans are aware of the many benefits available through the government, including education programs, job search and training resources, home loans, and pension and survivor benefits.
This month has special relevance for our work with veterans, because July has been recognized as Military Consumer Protection Month, representing a call to awareness of the impact of fraudulent or malicious business practices on the military community. In a study by AARP, veterans were found to be more likely than civilians to be targeted by fraudsters, with most of the scams coming via email or robo-calls. There are solicitations for tech support, bogus travel deals and lottery winnings, all seeking account information.
Special days in July honoring veterans include:
- July 25th – National Hire a Veteran Day
- July 27th – National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day
- July 29th – Army Chaplain Corps Anniversary
Assistance to veterans is an important part of our law practice at Rebecca W. Geyer & Associates. We often provide assistance to veterans and their surviving spouses by helping them obtain VA benefits through the Veteran’s Benefits Administration, with a particular emphasis on three benefit areas:.
Supplemental pension income
Eligible recipients are: a) over 65 and receiving Supplemental Security Income or Social Security Disability Insurance b) totally and permanently disabled c) receiving skilled care in a nursing home.
- Survivors’ pension
Tax-free benefit for a) low-income widows who have not remarried b) unmarried children of a deceased war veteran. - Aid and Attendance
Compensation is for veterans who are a) bedridden b) have very low visual acuity c) require assistance for daily living activities. - Group insurance
a) lifetime renewable term life insurance coverage covering the serviceman, the spouse, and dependent children b) group traumatic injury protection c) mortgage life insurance.
At Rebecca W. Geyer & Associates, our focus has been on helping veterans qualify for VA benefits and avoid becoming victims of scams.
– by Rebecca W. Geyer
