Chapter 8 - What to do when someone dies
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Planning ahead
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Notification of death
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Financial assistance
Payments after bereavement
Funeral benefits for veterans
Funeral benefits for certain dependants
Commemoration
Other services provided by the Office of Australian War Graves
This chapter is about the steps you need to take when someone dies and the financial support and services available to you
Planning Ahead
In
recognising the importance of putting your affairs in order, we have an
information kit called Planning Ahead - A guide to putting your affairs
in order. To obtain a copy of this kit, contact your nearest
DVA Office.
Notification of Death
DVA must be notified of the death of a pensioner or a Defence Service Homes Scheme borrower as soon as possible after the death. Depending on the situation, we take the following action:
- Cancel the deceased's pension and benefits.
- Pay bereavement payments to the surviving partner or estate.
- Reassess the surviving partner's pension to the single rate.
- Grant war widow's pension and income support supplement.
- Notify the Office of Australian War Graves.
- Send a funeral benefit application form to the executor or person responsible for the funeral cost.
- Notify the widow or widower or administrator of the estate of the entitlements or arrangements for Defence Service Homes loans.
- Make arrangements for any aids and appliances to be returned to the Department.
- Arrange a final payment summary for taxation purposes (upon request).
What happens to your pension when your partner dies?
Your pension is reassessed and paid at the single rate. Your new pension rate is calculated by including half of the amount of any joint bank accounts and joint investments in the assessment. If your partner was receiving a state or Australian Government (ComSuper) superannuation and/or any overseas pension you will need to let us know the gross amount you will receive following your partner’s death. When your partner’s estate is finalised the amount of your income and assets may be higher than the amount used to initially assess your pension at the single rate.
How will DVA contact you to review your pension?
We will write to you following the death of your partner and again towards the end of the bereavement period. Depending on your income and assets the letter may also include a 'Statement of Circumstances' review form. You will need to complete and return the review form to your nearest DVA Office within 14 days (28 days if you live overseas or receive Remote Area Allowance). If you do not receive a review form you still need to tell us if your income and assets increase above the amounts at which pension starts to reduce. These amounts are known as the income free area and the assets value limit and are described in Chapter 4 Your income and assets.
Financial Assistance
Payments after bereavement
Following the death of a pensioner there are a number of payments available:
- As a surviving partner of an income support pensioner you may be entitled to a bereavement payment based on 98 days (14 weeks) entitlement of the pension. Generally you will receive a lump sum equal to the difference between the rate you were paid as a couple (not medically separated) and the rate you will be paid as a single person.
Note: If the surviving partner is paid income support pension from Centrelink, then Centrelink will be responsible for the income support bereavement payment. - As a surviving partner of an Australian disability pensioner you may be entitled to a lump sum bereavement payment equal to 6 fortnightly instalments of pension at the rate paid prior to death.
- If a single veteran receiving either Special Rate (T&PI) or Extreme Disablement Adjustment (EDA) dies in indigent circumstances, a lump sum bereavement payment equal to 6 fortnightly pension instalments may be paid to their estate. Indigent circumstances are where the value of the estate is not sufficient to cover all liabilities including funeral expenses. Payment is not automatic. The executor of their estate must apply for this bereavement payment.
- If an income support pensioner dies without leaving a surviving partner, a payment equal to 14 days income support pension may be paid to that pensioner's estate.
Note: If the partner has access to payments made to the deceased after death, the bereavement payment will be reduced by the amount of any payments which should not have been made after death or by the amount of any payments made at the incorrect rate after death.
Note: If you were married or living in a marriage-like relationship and separated for reasons other than ill health (or divorced), you are not eligible for a bereavement payment.
| Fact Sheet: BR02 |
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| Payments after Bereavement (PDF version) |
| Payments after Bereavement (HTML version) |
Funeral benefits for veterans
Following an eligible Australian veteran's death, a funeral benefit up to a maximum of $2000 may be payable to the person responsible for payment of the funeral account.
The maximum amount will be paid where the veteran was receiving Special Rate (T&PI) or Extreme Disablement Adjustment (EDA) or was an ex-prisoner of war. In all other cases, additional criteria apply including that the application is made on our claim form and within 12 months of the veteran's death.
Funeral benefits for certain dependants
Up
to $2000 will be paid for the funeral of certain dependants including war
widows who die in needy circumstances.
Note: For application forms and details of how the funeral benefits payment can be made you should contact your nearest DVA office.
| Fact Sheet: BR01 |
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| Funeral Benefits (PDF version) |
| Funeral Benefits (HTML version) |
Counselling
Whilst DVA staff working in Bereavement Units are not trained counsellors, counselling services are available to help you cope with your loss and grief. The Legacy organisation is also available to provide care and support to war widows and the children of deceased veterans. Look for your local Legacy in the White Pages of your telephone directory.
For more information about counselling, see Chapter 7 Your health.
Office of Australian War Graves (OAWG)
Commemoration
For eligible Australian veterans, an official commemoration may be provided in a cemetery or a crematorium at the site of interment, or in an Office of Australian War Graves Garden of Remembrance. To be eligible for an official post-war commemoration, a deceased veteran must have been:
- a veteran whose death has been accepted by the Repatriation Commission or the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission as being due to service in war or conflict; or
- in receipt of a Special Rate (T&PI) pension or an Extreme Disability Adjustment (EDA) where the veteran has seen war service; or
- a multiple amputee as defined in Section 27.1 of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA) on maximum pension rate where war service has been proven; or
- an ex-prisoner of war; or
- a VC recipient.
For official commemoration, the veteran must have served in a war or conflict. For more recent conflicts, the program covers veterans whose death is related to their operational or Peacekeeping service.
Eligibility is determined by DVA, not by OAWG. If a veteran meets the above eligibility criteria, DVA need only be informed of the death. Otherwise DVA requires a written request that the veteran’s death be accepted as due to war or operational service. For questions about eligibility contact your nearest DVA Office. There is no time limit on application for official commemoration.
Other services provided by the Office of Australian War Graves
In addition to official commemoration, the Office of Australian War Graves:
- provides permission, on behalf of the Department of Defence, to use the Service emblem on the private commemorations of Australian veterans;
- provides a historical research service in respect of those who have died in war time;
- provides and maintains national war memorials overseas;
- publishes and maintains the internet nominal rolls of participants in various conflicts.
If you need more information or assistance the OAWG can be contacted by phoning (freecall) 1800 026 185 or direct to (02) 6289 6517 or writing to the Director, Office of Australian War Graves, PO Box 21 Woden, ACT 2606.
| Fact Sheet: WG03 |
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| Post War Official Commemoration (PDF version) |
| Post War Official Commemoration (HTML version) |
| Fact Sheet: WG01 |
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| What does the Office of Australian War Graves Do? (PDF version) |
| What does the Office of Australian War Graves Do? (HTML version) |