NJ AR115

New Jersey Assembly Resolution urges Congress to enact the Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act, which would repeal the requirement that Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) annuities be reduced dollar-for-dollar when survivors receive Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) from the VA

Current federal law requires surviving spouses to forfeit $1 of their SBP annuity for each $1 received in DIC, with the FY 2017 DIC rate of approximately $1,258 per month eliminating most or all SBP payments for many survivors

The existing Special Survivor Indemnity Allowance (SSIA) rebate of approximately $310 per month is considered inadequate compensation, and 95% of survivors whose spouses died before 2001 received no benefit from increased death gratuity provisions

The 2007 Veterans Disability Benefits Commission determined that DIC should be paid in addition to SBP annuities rather than subtracted from them when military service causes a member's death

Copies of the resolution will be transmitted to the President, Vice President, congressional leadership, all New Jersey members of Congress, and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs