Benefits and payments
Every benefit that may apply, with who decides it, its deadline and its status. Nothing is marked confirmed until the agency or insurer confirms it. Seeded from your setup.
For a first pass, this sheet is essential: it is the one place that lists every benefit that may apply, who decides it and its deadline. Nothing here is marked confirmed until the agency or insurer confirms it (Paying and benefits). The burial benefit reference gives the VA and Social Security figures by date of death.
Benefits that may apply
One row per benefit (Paying and benefits). Tick it when it is settled either way. Status "confirmed" means the agency or insurer said so, not that you expect it.
How to use these sheets
- One row per benefit. Who decides is the agency or insurer; the deadline is theirs, as read on their page.
- Status is what happened, not what you expect. To ask, applied, confirmed (with a reference) or does not apply.
- A reference, never an account number. A claim or case number the agency gives you is fine.
For the Marsh family (fictional), Teo Marsh served in the Army and was honorably discharged. VA national cemetery burial and honors stay open while the family decides; the burial allowance stays "to ask", because none of VA's conditions is known to apply and VA decides.
Every benefit is decided by the agency that pays it. This manual lists what to apply for and the deadline; it does not say a family qualifies, and it gives no advice on paying from an estate, borrowing or insurance.