In our last blog post we discussed the fact that VA insured home loans are available to qualified surviving military spouses. Spouses must be the survivor of a military member who was died on active duty, died as a result of military service, or who is a certified MIA or POW.

Unlike military members, surviving spouses who meet the above criteria must apply for a VA Certificate of Eligibility by mail only. The VA rules for surviving spouses urges applicants to begin preparing for these types of loans earlier than one might expect, and with good reason.

According to the VA official site, “If your veteran spouse died after service, VA must determine that the death was due to a service-connected disability.  Please allow 2-3 months for this process unless you know that the decision on service-connected death has already been made.” Surviving spouses must send their application form to the VA Loan Eligibility Center, addressed:

Attn: COE (262)
PO Box 100034
Decatur, GA 30031

Be sure to send copies of all required supporting documentation, which may include:

• A copy of the veteran’s DD Form 214
• A copy of the veteran’s death certificate
• A copy of your marriage certificate
• A copy of DD Form 1300 (Report of Casualty) from the military in cases where the veteran died on active duty
• The servicemember’s Social Security Number on all documents

In cases where the surviving spouse is getting military compensation called DIC, some or all supporting evidence may not be required (the VA advises sending a copy of the DIC award letter), but in cases where a borrower is not getting DIC, the VA advises, “It would be a good idea to add a simple signed statement saying that you would like to apply for DIC. If you qualify for the home loan benefit, you probably qualify for monthly payments under DIC.”

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