New rule to let servicemembers allot all of their death gratuity

[unhappycamper]

New rule to let servicemembers allot all of their death gratuity
By Lisa Burgess, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Wednesday, May 7, 2008

ARLINGTON, Va. — U.S. troops soon will control distribution of their entire $100,000 death gratuity, instead of just half that amount, with the Pentagon mandating who gets the remaining sum.

The rule change, which is called for in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2008, is part of an ongoing effort by lawmakers since the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan began to overhaul the way families are compensated if a member is killed in action.

As of July 1, servicemembers will be allowed to assign all of their $100,000 posthumous payment to recipients of their preference, whether or not those people are related by blood or marriage.

Servicemembers can choose up to 10 beneficiaries for the gratuity, and divide the $100,000 benefit among those people in 10 percent increments.

For example, a servicemember could allocate $10,000, $20,000, and $70,000 to three different beneficiaries, such as his mother, his best friend and his wife.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=54597

[TwilightGardener]

1. I wasn't even aware that they couldn't do this. What a stupid rule.