No Result
View All Results
Military Families
SUBSCRIBE FREE
No Result
View All Results
 Military Families
SUBSCRIBE FREE
Military Families

What you need to know about the military widow’s tax

Jennifer Barnhill
by Jennifer Barnhill
October 25, 2019
What you need to know about the military widow’s tax

Kathryn Fellure and her husband, Lt. Col. Michael Fellure

Tweet

It is easy to ignore the “widow’s tax” until you are the widow. However, not all those affected by this bureaucratic penalty lose their significant others in combat, some lose them in a hospital bed.

Army veteran and surviving spouse Kathryn Fellure didn’t know how the Survivor Benefit Plan – Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (SBP-DIC) offset would affect her until her husband, Lt. Col. Michael Fellure, died of service-connected esophageal cancer while on active duty in January 2019.

“I learned about the offset a week after my husband’s funeral. I thought, ‘this can’t be right. My husband earned this money.’”

Fellure with his two children.

Fellure is one of roughly 65,000 affected military survivors who do not receive full benefit payouts for their earned Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) – Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) payouts due to US Code Title 10 law from 1972.  This law withholds, or “offsets” VA benefits from retirement benefits earned by the service member. Not all military survivors qualify for both benefits. Only surviving family members qualify for both benefits and are subject to the SBP-DIC offset if their service member died as a result of their service.

In July 2019, Military Families Magazine reported on the details of what is known as the “widow’s tax” as the US House of Representatives voted to include a bill in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would correct the SBP-DIC offset. Unfortunately, the Senate did not pass this legislation in their version of the NDAA.

Before a bill can be signed into law by the president, the House and Senate have to agree upon what to submit. Because these NDAA bills didn’t match, members of both the House and Senate went into “conference” after returning from their August recess on Sept. 9, 2019.

This recess allowed representatives to connect with constituents from their home states away from Washington politics.  But it also slowed the momentum built this summer by a grassroots movement led by military widows and widowers who have had enough.

“I really want the active duty and of course Guard and reserves to see what’s going on. I know when you’re young and you’re healthy, you don’t see that you could come up with stage 4 cancer. That could never happen. We totally got punched in the gut when that happened to us,” said Fellure. “‘It’s gonna be somebody else.’ It’s almost like they’re in denial because they’re young and healthy.”

The original sponsors of this bill, Senators Doug Jones (D-Ala.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), introduced a “motion to instruct” on the Senate floor on Sept. 25, 2019. Jones challenged his colleagues, “this is our time to make sure that we tell our veterans that we are supportive, but we show it with our actions, not just with our words.”

This nonbinding commitment directed Senate conferees to keep the House passed SBP-DIC language in the final version of the NDAA. This motion passed unanimously 94-0.

Many military members and families do not know what the NDAA is, but they should. It affects military pay, defense funding, spouse employment initiatives, family and veterans’ programming, a would-be wall and so much more that touches the everyday lives of service members.

2016 Hall of Heroes Induction Ceremony

Although support appears strong, there is no guarantee.

“Everything came out in our favor [the Sept. 25 Senate vote], but it’s nonbinding … They could totally flip it and not put it in. We’re at their mercy. It’s behind closed doors so we have no idea,” Fellure continued.

Help is still needed to see that this movement crosses the finish line. Surviving spouses are doing their part. Politicians have been supportive but need reminders that this is not just an issue for a small group of spouses.

How to help:

Contact your representative

Contact your senators

Call the Congressional Switchboard (202) 224-3121

Show support on social media by using #AxeWidowsTax

Read comments
Tags: esophageal cancerKathryn FellureLt. Col. Michael Felluremilitary widow's taxNational Defense Authorization ActSBP-DICsurvivor benefit planWidows Tax
Tweet30
Jennifer Barnhill

Jennifer Barnhill

Jennifer is a juggler. She balances freelance writing, graduate studies, a full-time job and caring for three kids and a husband. Throughout her 12 year marriage to a Naval aviator, she has PCSed to FL, NV, Japan (twice) and CA (thrice). She attained a B.A. in English - Professional Writing from the College of New Jersey. She is currently studying Public Service and Administration at Texas A&M University to further her pursuit of military spouse advocacy.

Related Posts

Fort Stewart soldiers show ‘Dogface’ resolve after shooting
Military News

Fort Stewart soldiers show ‘Dogface’ resolve after shooting

5 days ago
PCS advocate Megan Harless sees contract cancellation as good first step for military moving process
Military News

PCS advocate Megan Harless sees contract cancellation as good first step for military moving process

4 weeks ago
The OCONUS Project creates community to empower military families overseas
Military Life

The OCONUS Project creates community to empower military families overseas

4 weeks ago
Veteran suicide remains a ‘clinical priority’ amid staffing cuts
Military News

Veteran suicide remains a ‘clinical priority’ amid staffing cuts

1 month ago
ranger hall of fame
Military News

2025 Ranger Hall of Fame inductees honored at Fort Benning

2 months ago
Naming — and renaming — military bases
Military News

Naming — and renaming — military bases

2 months ago

Military News, delivered to your inbox

Get a free copy of MILITARY FAMILIES delivered to your inbox each month

GET YOUR FREE MAGAZINES!

Sign up, and you will also get our bi-monthly eNewsletters!

Never miss out on the latest stories.

Let's connect!

ABOUT US

  • OUR STORY
  • OUR TEAM
  • OUR WRITERS

MAGAZINE

  • GET PRINT
  • GET DIGITAL
  • GET THE NEWSLETTER

ADVERTISE

  • GET OUR MEDIA KIT
  • CFC/NONPROFITS

SUBMISSIONS

  • SUBMIT YOUR STORY
  • PITCH US

The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.

© 2023 Military Families by U.S. Military Publishing. Privacy Policy | Terms | Site by Swiss Commerce

Thank you for your interest in Military Families Magazine!

Thank you for your interest in Military Families Magazine!

Thank you for your interest in Military Families Magazine!

No Result
View All Results
  • News
  • Military Life
    • Deployment
    • Relocation
    • Military Spouses
    • Military Kids
  • Education
  • Career
    • Transition
    • Entrepreneur
  • Veterans
  • Health
  • Money
  • OFF DUTY
    • Travel
    • Book Reviews & Roundups
    • Entertainment
    • Sports
  • OPINION
  • About us
    • Submit your story
    • Our story
    • Our team
    • Our writers
  • Magazine
    • Get print
    • Get digital
    • Get the newsletter
  • Advertise
    • Get our media kit
    • CFC/Nonprofits

© 2025 Military Families by U.S. Military Publishing. Site by SCBW.

No Result
View All Results
  • News
  • Military Life
    • Deployment
    • Relocation
    • Military Spouses
    • Military Kids
  • Education
  • Career
    • Transition
    • Entrepreneur
  • Veterans
  • Health
  • Money
  • OFF DUTY
    • Travel
    • Book Reviews & Roundups
    • Entertainment
    • Sports
  • OPINION
  • About us
    • Submit your story
    • Our story
    • Our team
    • Our writers
  • Magazine
    • Get print
    • Get digital
    • Get the newsletter
  • Advertise
    • Get our media kit
    • CFC/Nonprofits

© 2025 Military Families by U.S. Military Publishing. Site by SCBW.