Definition of indigent circumstances
There are two definitions of indigent circumstances depending on whether the deceased was a veteran with a partner, or either a single veteran or dependant of a deceased veteran/member.
The table below illustrates the different definitions.
If the person who died was a... | And the value of their estate | Then... |
Partnered veteran | After deducting all liabilities including funeral expenses totals $5,000 or more | They are not considered to have died in indigent circumstances
Eligibility for funeral benefit
|
Partnered veteran | After deducting all liabilities including funeral expenses totals less than $5,000 | They are considered to have died in indigent circumstances
Eligibility for funeral benefit
|
Single veteran or a dependant of a deceased veteran/member | Covers all liabilities including funeral expenses | They are not considered to have died in indigent circumstances Eligibility for a funeral benefit for a veteran and a dependant of a deceased veteran
|
Single veteran or a dependant of a deceased veteran/member | Is not sufficient to cover all liabilities including funeral expenses | They are considered to have died in indigent circumstances
Eligibility for a funeral benefit for a veteran and a dependant of a deceased veteran
|
Certain assets excluded from partnered veteran's estate when determining indigent circumstances
When calculating the value of a partnered veterans estate, the value of the family home and family car are not included. For the purposes of determining indigent circumstances, these assets are not taken as forming part of the estate, rather they are regarded as being passed directly onto the surviving partner. This applies regardless of whether the veteran and his/her partner are living in residential aged care and their former home is regarded as an assessable asset for pension purposes.
The home in which the person formerly resided and their car are included when determining whether a single veteran, or a dependant of a deceased veteran/member died in indigent circumstances.