FEDERAL SURVIVOR BENEFITS

 

ONE-TIME DEATH BENEFIT

 

The Public Safety Officers’ Benefits (PSOB) Office at the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, is honored to serve survivors and surviving agencies of America’s fallen public safety heroes.

 

The amount of the PSOB benefit is $350,079 for eligible deaths occurring on or after January 12, 2018.

 

Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Office

Bureau of Justice Assistance

Office of Justice Programs

810 Seventh Street NW. Fourth Floor

Washington, DC 20531

Phone: 202–307–0635

E-mail: AskPSOB@usdoj.gov

Website: www.psob.gov/file_death_claim.html

  

EDUCATION BENEFIT – CHILDREN

 

The Police, Fire and Emergency Officers Educational Assistance Act was signed into law in October 1998. The law was created to provide financial assistance for higher education to the dependants of federal, state, and local public safety officers who are killed or permanently and totally disabled as a result of traumatic injury sustained in the line of duty and were eligible for the U.S. PSOB death or disability benefit. This is the only federally funded program that provides educational benefits for the spouse and children of fire fighters killed in the line of duty.

 

This assistance is only available after the PSOB death or disability claim process has been completed and benefits have been awarded. Further, the PSOEA applicant must have received at least a portion of the PSOB benefits and be defined as the officer’s spouse or child under the PSOB Act and regulations.

 

The PSOEA Program will provide an educational assistance allowance, which may be used solely to defray educational expenses, including tuition, room and board, books, supplies, and education-related fees/costs. As of October 1, 2013 the maximum award for a full-time student is $1,003.00 per month of class attendance for full-time students and $501.50 per month for part-time students. All PSOEA awards must, by law, be reduced by the amount of other governmental assistance that a student is eligible to receive.

 

Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Office

Bureau of Justice Assistance

Office of Justice Programs

810 Seventh Street NW. Fourth Floor

Washington, DC 20531

Phone: 202–307–0635

E-mail: AskPSOB@usdoj.gov

Website: www.psob.gov/file_education_claim.html

 

EDUCATION BENEFIT – SPOUSE

 

Same as Child.

 

DISABILITY BENEFITS

 

The PSOB disability amendment recognizes that state, local and agency benefit programs are primarily responsible for the hundreds, perhaps thousands, of public safety officer disability pensions awarded each year. The PSOB Act is clear that benefits awarded are supplementary in nature and by law are not to offset any worker compensation payment or disability pension benefit.

 

Even where an officer is disabled by a severe, catastrophic injury received in the line of duty, PSOB benefits do not come into play unless the injuries are so disabling as to permanently prevent any gainful employment. This standard recognizes that in all but rare cases a disabled public safety officer will have the capacity to supplement a state or local disability pension with employment earnings of varying degrees.

 

Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Office

Bureau of Justice Assistance

Office of Justice Programs

810 Seventh Street NW. Fourth Floor

Washington, DC 20531

Phone: 202–307–0635

E-mail: AskPSOB@usdoj.gov

Website: www.psob.gov/file_disability_claim.html