S. 410 — Love Lives On Act of 2025

This section eliminates the remarriage bar on a surviving spouse's entitlement to dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC)—monthly payments to eligible survivors of service-connected veteran deaths—under 38 U.S.C. §§ 1311 and 1562. (Thus, remarriage no longer terminates such benefits, overriding prior restrictions.)

This section modifies the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP)—which provides annuity payments to eligible survivors of deceased military retirees and active-duty service members—to prohibit termination of payments to surviving spouses of members who die on active duty solely due to the spouse's remarriage. (Under prior law, SBP annuity payments to surviving spouses generally terminated upon remarriage before age 55.) It further requires the Secretary to resume such payments for eligible spouses who remarried before age 55 and before enactment of the Love Lives On Act of 2025, generally for months beginning one year after enactment or immediately if the spouse elected to transfer payments to a surviving child under rules in effect on December 31, 2019.

This section expands the definition of dependent under the TRICARE program (i.e., the Department of Defense health care program for uniformed service members, retirees, and their families) to include a remarried widow or widower whose subsequent marriage has ended due to death, divorce, or annulment. (Thus, such individuals regain eligibility for TRICARE benefits.)