What must occur for benefits to be classified as accrued?

For benefits to be classified as accrued, it is essential that the benefits are unpaid at the time of the claimant's death. This classification allows certain people, such as dependents, to receive benefits that were due to the deceased individual but were not paid before their death. This is important because it ensures that the financial support intended for the veteran can be passed on to eligible parties, providing continuity of support despite the veteran's passing.

The concept of unpaid benefits becomes crucial in determining entitlement for accrued benefits. If benefits were received before the claimant's death, there would be no accrual of benefits to be claimed by survivors. Thus, recognizing unpaid benefits at the time of the claimant's death is a necessary condition for subsequent claimants to be eligible for those accrued amounts.