The U.S. Marshals Survivors Benefit Fund was formed exclusively for charitable and educational disbursements of its funds to the surviving family members of active United States Marshals, Deputy U.S. Marshals, Marshals Service employees, and Special Deputy U.S. Marshals who are killed in the line of duty. Within 24 hours of a line of duty death, money is given to the surviving family to help with funeral costs and other expenses. On January 11, 1794, U.S. Marshal Robert Forsyth was shot and killed while attempting to serve civil papers. He was the first federal law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty. Since then, over 270 U.S. Marshals, Deputy U.S. Marshals, Special Deputy U.S. Marshals, and Marshals guards have given their lives in service to our nation. The U.S. Marshals Survivors Benefit Fund was founded in 2012 in response to the devastating loss of ten Deputy and Special Deputy U.S. Marshals in line of duty deaths in 2011. It is a private nonprofit corporation formed exclusively for charitable and educational disbursements of its funds to the surviving family members of active United States Marshals, Deputy U.S. Marshals, Marshals Service employees, and Special Deputy U.S. Marshals who are killed in the line of duty. The Fund also provides economic support to programs that preserve the memory of those fallen heroes. The U.S. Marshals Survivors Benefit Fund is not a government entity or a component of the United States Marshals Service. The Fund is a private nonprofit charitable corporation, with Internal Revenue Service exemption status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. All donations to the U.S. Marshals Survivors Benefit Fund are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.