Survivor benefits explained

Am I eligible for VA DIC as a surviving spouse or dependent?

As a surviving spouse

ELIGIBILITY

You may be eligible for VA benefits or compensation if you meet these requirements.

One of these must be true: • You lived with the veteran or service member without a break until their death, or • If you’re separated, you weren’t at fault for the separation

One of these also must be true: • You married the veteran or service member within 15 years of their discharge from the period of military service during which the qualifying illness or injury started or got worse, or • You were married to the veteran or service member for at least 1 year, or • You had a child with the veteran or service member

Note: If you remarried, you can receive or continue to receive compensation if one of these describes you: • You remarried on or after Dec. 16, 2003, and you were 57 years of age or older at the time you remarried, or • You remarried on or after Jan. 5, 2021, and you were 55 years of age or older at the time you remarried

BRING EVIDENCE

You’ll need to provide evidence with your claim showing that one of these descriptions is true for the veteran or service member. Evidence may include documents like military service records, doctor’s reports, and medical test results.

The evidence should show that one of these is true: • The service member died while on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive-duty training, or • The veteran died from a service-connected illness or injury, or • The veteran didn’t die from a service-connected illness or injury, but was eligible to receive VA compensation for a service-connected disability rated as totally disabling for a certain period of time • If the veteran’s eligibility was due to a rating of totally disabling, they must have had this rating for at least 10 years before their death, since their release from active duty and for at least 5 years immediately before their death; or for at least 1 year before their death if they were a former prisoner of war who died after Sept. 30, 1999 (Note: “Totally disabling” means the veteran’s injuries made it impossible for them to work. • Surviving spouse rates if the veteran died on or after Jan. 1, 1993

If you’re the surviving spouse of a veteran

Your monthly pay-

ment rate is: $1,437.66,

effective Dec. 1, 2021.

You may also be eligible for added amounts based on certain factors. Find any descriptions in the table below that are true for you. Add the amount listed in the Added monthly amount column of each description to your monthly payment. This is your total monthly payment.

Added amounts for surviving spouses

(EFFECTIVE DEC. 1, 2021)

If this description is true…

The veteran had a VA disability rating of totally disabling (including for individual unemployability) for at least the 8 full years leading up to their death, and You were married to the Veteran for those same 8 years

You have a disability and need help with regular daily activities (like eating, bathing, or dressing)

You can’t leave your house due to a disability

You have 1 or more children who are under 18

You may qualify for this benefit

Added monthly amount (in U.S. $)

8-year provision 305.28

Aid and Attendance 356.16

Housebound allowance

Transitional benefit, and

DIC apportionment rate 166.85

306.00 for the first 2 years after the Veteran’s death 356.16 for each eligible child

HOW TO CALCULATE YOUR PAYMENT

If you’re the surviving spouse of a Veteran, your monthly rate starts at $1,437.66. For each additional benefit you qualify for, add the amounts from the Added amounts table.

In this example: You’re shown the total monthly payment for someone with two children under 18, and who qualifies for the 8-year provision and Aid and Attendance.

Total monthly payment for the first 2 years:

$1,437.66 (monthly rate) + $356.16 (first child under 18) + $356.16 (second child under 18) + $305.28 (8-year provision) + $356.16 (Aid and Attendance) + $306.00 (transitional benefit for the first two years after the veteran's death) = $3,117.42 per month

Total monthly payment after 2 years (when transitional benefit ends)

$3,117.42 (monthly payment with transitional benefit) - $306.00 (transitional benefit) = $2,811.42 per month

Find the details of these rates in title 38 U.S.C. 1311(a, b, c, d, f) and 38 CFR 3.461(b).