About VA DIC For Spouses, Dependents, And Parents

If you're the surviving spouse, child, or parent of a service member who died in the line of duty, or the survivor of a Veteran who died ... SkiptoContent WecontinuetoofferCOVID-19vaccinestoVeterans,spouses,caregivers,andCHAMPVArecipientsasquicklyandsafelyaswecan.  FindhowtogetaCOVID-19vaccine atVA Home Disabilitybenefits Survivoranddependentcompensation(DIC) Disabilitybenefits Getbenefits Eligibility Exposuretohazardousmaterials Specificenvironmentalhazards AgentOrange Asbestos Mustardgasorlewisite CampLejeunewatercontamination Radiationexposure Project112/SHAD GulfWarIllnessesSWAsia GulfWarIllnessesAfghanistan FormerPOWs PTSD Illnesseswithin1yearafterdischarge Specialclaims Autoallowanceandadaptiveequipment Birthdefects Clothingallowance Dentalcare Increaseaftersurgeryorcast Increasefortimeinhospital Prestabilizationratings Title38U.S.C.1151claims Unemployability Howtofileaclaim Whentofile Pre-dischargeclaim Evidenceneeded Fullydevelopedclaims Standardclaims Additionalforms Fileaclaimonline Afteryoufileyourclaim Survivoranddependentcompensation(DIC) Managebenefits Checkclaimorappealstatus ViewyourVAdisabilityratings Fileforincreaseddisability Requestadecisionrevieworappeal Uploadevidencetosupportyourdisabilityclaim Changeyouraddress Fileadditionalformsforyourdisabilityclaim ChangeyourVAdirectdepositinformation Sharemedicalrecords DownloadVAbenefitletters Viewdisabilitypaymenthistory Moreresources Aboutdisabilityratings Afteryougetarating Effectivedates Disabilitycompensationrates Veteransdisabilitycompensationrates Pastrates:2021 Pastrates:2020 Pastrates:2019 Specialmonthlycompensationrates Pastrates:2021 Pastrates:2020 Pastrates:2019 Specialbenefitallowancesrates Pastrates:2021 Pastrates:2020 Pastrates:2019 Birthdefectcompensationrates Pastrates:2021 Pastrates:2020 Pastrates:2019 SurvivorDICrates Pastrates:2021 Pastrates:2020 Pastrates:2019 ParentsDICrates Pastrates:2021 Pastrates:2020 Pastrates:2019 VAclaimexam(C&Pexam) Gethelpfilingaclaim Inthissection AboutVADICforspouses,dependents,andparents Ifyou’rethesurvivingspouse,child,orparentofaservicememberwhodiedinthelineofduty,orthesurvivorofaVeteranwhodiedfromaservice-relatedinjuryorillness,youmaybeabletogetatax-freemonetarybenefitcalledVADependencyandIndemnityCompensation(VADIC).FindoutifyoucangetVAbenefitsorcompensation. DICeligibilityforsurvivorsofBlueWaterNavyVietnamVeterans IfwedeniedyourBlueWaterNavyVeteran’sservice-connecteddisabilityclaiminthepast,youmaybeeligibleforDICbenefitsbasedontheBlueWaterNavyVietnamVeteransActof2019. Learnmoreabout DICeligibilityinformation  Findout howtoapply forbenefits VeteranswhoservedonaBlueWaterNavyvesseloffshoreoftheRepublicofVietnam,oronanotherU.S.NavyorCoastGuardshipoperatinginthecoastalwaterwaysofVietnambetweenNovember1,1955,andMay7,1975,arenowentitledtoapresumptionofserviceconnectionforillnessesrelatedtoAgentOrangeexposure.ThisisaresultofPublicLaw116-23,alsoknownastheBlueWaterNavyVietnamVeteransActof2019. Learn moreabout serviceconnectionforillnessesrelatedtoAgentOrangeexposure AmIeligibleforVADICasasurvivingspouseordependent? Eligibility YoumaybeeligibleforVAbenefitsorcompensationifyoumeettheserequirements. Oneofthesemustbetrue: YoulivedwiththeVeteranorservicememberwithoutabreakuntiltheirdeath,or Ifyou’reseparated,youweren’tatfaultfortheseparation Andoneofthesemustbetrue: YoumarriedtheVeteranorservicememberwithin15yearsoftheirdischargefromtheperiodofmilitaryserviceduringwhichthequalifyingillnessorinjurystartedorgotworse,or YouweremarriedtotheVeteranorservicememberforatleast1year,or YouhadachildwiththeVeteranorservicemember Note:Ifyouremarried,youcanreceiveorcontinuetoreceivecompensationifoneofthesedescribesyou: YouremarriedonorafterDecember16,2003,andyouwere57yearsofageorolderatthetimeyouremarried,or YouremarriedonorafterJanuary5,2021,andyouwere55yearsofageorolderatthetimeyouremarried Evidence You’llneedtoprovideevidencewithyourclaimshowingthatoneofthesedescriptionsistruefortheVeteranorservicemember.Evidencemayincludedocumentslikemilitaryservicerecords,doctor’sreports,andmedicaltestresults. Provideevidenceshowingthatoneoftheseistrue: Theservicememberdiedwhileonactiveduty,activedutyfortraining,orinactive-dutytraining,or TheVeterandiedfromaservice-connectedillnessorinjury,or TheVeterandidn’tdiefromaservice-connectedillnessorinjury,butwaseligibletoreceiveVAcompensationforaservice-connecteddisabilityratedastotallydisablingforacertainperiodoftime IftheVeteran’seligibilitywasduetoaratingoftotallydisabling,theymusthavehadthisrating: Foratleast10yearsbeforetheirdeath,or Sincetheirreleasefromactivedutyandforatleast5yearsimmediatelybeforetheirdeath,or Foratleast1yearbeforetheirdeathiftheywereaformerprisonerofwarwhodiedafterSeptember30,1999 Note:“Totallydisabling”meanstheVeteran’sinjuriesmadeitimpossibleforthemtowork. Learnmoreabouttheevidenceyou’llneedtosupportyourclaim Eligibility YoumaybeeligibleforVAbenefitsorcompensationifyoumeettheserequirements. Allofthesemustbetrue: Youaren’tmarried,and Youaren’tincludedonthesurvivingspouse’scompensation,and You'reundertheageof18(orundertheageof23ifattendingschool) Note:IfyouwereadoptedoutoftheVeteran’sorservicemember’sfamily,butmeetallothereligibilitycriteria,youstillqualifyforcompensation. Evidence You’llneedtoprovideevidencewithyourclaimshowingthatoneofthesedescriptionsistruefortheVeteranorservicemember.Evidencemayincludedocumentslikemilitaryservicerecords,doctor’sreports,andmedicaltestresults. Provideevidenceshowingthatoneoftheseistrue: Theservicememberdiedwhileonactiveduty,activedutyfortraining,orinactive-dutytraining,or TheVeterandiedfromaservice-connectedillnessorinjury,or TheVeterandidn’tdiefromaservice-connectedillnessorinjury,butwaseligibletoreceiveVAcompensationforaservice-connecteddisabilitythatwasratedastotallydisablingforacertainperiodoftime IftheVeteran’seligibilitywasduetoaservice-connecteddisabilityratedastotallydisabling,theymusthavehadthisrating: Foratleast10yearsbeforetheirdeath,or Sincetheirreleasefromactivedutyandforatleast5yearsimmediatelybeforetheirdeath,or Foratleast1yearbeforetheirdeathiftheywereaformerprisonerofwarwhodiedafterSeptember30,1999 Note:“Totallydisabling”meanstheVeteran’sinjuriesmakeitimpossibleforthemtowork. Learnmoreabouttheevidenceyou’llneedtosupportyourclaim Eligibility YoumaybeeligibleforVAbenefitsorcompensationifyoumeettheserequirements. Bothofthesemustbetrue: You’rethebiological,adoptive,orfosterparentoftheVeteranorservicemember,and YourincomeisbelowacertainamountChecktheparentsDICratetable Note:WedefineafosterparentassomeonewhoservedintheroleofaparenttotheVeteranorservicememberbeforetheirlastentryintoactiveservice. Evidence You’llneedtoprovideevidencewithyourclaimshowingthatoneofthesedescriptionsistruefortheVeteranorservicemember.Evidencemayincludedocumentslikemilitaryservicerecords,doctor’sreports,andmedicaltestresults. Provideevidenceshowingthatoneoftheseistrue: Theservicememberdiedfromaninjuryorillnesswhileonactivedutyorinthelineofdutywhileonactivedutyfortraining,or Theservicememberdiedfromaninjuryorcertainillnessesinthelineofdutywhileoninactivetraining,or TheVeterandiedfromaservice-connectedillnessorinjury Learnmoreabouttheevidenceyou’llneedtosupportyourclaim WhatkindofbenefitscanIget? Ifyouqualify,youcangettax-freemonetarybenefits.Theamountyoureceivedependsonthetypeofsurvivoryouare. DICbenefitratesforsurvivingspousesandchildrenDICbenefitsforsurvivingparents HowdoIapplyforcompensation? Firstyou’llneedtofilloutanapplicationforbenefits.Theapplicationyoufilloutwilldependonyoursurvivorstatus. Ifyou’rethesurvivingspouseorchildofaservicememberwhodiedwhileonactiveduty,yourmilitarycasualtyassistanceofficerwillhelpyoutocompleteanApplicationforDIC,DeathPension,and/orAccruedBenefitsbyaSurvivingSpouseorChild(VAForm21P-534a).TheofficerwillhelpyoumailtheformtothecorrectVAregionaloffice.GetVAForm21P-534atodownload Ifyou’rethesurvivingspouseorchildofaVeteran,filloutanApplicationforDIC,DeathPension,and/orAccruedBenefits(VAForm21P-534EZ).GetVAForm21P-534EZtodownload Ifyou’reasurvivingparent,filloutanApplicationforDependencyandIndemnityCompensationbyParent(s)(VAForm21P-535).GetVAForm21P-535todownload Youcanapplyforthisbenefitinanyoftheseways: Workwithanaccreditedrepresentative.Gethelpfilingyourclaim UsethedirectuploadtoolthroughAccessVAtouploadyourformonline.GotoAccessVAtousedirectupload Mailyour formtothisaddress: DepartmentofVeteransAffairs PensionIntakeCenter POBox5365 Janesville,WI53547-5365 GotoaVAregionalofficeandgethelpfromaVAemployee.FindaVAregionalofficenearyou ShouldIsubmitanintenttofileform? YoumaywanttosubmitanintenttofileformbeforeyouapplyforDICbenefits.Thiscangiveyouthetimeyouneedtogatheryourevidencewhileavoidingalaterpotentialstartdate(alsocalledaneffectivedate).Whenyounotifyusofyourintenttofile,youmaybeabletogetretroactivepayments(paymentsthatstartatapointinthepast). Findouthowtosubmitanintenttofileform OtherVAbenefitsforsurvivors VASurvivorsPensionbenefitrates Findoutifyou’reeligibleandhowtoapplyforVApensionbenefitsasasurvivingspouseorchildofadeceasedVeteranwithwartimeservice. Lastupdated:March29,2022 Feedback