Who Qualifies as a VA Dependent? Understanding Benefits for Family Members and How to Apply (2023)

FAQs

Who qualifies as a VA dependent? ›

To be considered a dependent, one of these must be true of an unmarried child: They're under 18 years old, or. They're between the ages of 18 and 23 years old and enrolled in school full time, or. They became permanently disabled before they turned 18.

In some cases, VA offers health care and services for a Veteran's family members and dependents (beneficiaries) based on certain conditions and eligibility requirements. VA serves more than 360,000 beneficiaries through its family member and dependent health care benefit programs.

Use VA Form 21-0538 to verify the status of your dependents (spouse or children). We use this information to determine if you're eligible to continue receiving additional compensation based on how many dependents you have.

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.

Most military benefits for non-disabled adult children end at age 21 -- and all of them disappear by age 27. If a child is a full-time college student, they can still receive Tricare until age 23. And parents can purchase an extended Tricare option, known as Tricare Young Adult, until they are 25.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) pays a benefit called Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) to your surviving spouse and dependent children if you die of service-connected causes.

What are veteran survivor benefits? As a veteran's surviving spouse, child or parent, you may qualify for certain benefits, such as help with burial costs and compensation or pension. You may also qualify for health care, life insurance, or financial assistance to help pay for school or training.

If you're the spouse, surviving spouse, dependent child, or family caregiver of a Veteran or service member, you may qualify for health care benefits. In certain cases, you may also qualify for health care benefits due to a disability related to your Veteran's service.

VA provides pension benefits to qualifying surviving spouses and unmarried dependent children of deceased Veterans with wartime service.

benefits.va.gov/vso to learn more and find a representative near you. If you did not include any dependents on your disability claim, make sure you file your dependency claim as soon as you get your 30% or higher rating from VA. VA will pay you within two weeks if we're able to finalize your claim.

How much do dependents add to VA disability? ›

Since your basic rate already provides payment for 1 child, you would add the rate of $70.00 for each additional child (so $70 x 2). If your spouse receives Aid and Attendance, you would also add $130 (which is the added amount for a spouse receiving Aid and Attendance, for a Veteran with a 70% disability rating).

How Much Is the VA Dependent Parent Benefit? The benefit amount you'll receive for eligible dependents varies based on your parent's income and your VA disability rating. For a rating of 30% to 60%, one dependent parent, and no spouse or children, you can get a total of between $476.69 and $1214.68 per month.

TEN YEAR RULE -The VA 10 year rule means the VA cannot eliminate a rating that's been in place for 10 years or more. However, the rating can be reduced if medical evidence shows that the disability has improved.

Veterans can also earn VA disability back pay for dependents. If a veteran did not have dependents to add at the time of their claim or simply neglected to add existing ones, they may be eligible for additional back pay.

The VA disability 5 year rule allows the VA to ex-examine your VA disability rating within 5 years of your initial examination if your condition is expected to improve over time. However, the VA may still change your disability rating past the 5-year deadline if your condition has significantly improved.

The program offers up to 45 months of education benefits. Children generally must use the benefit between the ages of 18 and 26.

If you're the surviving spouse of a Veteran, your monthly rate would start at $1,562.74. Then for each additional benefit you qualify for, you would add the amounts from the Added amounts table.

As the spouse or dependent child of a Veteran or service member, you may qualify for certain benefits, like health care, life insurance, or money to help pay for school or training.

When a Veteran dies does his wife get his benefits? ›

A VA Survivors Pension offers monthly payments to qualified surviving spouses and unmarried dependent children of wartime Veterans who meet certain income and net worth limits set by Congress. Find out if you qualify and how to apply.

DIVORCED SPOUSES MAY RETAIN SOME VA BENEFITS

The former spouse of a veteran may retain some benefits after the divorce. However, those benefits are limited, eligibility will depend on factors such as the length of the marriage and the length of military service, and some require action shortly after the divorce.

These benefits are payable for life unless the spouse begins collecting a retirement benefit that is greater than the survivor benefit. Beneficiaries entitled to two types of Social Security payments receive the higher of the two amounts.

VA disability does not stop because of a veterans age. VA disability compensation benefits are for the life of the disabled veteran.

The benefits are tax-free. Who is eligible? You may be eligible for disability compensation if: You have a service-related disability or illness.

Survivors Pension, formerly referred to as Death Pension, is a tax-free benefit payable to a low-income, un-remarried surviving spouse or unmarried child(ren) of a deceased Veteran with wartime service.

According to the VA official site, the surviving spouse, where applicable, would assume the debt. In cases where the borrower dies but has no co-borrower or surviving spouse, the veteran's estate would be responsible for the VA guaranteed mortgage.

The death gratuity program provides for a special tax free payment of $100,000 to eligible survivors of members of the Armed Forces, who die while on active duty or while serving in certain reserve statuses. The death gratuity is the same regardless of the cause of death.

SBP provides up to 55 percent of a service member's retired pay to an eligible beneficiary upon the death of the member. After the service member passes away, the SBP annuity is paid out monthly to the surviving spouse, or to the child or children of the member.

The 8-year provision actually goes both ways. The veteran needs to have been totally disabled for at least 8 years before death and then the benefit will be granted to surviving spouses for the same 8 years.

What not to say at C&P exam? ›

Don't Lie or Stretch the Truth. This is a big one. Don't ever lie or stretch the truth when it comes to your VA disability claim. At your C&P exam, you should think, look, act, and speak as you would on a normal day.

Furthermore, VA will only grant benefits back to the date of discharge for service members who apply for benefits within a year of their military discharge. As mentioned above, the effective date is most often the same date that VA received the veteran's claim.

The veteran's total disability due to PTSD is permanent with no likelihood of improvement. The 100 percent rating for PTSD is total, permanent, and static in nature.

Disabled veterans and military retirees will see a nearly 9% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in their monthly benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs in 2023, the most significant jump since 1981.

According to the VA's 2022 disability compensation rates, if you have an 80% rating you will receive $1,778.43 per month if you have no dependents. However, with a 100% disability rating that number can increase to $3,332.06 per month.

Completion of VA Form 21-0538 and VA Form 21-0537 by beneficiaries allows the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to verify the following approximately once every eight years: status of the dependents of all Veterans in receipt of additional compensation for a spouse and/or child(ren), and.

A Veteran whose parent(s) are dependent upon him or her for financial support may be paid additional benefits. The dependent parent benefit is paid based on need. The parental relationship must be established, and it must be verified that the parents are financially dependent upon the Veteran in order to qualify.

As of December 1st, 2022 the VA disability rate benefit amounts are as follows: 0 percent disability rating: $0.00 per month. 10 percent disability rating: $165.92 per month. 20 percent disability rating: $327.99 per month.

Once you turn 55, you are typically "protected" and will no longer have to attend an exam to prove that your condition has not changed unless there is reason to suspect fraud. This is sometimes called the 55-year rule.

No, there aren't any VA disability claims that cannot be proven. In fact, all VA claims must be proven on an “at least as likely as not” basis. If you have no evidence (no proof), your VA claim will get denied.

What is the 1 year rule for VA claims? ›

If we get a claim within one year of the date of a Veteran's death, the effective date is the first day of the month in which the Veteran died. If we get a claim more than one year after a Veteran suffered an injury, their injury got worse, or they died, the effective date is the date we get the claim.

Use VA Form 21-0538 to verify the status of your dependents (spouse or children). We use this information to determine if you're eligible to continue receiving additional compensation based on how many dependents you have.

Disability severance pay is a one- time lump sum payment. The amount equals 2 months of basic pay for each year of service which includes active service and inactive duty points, but the total service years cannot exceed 19 years.

A dependent is defined as a family member who relies on an active duty service member or Veteran financially and meets certain criteria. Dependents can be: a spouse. unmarried children (up to 18 or 23 if enrolled in school)

Injuries that are unlikely to improve with treatment. A totally incapacitating, long-standing disease. Permanent loss or loss of use of both hands, both feet, one hand and one foot, or eyesight in both eyes. Being permanently bedridden.

What is the compensation for a 50% VA Disability Rating? The 2023 compensation rate (an 8.7% increase) for a 50% VA disability rating is $1,041.82. For more information about compensation for dependents, our 2023 VA Disability Rates and Compensation article covers all the updates for the year.

Can the VA Take Away My Sleep Apnea Rating? Since the condition is not considered a permanent VA disability, you can have your rating taken away by the VA. If the condition resolves over time, and you are reevaluated to not have sleep apnea any more, you will no longer be able to claim that rating for compensation.

VA Form 21-674

Use this VA form when claiming benefits for a Veteran's child who is at least 18 years old, but under 23, and attending school.

Each additional child entitles veterans to a supplement on their VA disability pay rates. So, there is no limit on how many children can qualify.

If you're the child of a Veteran or service member

You can get benefits if you're between the ages of 18 and 26, except in certain cases. You may be married or unmarried. If you're over 18 years old and using DEA, you can't get Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) from us.

How much does the VA give for each dependent? ›

Since your basic rate already provides payment for 1 child, you would add the rate of $70.00 for each additional child (so $70 x 2). If your spouse receives Aid and Attendance, you would also add $130 (which is the added amount for a spouse receiving Aid and Attendance, for a Veteran with a 70% disability rating).

A Veteran whose parent(s) are dependent upon him or her for financial support may be paid additional benefits. The dependent parent benefit is paid based on need. The parental relationship must be established, and it must be verified that the parents are financially dependent upon the Veteran in order to qualify.

Use VA form 21P-509 if you're a Veteran whose parents are dependent on you for support, or you're the parent of a Veteran who died on active duty or as a result of service-connected injuries or disease.

benefits.va.gov/vso to learn more and find a representative near you. If you did not include any dependents on your disability claim, make sure you file your dependency claim as soon as you get your 30% or higher rating from VA. VA will pay you within two weeks if we're able to finalize your claim.

No, age is not a factor in VA claims. The only time age can impact your VA disability benefits is if the VA is trying to determine your eligibility for 100 percent Permanent and Total disability.

Yes. We may increase your monthly payments if one or more of the below is true: You have a very severe disability or loss of limb, or. You have a spouse, child, or dependent parent and your combined disability rating is 30% or greater, or.

Spouses, unfortunately, cannot be paid to provide care, as their income is also considered when calculating a veteran's pension amount. However, other relatives, such as adult children, nieces and nephews, and grandchildren, can be paid to be caregivers.

No, VA disability does not stop at age 65; nor does it stop at age 67. VA disability benefits are for the life of the disabled veteran! And in some instances, the veteran's VA benefits can pass to the surviving spouse. At age 65, a disabled veteran may also become eligible for VA pension benefits.