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FAMILY AND CAREGIVER BENEFITS

Survivor compensation
 * Survivor and dependent compensation (DIC)
   * Spouse and dependent rates
   * Parent rates
 * Survivors Pension
   * Rates

In this section



SURVIVORS PENSION

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.


AM I ELIGIBLE FOR A SURVIVORS PENSION AS A SURVIVING SPOUSE?

You may be eligible for this benefit if you haven’t remarried after the
Veteran’s death, and if the deceased Veteran didn’t receive a dishonorable
discharge and their service meets at least one of these requirements.

At least one of these must be true:

 * The Veteran entered active duty on or before September 7, 1980, and served at
   least 90 days on active military service, with at least 1 day during a
   covered wartime period, or
 * The Veteran entered active duty after September 7, 1980, and served at least
   24 months or the full period for which they were called or ordered to active
   duty (with some exceptions), with at least 1 day during a covered wartime
   period or
 * The Veteran was an officer and started on active duty after October 16, 1981,
   and hadn’t previously served on active duty for at least 24 months

Learn more about covered wartime periods

And this must be true for you:

Your yearly family income and net worth meet certain limits set by Congress.
Your net worth equals the value of everything you own (except your house, your
car, and most home furnishings), minus any debt you owe.


AM I ELIGIBLE FOR A SURVIVORS PENSION AS THE CHILD OF A DECEASED WARTIME
VETERAN?

You may be eligible for this benefit if you’re unmarried and you meet at least
one of these requirements.

At least one of these must be true:

 * You’re under age 18, or
 * You’re under age 23 and attending a VA-approved school, or
 * You’re unable to care for yourself due to a disability that happened before
   age 18


WHAT WARTIME PERIODS DO YOU RECOGNIZE FOR PENSION BENEFITS?

Under current law, we recognize these wartime periods to decide eligibility for
pension benefits:

 * Mexican Border period (May 9, 1916, to April 5, 1917, for Veterans who served
   in Mexico, on its borders, or in adjacent waters)
 * World War I (April 6, 1917, to November 11, 1918)
 * World War II (December 7, 1941, to December 31, 1946)
 * Korean conflict (June 27, 1950, to January 31, 1955)
 * Vietnam War era for Veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam (November
   1, 1955, to May 7, 1975)
 * Vietnam War era for Veterans who served outside the Republic of Vietnam
   (August 5, 1964, to May 7, 1975)
 * Gulf War (August 2, 1990, through a future date to be set by law or
   presidential proclamation)


HOW DO I APPLY FOR A SURVIVORS PENSION?

You can apply in any of these 4 ways.


OPTION 1: WITH THE HELP OF A TRAINED PROFESSIONAL

You can work with an accredited attorney, claims agent, or Veterans Service
Organization (VSO) representative to get help applying for Survivors Pension
benefits.

Get help filling out an application


OPTION 2: ONLINE

Use the QuickSubmit tool through AccessVA to upload your form online.

Go to AccessVA to use QuickSubmit


OPTION 3: BY MAIL

Fill out an Application for DIC, Death Pension, and/or Accrued Benefits (VA Form
21P-534EZ).

Get VA Form 21P-534EZ to download

Mail your completed application to this address:

Department of Veterans Affairs
Pension Intake Center
PO Box 5365
Janesville, WI 53547-5365


OPTION 4: IN PERSON

Bring your application to a VA regional office near you.

Find a VA regional office near you

Learn about the evidence you’ll need to support your claim


SHOULD I SUBMIT AN INTENT TO FILE FORM?

You may want to submit an intent to file form before you apply for Survivors
Pension benefits. This can give you the time you need to gather your evidence
while avoiding a later potential start date (also called an effective date).
When you notify us of your intent to file, you may be able to get retroactive
payments (payments that start at a point in the past).

Find out how to submit an intent to file form


HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE VA TO MAKE A DECISION?

It depends. We process Survivors Pension claims in the order we receive them,
unless a claim requires priority processing.


MORE INFORMATION FOR SURVIVORS

 * Learn about getting VA disability benefits for a surviving spouse or a
   dependent child or parent.

 * Learn the current DIC benefit rates for surviving parents.

 * Learn how to contact us to report a death so you can avoid debt from benefit
   overpayments.

 * The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has advice on how to recognize
   fraud and scams aimed at Veterans and survivors.

 * If you’ve been the victim of fraud, you can file a complaint with the Federal
   Trade Commission (FTC).

Last updated: November 15, 2024

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VETERAN PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

 * Homeless Veterans
 * Women Veterans
 * Minority Veterans
 * LGBTQ+ Veterans
 * PTSD
 * Mental health
 * Adaptive sports and special events
 * VA outreach events
 * National Resource Directory


MORE VA RESOURCES

 * VA forms
 * VA health care access and quality
 * Get help from an accredited representative or VSO
 * VA mobile apps
 * State Veterans Affairs offices
 * Doing business with VA
 * Careers at VA
 * VA outreach materials
 * Your VA welcome kit


GET VA UPDATES

 * VA news
 * Press releases
 * Email updates
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 * Twitter
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 * All VA social media


IN CRISIS? TALK TO SOMEONE NOW

 * Veterans Crisis Line


GET ANSWERS

 * Resources and support
 * Contact us


 * CALL US
   
   800-698-2411
 * TTY: 711


 * VISIT A MEDICAL CENTER OR REGIONAL OFFICE
   
   Find a VA location

 * Talk to the Veterans Crisis Line now
 * Contact us
   
   
   GET ANSWERS
   
    * Resources and support
    * Contact us
   
   
    * CALL US
      
      800-698-2411
    * TTY: 711
   
   
    * VISIT A MEDICAL CENTER OR REGIONAL OFFICE
      
      Find a VA location

 * Veteran programs and services
    * Homeless Veterans
    * Women Veterans
    * Minority Veterans
    * LGBTQ+ Veterans
    * PTSD
    * Mental health
    * Adaptive sports and special events
    * VA outreach events
    * National Resource Directory

 * More VA resources
    * VA forms
    * VA health care access and quality
    * Get help from an accredited representative or VSO
    * VA mobile apps
    * State Veterans Affairs offices
    * Doing business with VA
    * Careers at VA
    * VA outreach materials
    * Your VA welcome kit

 * Get VA updates
    * VA news
    * Press releases
    * Email updates
    * Facebook
    * Instagram
    * Twitter
    * Flickr
    * YouTube
    * All VA social media


 * LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE
   
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    * Other languages


LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE

 * Español
 * Tagalog
 * Other languages


 * Accessibility
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 * Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
 * Harassment
 * Office of Inspector General
 * Plain language
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 * VA Privacy Service
 * No FEAR Act Data
 * USA.gov
 * VA performance dashboard
 * Veterans Portrait Project


WE’RE HERE ANYTIME, DAY OR NIGHT – 24/7

If you are a Veteran in crisis or concerned about one, connect with our caring,
qualified responders for confidential help. Many of them are Veterans
themselves.

 * Call 988 and select 1
 * Text 838255
 * Start a confidential chat

 * For TTY, call 711 then 988

Get more resources at VeteransCrisisLine.net.