About VA DIC for spouses, dependents, and parents

You may be eligible for VA benefits or compensation for surviving spouses if you meet the requirements listed below. You’ll also need to provide evidence with your claim showing that one of the descriptions below is true for the Veteran or service member. Evidence may include documents like military service records, doctor’s reports, and medical test results.

One of these must be true. You:

• Married the Veteran or service member before January 1, 1957, or
• 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
• Were married to the Veteran or service member for at least 1 year, or
• Had a child with the Veteran or service member, aren’t currently remarried, and either lived with the Veteran or service member without a break until their death or, if separated, weren’t at fault for the separation

Note: If you remarried on or after December 16, 2003, and you were 57 years of age or older at the time you remarried, you can still continue to receive compensation.

You’ll also need to provide evidence showing that one of these descriptions is true for the Veteran or service member:

• 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, or
• 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 September 30, 1999

Note: “Totally disabling” means the Veteran’s injuries made it impossible for them to work.

You may be able to get compensation as a surviving child if you meet the requirements listed below. You’ll also need to provide evidence with your claim showing that one of the descriptions below is true for the Veteran or service member. Evidence may include documents like military service records, doctor’s reports, and medical test results.

All of these must be true. You:

• Aren’t married, and
• Aren’t included on the surviving spouse’s compensation, and
• Are under the age of 18 (or under the age of 23 if attending school)

Note: If you were adopted out of the Veteran’s or service member’s family, but meet all other eligibility criteria, you still qualify for compensation.

You’ll also need to provide evidence that one of these descriptions is true for the Veteran or service member:

• 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 that was rated as totally disabling for a certain period of time

If the Veteran’s eligibility was due to a service-connected disability rated as totally disabling, they must have had this rating:

• For at least 10 years before their death, or
• 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 September 30, 1999

Note: “Totally disabling” means the Veteran’s injuries make it impossible for them to work.

You may be able to get compensation as a surviving parent if both of the descriptions below are true for you. You’ll also need to provide evidence with your claim showing that one of the descriptions below is true for the Veteran or service member. Evidence may include documents like military service records, doctor’s reports, and medical test results.

Both of these must be true:

• You’re the biological, adoptive, or foster parent of the Veteran or service member, and
• Your income is below a certain amount
  View the parents DIC rate table

Note: We define a foster parent as someone who served in the role of a parent to the Veteran or service member before their last entry into active service.

You’ll also need to provide evidence that one of these descriptions is true for the Veteran or service member:

• The service member died from an injury or illness while on active duty or in the line of duty while on active duty for training, or

• The service member died from an injury or certain illnesses in the line of duty while on inactive training, or

• The Veteran died from a service-connected illness or injury