Survivors Benefits

Survivors Pension Benefits

Survivors 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.

There are 3 levels of Survivors Pension.

1. Basic Pension - low income

2. Housebound - is an increased monthly pension amount. It is paid to permanently disabled surviving spouses who are greatly confined to their homes.

3. Aid and Attendance - is a higher monthly pension amount paid to a surviving spouse if you require help to perform activities of daily living or, you are bedridden or, you are in a nursing home due to mental or physical incapacity, or you have corrected visual acuity of 5/200 or less in both eyes, or you have concentric contraction of the visual field to 5 degrees or less.

You cannot get all 3 levels of pension. You can only qualify for one.

The VA Will Verify All Income. If income is reported wrongly you could end up owing the VA money. If income changes after applying the VA needs to be notified.

To learn more about eligibility requirements go to VA Survivors Pension website 

Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC)

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 from a service-related injury or illness, you may be able to get a tax-free monetary benefit. To learn more about eligibility requirement go to VA Survivor and dependent compensation website.

CHAMPVA

If you do not qualify for TRICARE, you may be able to get health insurance through the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs. ChampVA covers the cost of some of your health care services and supplies. To learn more visit  ChampVA website,

Survivors and Dependents Education Assistance (DEA) Chapter 35

If you are a dependent spouse or child - or the surviving spouse or child - of a Veteran, you may qualify for Chapter 35 benefits or job training through a GI Bill program.  To learn more visit Dependents Education Assistance Program website

Home Loan Guaranties

You may be eligible if you're the spouse of a Veteran, and at least one of these descriptions is true.

  • The Veteran is missing in action, or
  • The Veteran is a prisoner of war (POW), or
  • The Veteran died while in service or from a service-connected disability and you didn't remarry, or
  • The Veteran died while in service or from a service-connected disability and you didn't remarry before you were 57 years old or before December 16, 2003, or
  • The Veteran had been totally disabled and then died, but their disability may not have been the cause of death (in certain situations)

To learn more visit VA home loan for surviving spouses website.