When a veteran dies, the surviving spouse may be entitled to monthly income, health coverage, and burial support from the VA. The benefits are real and meaningful, but they are scattered across several programs with confusingly similar names, and the right ones depend on how the veteran died and the survivor's income. This guide brings them together in one place.

We'll walk through the two monthly cash benefits and how to tell which one applies, the Aid and Attendance increase for a surviving spouse who needs care, CHAMPVA health coverage, burial and memorial benefits, and how to get started.

In This Guide

The Two Monthly VA Survivors Benefits: DIC vs Survivors Pension

The single most confusing thing for families is that the VA has two separate monthly benefits for surviving spouses, and you cannot collect both. A survivor eligible for both is paid whichever is greater. They work very differently, so it helps to understand each.

Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC)

DIC is a tax-free monthly benefit for survivors of a service member who died in the line of duty, or of a veteran whose death resulted from a service-connected injury or illness, or who had a totally disabling VA rating for a qualifying period before death., What establishes eligibility is the service connection of the death, not the income and net worth test that governs the Survivors Pension.

For 2026, the base monthly DIC rate for an eligible surviving spouse is $1,699.36 (for spouses of veterans who died on or after January 1, 1993). Add-ons stack on top of the base when the survivor qualifies: +$421.00/month if the surviving spouse needs Aid and Attendance, +$197.22/month for Housebound status, and +$360.85/month under the 8-year provision (the veteran had a totally disabling rating for the 8 years before death and the couple was married those same 8 years).

Survivors Pension

Survivors Pension (formerly Death Pension) is a needs-based, tax-free monthly benefit for a low-income, un-remarried surviving spouse of a deceased wartime veteran., Unlike DIC, the death does not have to be service-connected, but the survivor's income and net worth must fall within limits.

For the period December 1, 2025 through November 30, 2026, the Maximum Annual Pension Rate for a surviving spouse with no dependents is $11,699/year ($974/month) at the basic level, $14,298/year ($1,191/month) with the Housebound allowance, and $18,697/year ($1,558/month) with Aid and Attendance. The VA pays the difference between the applicable rate and the survivor's countable income, generally in 12 equal monthly payments rounded down to the nearest dollar. The net worth limit is $163,699, and a 3-year look-back applies to assets transferred for less than fair market value before filing. The surviving spouse must not have remarried after the veteran's death.

Which one applies?

In broad strokes: if the veteran's death was service-connected, DIC is usually the path, and it pays more. If the death was not service-connected but the veteran had qualifying wartime service and the survivor's income is low, Survivors Pension may apply. Because a survivor who qualifies for both receives only the greater amount, it's worth applying with an accredited representative who can identify the stronger claim.

Not sure which survivor benefit fits your situation? Chat with Brevy to talk it through.

Aid and Attendance for a Surviving Spouse

A surviving spouse who needs the regular help of another person with daily activities can receive an Aid and Attendance increase on top of either benefit.

With Survivors Pension, Aid and Attendance raises the maximum to $1,558 a month ($18,697 a year).

With DIC, Aid and Attendance adds $421.00 a month to the base.

For the needs-based Survivors Pension, there's a feature worth knowing: the cost of care can help you qualify. The benefit is based on income for VA purposes, and unreimbursed medical expenses, including care costs, reduce that income, though only the portion above 5% of the applicable maximum annual pension rate is deductible, counted before any Aid and Attendance or Housebound increase. Because care is expensive, those deductions can bring a surviving spouse whose income looked too high back within the limit.

CHAMPVA Health Coverage

CHAMPVA, the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, is a VA health benefits program that can cover a surviving spouse. A surviving spouse may qualify if they do not qualify for TRICARE and the veteran died from a service-connected disability, or was rated permanently and totally disabled from a service-connected condition at the time of death.

For older surviving spouses, the Medicare interaction is the key point: if you are eligible for Medicare, you must enroll in and keep Medicare Part A and Part B to keep CHAMPVA, and CHAMPVA then pays secondary to Medicare, often covering costs you still owe after Medicare pays. CHAMPVA has a $50 calendar-year deductible per beneficiary (up to $100 per family) on outpatient care and urgent prescriptions, and none on inpatient care, a 25% cost share of the VA's allowable amount, and a $3,000 maximum out-of-pocket cost per household each calendar year, after which it pays 100% of covered services for the rest of the year. You apply through the VA's CHAMPVA benefits page.

Burial and Memorial Benefits

The VA also provides burial and memorial benefits, and in many cases these extend to the spouse and surviving spouse of an eligible veteran. Burial in a VA national cemetery comes at no cost to the family and includes a gravesite, opening and closing of the grave, perpetual care, a government-furnished headstone or marker, a burial flag, and a Presidential Memorial Certificate.

There are also monetary burial allowances, paid via VA Form 21P-530EZ. For a non-service-connected death on or after October 1, 2025, the VA pays a $1,002 burial allowance plus $1,002 for a plot; for a service-connected death on or after September 11, 2001, the VA pays a burial allowance of up to $2,000. Filing deadlines vary, so it's best to file promptly; for many non-service-connected deaths the claim must be filed within two years of burial.

How to Apply for VA Survivors Benefits

1
Step 1

Gather the key documents

You'll need the veteran's discharge papers (DD-214), the death certificate, and your marriage certificate.

2
Step 2

Identify the stronger monthly claim

Decide between DIC and Survivors Pension with help from an accredited Veterans Service Organization (VSO) or claims agent, since you can receive only the greater of the two.

3
Step 3

Apply for CHAMPVA

Apply through the VA's CHAMPVA benefits page if the veteran died of a service-connected disability and you're not eligible for TRICARE.

4
Step 4

File for burial benefits

Submit VA Form 21P-530EZ for the burial and plot allowances.

You can file any of these claims yourself online at VA.gov, or work with a VA-accredited representative. The services an accredited VSO representative provides on a VA benefit claim are always free; only an accredited claims agent or attorney may charge you a fee at all, and even then only for representation provided after the VA has issued notice of its initial decision on the claim, so no one should charge you to prepare and file the initial application. You can find either through the VA's official locator at va.gov/get-help-from-accredited-representative/find-rep. For questions about a survivors-benefit claim or its status, call the VA benefits hotline at 800-827-1000 (TTY: 711), Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET.

What if your claim is denied?

If the VA denies a survivors-benefit claim, you generally don't have to start over. You have three decision review options: file a Supplemental Claim if you have new and relevant evidence the VA didn't have before; request a Higher-Level Review, in which a higher-level reviewer re-examines the case to determine whether an error or a difference of opinion changes the decision, with no new evidence; or appeal to the Board of Veterans' Appeals, where a Veterans Law Judge reviews your case. For most VA benefits, a Higher-Level Review or Board Appeal must be requested within 1 year of the date on your decision letter, and a few carry a shorter deadline, which the letter states; a Supplemental Claim can be filed at any time, but the VA recommends filing within that year to keep your effective date. An accredited VSO representative can prepare and file the review for you at no cost, and an accredited claims agent or attorney can as well and may charge a fee at this stage, because the VA has already issued notice of its initial decision on the claim.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a surviving spouse receive both DIC and Survivors Pension?

No. DIC and Survivors Pension are separate benefits, and a survivor who qualifies for both is paid whichever is greater, not both at once. DIC is generally the path when the veteran's death was service-connected; Survivors Pension is needs-based and tied to the survivor's income and net worth.

Does the veteran's death have to be service-connected?

For DIC, generally yes: it is paid when the death resulted from a service-connected condition, or the veteran had a totally disabling rating for a qualifying period before death. Survivors Pension does not require a service-connected death, but it does require qualifying wartime service and a low income within the VA's limits.

How much does Survivors Pension pay in 2026?

For a surviving spouse with no dependents, the maximum is $11,699 a year ($974 a month) at the basic level, $14,298 ($1,191 a month) with Housebound, and $18,697 ($1,558 a month) with Aid and Attendance. The VA pays the difference between the applicable maximum and your countable income.

Will I lose CHAMPVA if I have Medicare?

No, but you must keep both Medicare Part A and Part B to keep CHAMPVA if you are Medicare-eligible. CHAMPVA then pays secondary to Medicare, often picking up costs you still owe after Medicare pays. You do not need Medicare Part D to keep CHAMPVA.

What if my survivors benefit claim is denied?

You generally don't have to start over. You have three decision review options: file a Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence the VA didn't have before, request a Higher-Level Review, in which a higher-level reviewer looks for an error or a difference of opinion (no new evidence), or appeal to the Board of Veterans' Appeals for review by a Veterans Law Judge. For most VA benefits, a Higher-Level Review or Board Appeal is due within 1 year of the date on your decision letter, which states your deadline. An accredited VSO representative can handle the review at no cost, and an accredited claims agent or attorney can too and may charge a fee at this stage, because the VA has already issued notice of its initial decision on the claim.

Learn More

VA BenefitsDependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC)A survivor's guide to VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC): 2026 rates, who qualifies, how remarriage affects it, appeals, and how to apply. VA BenefitsVA Survivors PensionHow the VA Survivors Pension works in 2026: who qualifies, the income and net worth limits, monthly rates, and how Aid and Attendance raises the benefit. VA BenefitsVA Aid and Attendance: Eligibility and How to ApplyVA Aid and Attendance explained: the 2026 monthly amounts, who qualifies, the medical-expense rule that unlocks it, what it pays for, and how to apply. VA BenefitsCHAMPVA Health CoverageHow CHAMPVA covers health care for eligible spouses, survivors, and dependents of disabled or deceased veterans: who qualifies, costs, and the Medicare rule. VA BenefitsBurial and Survivor BenefitsVA burial benefits for veterans and spouses in 2026: who can be buried in a national cemetery at no cost, the allowance amounts, and survivor support. VA BenefitsVA Benefits for Senior Care: A Complete GuideA complete guide to VA benefits for senior care: long-term care, Aid and Attendance, pensions, DIC, and home grants for older veterans and surviving spouses.

Related Brevy guides:

VA BenefitsVA Pension Net Worth Limit and the 3-Year Look-BackHow the VA pension net worth limit ($163,699) and the 3-year look-back work in 2026, including penalty period math and how to avoid transfer mistakes. VA BenefitsVA and Medicare: How They Work TogetherHow VA health benefits and Medicare work together for veterans: why they don't coordinate, the Part B penalty trap, Part D drug coverage, and what to enroll in.
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The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. Rules vary by state and program and change frequently. Always verify with the relevant agency or a qualified professional. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.

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