Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) and Survivor Benefits

What it is

Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) is a monthly, tax-free payment to survivors. It is meant to help families who lost a loved one because of military service. It is separate from SGLI life insurance and the military Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP).

Who qualifies

A surviving spouse may qualify if the service member died on active duty or training, or if the veteran died from a service-connected illness or injury. Survivors may also qualify if the veteran was rated totally disabled (or unemployable) for at least 10 years before death, or since discharge if that was at least 5 years, or for at least 1 year for former POWs. This is true even if the death itself was not service-connected.

Spouses usually must have been married to the veteran for at least a year, lived with them, or had a child with them. Rules about remarriage changed in recent years. A surviving spouse who remarries at age 55 or older may keep DIC.

Children under 18 (or under 23 if in school, or any age if disabled before 18) may qualify. Low-income parents may qualify for Parents' DIC.

How much it pays

Rates effective December 1, 2025:

• Base rate for a surviving spouse: $1,699.36 a month
• Extra if the veteran was rated totally disabled for 8 years before death and you were married that whole time: $360.85
• Each child under 18: $421
• Transitional benefit for spouses with children under 18, for the first 2 years: $359
• Aid and Attendance if you need daily help: $421

Expect these to rise with the cost-of-living adjustment that normally starts each December 1.

Other survivor benefits

• Survivors Pension for low-income surviving spouses of wartime veterans
• CHAMPVA health coverage for some spouses and children
• DEA and the Fry Scholarship for education
• VA home loan eligibility for spouses who get DIC, with no funding fee
• Burial benefits and a free headstone or marker
• Accrued benefits the veteran was owed but had not been paid
• Bereavement counseling at Vet Centers

How it works when you are relocating

After a loss, many families move home or closer to support. Your DIC follows you. Update your address and direct deposit on VA.gov. If you leave military housing, your installation's casualty assistance officer can help with the move. Check your new state's survivor benefits too. Many states offer property tax breaks and free tuition for Gold Star families.

How to apply

1. If the service member died on active duty, your casualty assistance officer will help you file.
2. If the veteran died after leaving service, file an Intent to File, then apply on VA.gov or by mail with form 21P-534EZ.
3. Include the death certificate, marriage certificate, and the veteran's DD-214.
4. A free accredited VSO can help at no cost.

Common mistakes

• Assuming you do not qualify because the death certificate does not list a service-connected cause. Ask a VSO to review it, especially with PACT Act conditions.
• Not applying for CHAMPVA and education benefits at the same time.
• Missing the extra 8-year amount.

Related benefits

Read our burial and memorial guide, and our education guide for DEA and Fry. TAPS (the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors) also offers free, 24/7 peer support.