VA Survivor Benefits After a Veteran Dies
A veteran's death may leave a spouse, child, or parent eligible for VA survivor benefits. Learn which forms to file, the deadlines to track, and the records to keep.
VA survivor benefits are easier to sort once you separate the survivor application from burial costs and any claim the veteran left unfinished.
A surviving spouse or child can begin with one application for several benefits. Burial reimbursement and substitution for a pending claim may require different forms.
Start With the Survivor Application
Use VA Form 21P-534EZ if you are the surviving spouse or child of a veteran. The form covers Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), Survivors Pension, and accrued benefits.
VA DIC is a tax-free monthly payment tied to a service member's death in the line of duty, a veteran's service-connected death, or certain service-connected disability histories. Survivors Pension is a tax-free, needs-based payment for some surviving spouses and unmarried dependent children of wartime veterans.
Accrued benefits are payments VA owed a beneficiary before death but had not paid. A surviving parent uses VA Form 21P-535 to apply for DIC and any accrued benefits.
VA explains that a complete Form 21P-534EZ from a spouse or child asks the agency to review all three benefits. Under a rule effective February 23, 2026, VA pays DIC when it exceeds Survivors Pension and stops further work on the pension claim. VA pays Survivors Pension instead only when a surviving spouse has no dependents, lives in a nursing home, and has applied for or receives Medicaid.
DIC and Survivors Pension Follow Different Rules
DIC eligibility depends on how the service member or veteran died or on certain disability ratings held before death. In 2026, the basic DIC rate for an eligible surviving spouse is $1,699.36 per month, effective December 1, 2025. VA may add amounts for dependent children and listed disability-related needs.
Survivors Pension depends on qualifying wartime service, family income, and net worth. The net worth limit is $163,699 from December 1, 2025, through November 30, 2026. VA excludes a primary home, a car, and basic household items from that calculation.
| Benefit | Who may qualify | What VA reviews |
|---|---|---|
| DIC | Spouse, child, or parent | Relationship and service-connected death or disability history |
| Survivors Pension | Spouse or unmarried dependent child | Wartime service, income, and net worth |
Protect Your Filing Date
An intent to file tells VA that you plan to apply and gives you up to one year to finish the application. It may also preserve an earlier payment start date.
For a qualifying DIC claim filed within one year after the veteran's death, the effective date is usually the first day of the month in which the veteran died. VA usually uses the date it receives a later claim, which can reduce retroactive payments.
- Submit the intent to file before the full application if you need time to gather records.
- Save the VA confirmation for the intent to file.
- Finish the full claim within one year after the intent to file.
- Record the date VA received each form or upload.
Use a Separate Claim for Burial Costs
VA burial benefits may reimburse part of the funeral and burial costs, the plot or interment cost, and transportation of the veteran's remains. Use VA Form 21P-530EZ to apply.
For eligible non-service-connected deaths on or after October 1, 2025, VA lists a $1,002 burial allowance and a $1,002 plot allowance. For an eligible service-connected death on or after September 11, 2001, VA may pay up to $2,000 toward burial expenses.
If you paid the costs, keep receipts in your name. An executor or administrator may also apply on behalf of the estate.
VA usually must receive a claim for a non-service-connected burial allowance within two years after burial or cremation. VA lists no filing deadline for service-connected burial or transportation claims, and it lists separate exceptions for plot, transportation, and certain deaths under VA care.
Check for Money VA Owed Before Death
VA pays accrued benefits in a legal order. If the deceased beneficiary was a veteran, VA pays the surviving spouse first, then dependent children, then financially dependent parents.
If none of those survivors exists, a person who paid final illness or burial expenses may seek reimbursement. Use VA Form 21P-601 and include bills showing the dates, services, costs, deceased beneficiary's name, and who paid.
VA must receive most accrued-benefit claims within one year after the beneficiary's death.
Continue a Claim That Was Still Open
Substitution lets an eligible survivor take over a VA claim, decision review, or appeal that was still open at death. The survivor may submit more evidence while VA finishes that pending matter.
Use VA Form 21P-0847 to request substitution. VA must receive the request within one year after the claimant's death.
Keep One Claim File
A single claim file helps you answer a VA request without rebuilding the history from memory. It also helps an executor separate survivor payments from reimbursements that may involve the estate.
- Keep the veteran's DD214 or other separation record with the death certificate.
- Add marriage, birth, and dependency records that show the survivor's relationship.
- Save medical evidence for DIC and financial records for Survivors Pension.
- Keep final-illness and burial bills with proof of payment.
- File VA forms, confirmations, letters, and call notes by date.
Get Free Help From an Accredited VSO
An accredited Veterans Service Organization (VSO) representative can help you choose the form, collect evidence, and file the claim. VA says an accredited VSO representative provides benefits-claim help at no charge.
Use VA's representative search to confirm the person's accreditation before sharing claim records.
Review note
Published August 11, 2026. Last reviewed August 11, 2026 against the official sources listed below. Legacywyse Journal articles provide general estate, probate, and personal finance information, not legal or tax advice.