DEPENDENTS AND SURVIVORS 

SURVIVORS PENSION BENEFIT 

Disabilities determined byVA to be related to your military service can lead to monthly non-taxable compensation, enrollment in the 

VA health care system, a 10-point hiring preference for federal employment and other important benefits. Ask your VA 

representative or Veterans Service Organization representative about Disability Compensation, Pension, Health Care, Caregiver 

Program, Career Services, Educational Assistance, Home Loan Guaranty, Insurance and/or Dependents and Survivors’ Benefits.

WHAT IS SURVIVORS PENSION?

Survivors pension (formerly death pension) is a needs-based benefit paid to surviving spouses and 

children of wartime Veterans, who meet certain age, disability, and marriage requirements. 

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

You may be eligible if: 

• the deceased Veteran was discharged from service under other than dishonorable conditions,

AND

• he or she served 90 days or more of active duty with at least 1 day during a period of war*, AND

• you are the unmarried surviving spouse (or previously married and the marriage was

terminated prior to November 1, 1990); OR

• you are the unmarried child of the deceased Veteran who is under 18, who became

permanently helpless before 18, or is between 18 and 23 and pursuing a course of instruction at

an approved educational institution, AND

• your countable income is below the amount listed in the chart below, AND

• you meet the net worth limitations.

*If the deceased Veteran entered active duty after September 7, 1980, he or she must have served at

least 24 months of active duty service. If the total length of service is less than 24 months, the Veteran 

must have completed their entire tour of active duty. 

For the current maximum annual pension rate, visit our Survivors Pension Rate Table. 

HOW MUCH DOES VA PAY?

VA calculates annual pension by first determining for your particular circumstances the Maximum 

Annual Pension Rate (MAPR), an amount set by Congress. For example, if you are a surviving spouse 

with no dependent children, the MAPR is $8,630. Next VA determines your countable income. VA 

determines countable income by subtracting from your total annual income the amount of those 

exclusions provided by law. VA then subtracts from the MAPR your countable income; the difference 
Pension and Fiduciary Service – December 2015 

is your yearly pension entitlement. VA divides this amount by 12 and rounds down to the nearest 

dollar, this is the approximate amount of your monthly pension payment. 

VA deducts certain expenses paid by you, e.g., unreimbursed medical expenses, from your annual 

household income, which will decrease your countable income and increase your monthly pension 

payment. A complete list of these exclusions is provided in section 3.272 of title 38, Code of Federal 

Regulations.

HOW CAN YOU APPLY?

You may apply for survivors’ pension by filling out VA Form 21-534EZ, Application for DIC, Death 

Pension, and/or Accrued Benefits, and mailing it to the Pension Management Center (PMC) that has 

jurisdiction over your claim. If you do not know which PMC has jurisdiction over your claim, you may 

submit your application to the VA regional office closest to your current residence. See our directory 

of VA regional offices.

We ask that you provide a copy of the Veteran’s death certificate with your claim.