Last reviewed: July 2026
Reviewed by the Once A Soldier editorial team
Based on official VA resources whenever possible
Table of contents
- If You're Here Because You've Recently Lost a Veteran
- Before You Begin
- Most Families Ask These Questions First
- Why Once A Soldier Created This Guide
- What Happens to VA Benefits When a Veteran Dies?
- Which VA Survivor Benefits May Apply to My Family?
- Can a Surviving Spouse or Child Be Buried in a National Cemetery?
- Can I Keep Health Insurance After the Veteran Dies?
- Can I Continue My Loved One’s Pending VA Claim?
- Can I Receive Monthly Survivor Compensation?
- Can My Spouse or Children Receive Education Benefits?
- Are Free or Reduced- Tuition Programs Available?
- Can the VA Help Me Choose a Career or Training Program?
- Can a Surviving Spouse or Parent Receive Federal Hiring Preference?
- How Do I Find Out Whether the Veteran Had VA Life Insurance?
- Can a Veteran’s Child Be Nominated to a Service Academy?
- Can the VA Help Me Choose a Career or Training Program?
- What Is the Military Survivor Benefit Plan?
- Can I Receive a VA Survivors Pension?
- Can a Surviving Spouse Use VA Home Loan Benefits?
- About This Guide
- Stay Current on VA & DIC Changes
Start Here
If You're Here Because You've Recently Lost a Veteran
First, we’re deeply sorry for your loss.
Losing a spouse, parent, or child who served our country can bring grief, paperwork, difficult decisions, and questions you never expected to ask.
This guide explains the VA survivor benefits that may be available to surviving spouses, dependent children, and parents. We have organized the information in plain English so you can take one step at a time.
Benefit programs and eligibility rules can change. Before making an important financial decision, confirm the current requirements with the Department of Veterans Affairs or an accredited Veteran Service Officer.
Why We Exist
Before You Begin
Having these documents nearby may make the application process easier. Do not delay asking for help simply because something is missing.
Missing documents? An accredited Veteran Service Officer can help you identify what is needed, locate records, and prepare an application.
Most Families Ask These Questions First
Use these links to move directly to the information most relevant to your family.
Application Help
Who can help me apply?
An accredited Veteran Service Officer can help explain eligibility, organize documents, and prepare claims without requiring you to navigate the process alone.
Why Once A Soldier Created This Guide
Families often arrive at Once A Soldier while trying to understand benefits, funeral expenses, and what happens after a veteran dies. Providing reliable information is one way we can help before a family ever asks us for financial assistance.
Our primary mission is helping families after veteran suicide, including assistance with certain cremation, funeral, and biohazard-cleanup costs when funding is available.
What Happens to VA Benefits When a Veteran Dies?
The short answer: Most VA benefits paid directly to the veteran end when they die. However, eligible surviving spouses, children, and in some cases parents may qualify for an entirely different set of VA survivor benefits.
One of the first questions families ask is whether the veteran’s disability payments, pension, or health care continue after death. In most cases, they do not. The good news is that the Department of Veterans Affairs offers several survivor benefits that may provide ongoing financial assistance, health care, education benefits, and burial assistance to eligible family members.
Benefits That Usually End
Benefits That May Be Available to Your Family
Although the veteran’s benefits generally end, eligible surviving family members may qualify for valuable survivor benefits through the VA.
We’ll explain each of these benefits below, who may qualify, and where to find more detailed information.
Looking for Funeral or Burial Benefits?
If you’re trying to understand funeral reimbursement, burial allowances, memorial benefits, or military honors, visit our Veteran Death Benefits Guide for a complete explanation.
Which VA Survivor Benefits May Apply to My Family?
The short answer: Eligibility depends on your relationship to the veteran, the veteran’s service and disability history, the cause of death, and the rules of each individual program.
This table provides a quick overview. A “Yes” means that the benefit may be available to that type of survivor—not that eligibility is automatic.
| Benefit | Category | Spouse | Child | Parent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Cemetery Burial | Burial | Yes | Yes | No |
| CHAMPVA | Health care | Yes | Yes | No |
| Continuance of Claim / Accrued Benefits | Financial | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) | Financial | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) | Education | Yes | Yes | No |
| State Tuition Programs | Education | Yes | Yes | No |
| Educational and Career Counseling (Chapter 36) | Education / career | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Federal Civil Service Preference | Employment | Yes | No | Yes |
| Life Insurance | Financial | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Service Academy Nomination | Education | No | Yes | No |
| Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP / RCSBP) | Income | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| VA Survivors Pension | Financial | Yes | Yes | No |
| VA Home Loan Benefits | Housing | Yes | No | No |
Can a Surviving Spouse or Child Be Buried in a National Cemetery?
Possibly. The spouse, surviving spouse, and certain children of an eligible veteran may qualify for burial in a national cemetery—even if the veteran is buried elsewhere.
Surviving spouses
The spouse or surviving spouse of an eligible veteran may qualify for interment in a national cemetery. This can apply even when the veteran is not buried or memorialized in a national cemetery.
A surviving spouse who later remarried a non-veteran may still qualify in certain circumstances, including when that later spouse died on or after January 1, 2000.
Minor children
For national-cemetery purposes, an unmarried child may qualify when they are:
Unmarried adult children
An unmarried adult child may qualify at any age if they became permanently disabled and incapable of self-support before age 21—or before age 23 while attending school full time. Supporting documentation is required.
Can I Keep Health Insurance After the Veteran Dies?
Maybe. Some surviving spouses and dependent children may qualify for CHAMPVA, a VA health care benefit for eligible family members.
CHAMPVA eligibility depends on the veteran’s service-connected disability status, the circumstances of death, and whether the survivor is eligible for TRICARE.
Because the rules can be detailed, review the complete eligibility requirements before assuming you do—or do not—qualify.
Can I Continue My Loved One’s Pending VA Claim?
Possibly. An eligible survivor may be able to continue a pending claim, substitute into an appeal, or receive certain benefits that were due but unpaid when the veteran died.
These benefits are governed in part by 38 CFR § 3.1000 and 38 U.S.C. § 5121. Eligible survivors may include a surviving spouse, children, dependent parents, and in limited situations other qualifying relatives.
Important time limits
Pending disability claim
An eligible survivor generally must act within one year of the veteran’s death.
Appeal of a claim decision
The applicable deadline may depend on the date of the decision and the review option available.
Do not wait. Accrued-benefit and substitution rules are deadline-driven. An accredited Veteran Service Officer can help determine which form and process apply.
Can I Receive Monthly Survivor Compensation?
Possibly. Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) is a tax-free monthly VA benefit for certain surviving spouses, children, and parents.
Possibly. Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) is a tax-free monthly VA benefit for certain surviving spouses, children, and parents.
DIC may be available when a service member died in the line of duty, when a veteran died from a service-connected condition, or when the veteran met certain total-disability requirements before death.
Surviving spouse
Marriage length, remarriage, separation, cause of death, and disability history may all matter.
Surviving child
Age, marital status, school attendance, and disability status may affect eligibility.
Surviving parent
Biological, adoptive, and some foster parents may qualify. Income limits apply.
How to apply
Spouses and children generally use VA Form 21P-534EZ. Parents generally use VA Form 21P-535.
Are Free or Reduced- Tuition Programs Available?
Rules vary by state, school, veteran status, disability rating, and cause of death. Check the state veterans agency and the school’s financial-aid or veterans-services office.
Rules vary by state, school, veteran status, disability rating, and cause of death. Check the state veterans agency and the school’s financial-aid or veterans-services office.
Sometimes. Many states offer tuition waivers, scholarships, or reduced-cost education programs for eligible spouses and children of veterans.
Can the VA Help Me Choose a Career or Training Program?
Yes, in some cases. VA Chapter 36 educational and career counseling can help eligible dependents explore careers, plan training, and use VA education benefits effectively.
Services may include:
Can a Surviving Spouse or Parent Receive Federal Hiring Preference?
Possibly. Certain spouses, widows, widowers, and parents may qualify for derived federal veterans’ preference when the veteran cannot use the preference personally.
Possibly. Certain spouses, widows, widowers, and parents may qualify for derived federal veterans’ preference when the veteran cannot use the preference personally.
Eligibility can depend on the veteran’s service, disability rating, cause of death, the survivor’s relationship to the veteran, remarriage, and other personal circumstances.
Spouses
A spouse may qualify when the veteran cannot pursue their usual occupation because of a service-connected disability and meets the federal requirements.
Widows and widowers
A widow or widower may qualify based on the veteran’s wartime, campaign, or active-duty service and the survivor’s marital history.
Parents
A parent of a deceased or permanently disabled veteran may qualify when the veteran’s service and the parent’s marital or family circumstances meet the applicable federal rules.
How Do I Find Out Whether the Veteran Had VA Life Insurance?
Start by checking the veteran’s records and contacting the VA. Life-insurance benefits are separate from DIC, Survivors Pension, and other VA survivor programs.
Possible programs include Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance, Veterans’ Group Life Insurance, and other VA-administered policies.
Can a Veteran’s Child Be Nominated to a Service Academy?
In some circumstances. Children of veterans who died from a service-connected disability may be eligible for special nomination consideration.
In some circumstances. Children of veterans who died from a service-connected disability may be eligible for special nomination consideration.
Potential academies include:
Can the VA Help Me Choose a Career or Training Program?
Yes, in some cases. VA Chapter 36 educational and career counseling can help eligible dependents explore careers, plan training, and use VA education benefits effectively.
Services may include:
What Is the Military Survivor Benefit Plan?
The Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) is an annuity program tied to military retired pay. It can provide continuing, inflation-adjusted monthly income to an eligible beneficiary after a military retiree dies.
Military retirees generally pay SBP premiums from retired pay. Depending on the election made, coverage may be available for a spouse, former spouse, children, or another person with an insurable interest.
Spouse coverage
The maximum spouse annuity is generally based on 55% of the covered retired-pay amount, although a smaller base amount may have been elected.
Child coverage
Eligible children may receive coverage alone or in combination with spouse coverage. When children share the benefit, they generally divide the eligible amount equally.
Can I Receive a VA Survivors Pension?
Possibly. A VA Survivors Pension may provide monthly payments to qualifying surviving spouses and unmarried dependent children of wartime veterans who meet income and net-worth limits.
Surviving spouse
A surviving spouse generally must not have remarried after the veteran’s death. The veteran must also have qualifying service and a discharge that was not dishonorable.
Dependent child
An unmarried child may qualify when they are:
Qualifying wartime service
The VA recognizes specific wartime periods, including World War I, World War II, the Korean conflict, the Vietnam era, and the Gulf War period. Minimum service requirements vary depending on when the veteran entered active duty.
Income and net worth
Survivors Pension is needs-based. The VA considers household income, net worth, certain assets, and qualifying medical expenses. Because limits change, confirm the current figures with the VA before applying.
How to apply
Can a Surviving Spouse Use VA Home Loan Benefits?
Sometimes. Certain surviving spouses may qualify for VA-backed home loan benefits, including a Certificate of Eligibility.
Eligibility depends on the service member’s or veteran’s circumstances, cause of death, and the surviving spouse’s marital status.
About This Guide
This resource was inspired in part by collaborative work from the Reddit Veterans community. Once A Soldier has reorganized, expanded, and updated the information to help surviving veteran families understand the benefits that may be available.
Once A Soldier is an independent nonprofit and is not part of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Benefit rules, forms, rates, and procedures may change. Confirm important decisions with the VA or an accredited representative.
When Prevention Fails, Our Mission Begins.
Once A Soldier helps families after veteran suicide through practical guidance and time-of-need assistance when funding is available.
