Veteran Dependents and Survivor Benefits

You may be eligible for VA education benefits if you’re the child or spouse of a service member and one of these descriptions listed is true of the service member. 

One of these must be true: 

• The service member died in the line of duty after September 10, 2001, or 

• The service member is missing in action or was captured in the line of duty by a hostile force, or 

• The service member was detained (held) by force while in the line of duty by a foreign government or power, or 

• The service member is in the hospital or getting outpatient treatment for a service-connected permanent and total disability, and is likely to be discharged for that disability. A service-connected permanent and total disability is a disability resulting from your service that doesn’t go away. 

You may be eligible for VA education benefits if you’re the child or spouse of a Veteran and one of these descriptions listed is true of the Veteran. 

One of these must be true: 

• The Veteran is permanently and totally disabled due to a service-connected disability, or 

• The Veteran died while on active duty or as a result of a service-connected disability 

There are two main GI Bill programs offering educational assistance to survivors and dependents of Veterans. 

The Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (Fry Scholarship) is for children and spouses of: 

• Active-duty service members who died in the line of duty on or after September 11, 2001, or 

• Members of the Selected Reserve who died from a service-connected disability on or after September 11, 2001 

If you’re a dependent who doesn’t meet the above criteria, you may still qualify for VA education benefits if the Veteran or service member transferred some or all of their Post-9/11 GI Bill entitlement to you while they were on active duty. Visit Transfer your Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to learn about transferred benefits. 

Visit Fry Scholarships to learn more.  

The Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) program offers education and training to qualified dependents of Veterans who: 

• Are permanently and totally disabled because of a service-related condition, or 

• Died while on active duty or as a result of a service-related condition 

If you’re a dependent who doesn’t meet the above criteria, you may still qualify for VA education benefits if the Veteran or service member transferred some or all of their Post-9/11 GI Bill entitlement to you while they were on active duty. Visit Transfer your Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to learn about transferred benefits. 

Visit Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance to learn more. 

Note: You may qualify for both the Fry Scholarship and the DEA program, but you can use only one of them. You’ll have to pick one when you apply. Once you’ve made this decision, you can’t switch to the other program. 

You’ll need to apply. Visit Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance to apply.  

These benefits include educational and career counseling, plus help with: 

• Exploring your abilities and interests 

• Mapping out a path to employment 

• Planning the best use of your VA benefits 

Note: In certain cases, you may be able to get other education and employment benefits and services for dependents. For example, you may qualify if you’re the child of a Vietnam or Korean War Veteran and have certain birth defects, or if you’re the dependent child or spouse of a Veteran who has died or is permanently and totally disabled as the result of active service. 

You may be eligible for this benefit if you meet both of these requirements. 

Both of these must be true: 

• You’re the dependent of a Veteran, and 

• You’re eligible for certain VA education benefits 

These VA education benefits include: 

• The Post-9/11 GI Bill 

• The Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty  

• The Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve 

Visit Post-9/11 GI Bill, Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty, or Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve to learn more.  

Visit Apply for Personalized Career Planning and Guidance with VA Form 28-8832 to apply. 

VA helps Servicemembers, Veterans, and eligible surviving spouses become homeowners. VA provides a home loan guaranty benefit and other housing-related programs to help you buy, build, repair, retain, or adapt a home for your own personal occupancy. 

VA-backed home loans are provided by private lenders, such as banks and mortgage companies. VA guarantees a portion of the loan, enabling the lender to provide you with more favorable terms. 

To get a VA-backed home loan as the surviving spouse of a Veteran, you’ll need a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) to show your lender that you qualify for this benefit. Keep in mind that you’ll also need to meet your lender’s credit and income requirements to get a loan. 

You may be able to get a COE if you’re the spouse of a Veteran, and at least one of these descriptions is true for them. 

At least one of these must be true: 

• The Veteran is missing in action, or 

• The Veteran is a prisoner of war (POW), or 

• The Veteran died while in service or from a service-connected disability and you didn’t remarry, or 

• The Veteran died while in service or from a service-connected disability and you didn’t remarry before you were 57 years old or before December 16, 2003, or 

• The Veteran had been totally disabled and then died, but their disability may not have been the cause of death (in certain situations) 

Visit How to request a VA home loan Certificate of Eligibility (COE).  

FSGLI offers coverage for the spouse and dependent children of service members covered under full-time Service members' Group Life Insurance (SGLI). SGLI is a life insurance program for service members provided by VA.  

You may be eligible for FSGLI if you’re the spouse or dependent child of a service member who meets one of these requirements. 

One of these must be true: 

• The service member is on active duty and covered by full-time SGLI, or 

• The service member is a member of the National Guard or Ready Reserve covered by full-time SGLI 

You may qualify to get FSGLI as the spouse of someone with SGLI coverage no matter if your own status is active duty, retired, or civilian. 

To learn more, visit the Family Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (FSGLI). 

VA burial benefits can help service members, Veterans, and their family members plan and pay for a burial or memorial service in a VA national cemetery. Family members can also order memorial items to honor the service of a Veteran.  

Spouses and dependents may be eligible for burial in a VA national cemetery, as well as other benefits, if they meet one of these requirements. 

One of these must be true: 

• The person qualifying for burial benefits is the spouse or minor child of a Veteran, even if the Veteran died first, or 

• The person qualifying for burial benefits is in some cases, the unmarried adult dependent child of a Veteran 

Find out how to apply for the burial benefits, and how to plan for a burial in advance or at time of need at VA burial benefits and memorial items. 

A VA Survivors Pension offers monthly payments to qualified surviving spouses and unmarried dependent children of wartime Veterans who meet certain income and net worth limits set by Congress.  

You may be eligible for this benefit if you haven’t remarried after the Veteran’s death, and if the deceased Veteran didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge and their service meets at least one of these requirements. 

At least one of these must be true: 

• The Veteran entered active duty on or before September 7, 1980, and served at least 90 days on active military service, with at least 1 day during a covered wartime period, or 

• The Veteran entered active duty after September 7, 1980, and served at least 24 months or the full period for which they were called or ordered to active duty (with some exceptions), with at least 1 day during a covered wartime period or 

• The Veteran was an officer and started on active duty after October 16, 1981, and hadn’t previously served on active duty for at least 24 months  

And this must be true for you: 

Your yearly family income and net worth meet certain limits set by Congress. Your net worth equals the value of everything you own (except your house, your car, and most home furnishings), minus any debt you owe. 

Learn more at VA Survivors Pension. 

You may be eligible for this benefit if you’re unmarried and you meet at least one of these requirements. 

At least one of these must be true: 

• You’re under age 18, or 

• You’re under age 23 and attending a VA-approved school, or 

• You’re unable to care for yourself due to a disability that happened before age 18 

Learn more at VA Survivors Pension. 

If you’re the surviving spouse, child, or parent of a service member who died in the line of duty, or the survivor of a Veteran who died from a service-related injury or illness, you may be able to get a tax-free monetary benefit called VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (VA DIC).  

To learn about eligibility and how to apply, visit About VA DIC for spouses, dependents, and parents. 

If you’re the family member of an active-duty, retired, or deceased service member, National Guard soldier, Reservist, or Medal of Honor recipient, you may qualify for the TRICARE program. 

TRICARE provides comprehensive health coverage, including health plans, prescription medicines, dental plans, and programs for people with special needs. The Department of Defense’s Defense Health Agency manages this program. 

To learn about TRICARE eligibility and how to apply, visit the TRICARE website.  

If you are the current or surviving spouse or child of a Veteran with disabilities or a service member who died in the line of duty, and you do not qualify for TRICARE, you may be able to get health insurance through The Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA). 

Through this program, VA covers the cost of some of your health care services and supplies.  

To learn about CHAMPVA eligibility and how to apply, visit CHAMPVA benefits. 

If you lived at U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune or Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) in North Carolina with an active-duty Veteran who was your spouse or parent for at least 30 cumulative days from August 1953 through December 1987, you may have had contact with contaminants in the drinking water there. Scientific and medical evidence has shown an association between exposure to these contaminants and the development of certain diseases later on. If you now have one of the related conditions, you may qualify for health care benefits through VA. 

If you’re the biological child of a Korean or Vietnam War Veteran and you’ve been diagnosed with spina bifida, you may qualify for disability benefits, including health care benefits. 

If you’re the biological child of a woman Vietnam War Veteran and you’ve been diagnosed with certain birth defects, you may qualify for VA health care benefits. These benefits may help pay for services needed to treat your covered birth defect and related medical conditions. 

To learn more, visit Community Care: Information for Family Members and Dependents. 

If you qualify for CHAMPVA or the Spina Bifida or Children of Women Vietnam Veterans programs, you can get prescription benefits through your local pharmacy or through the Meds by Mail program.  

To learn more, visit Pharmacy Benefits. 

Caregivers are eligible for a host of VA services, including services offered under the Program of General Caregiver Support Services (PGCSS). These services are available to eligible Veterans of any era.  

PGCSS includes training, education, respite care, self-care courses and the Caregiver Support Line 1-855-260-3274 (Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. EST).  

These services are available to support all caregivers, where the Veteran is enrolled for healthcare at any Veterans Health Administration facility, regardless of illness or injury.  

In addition to services offered under the PGCSS, caregivers in the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) may also receive a monthly stipend, beneficiary travel, mental health counseling, enhanced respite services, and health insurance, if applicable. 

To learn more, visit VA Caregiver Support Program.  

To learn more, visit the Federal Benefits for Veterans, Dependents and Survivors 2021 pamphlet or the VA benefits for spouses, dependents, survivors, and family caregivers page.