VA Survivor Benefits 2027: A Guide for Families

If you lost a spouse or parent who served, VA survivor benefits can help with monthly income, school, health care, housing, and burial costs. Most of these payments are going up for 2027.

This guide explains each benefit in plain terms: who qualifies, how much it pays, and how to apply. It also covers what's changing in 2027, so you know what to expect in your December and January payments.

To learn more about all the benefits available to you and your family, sign up now for BenefitKarma!

What's Changing for VA Survivor Benefits in 2027

The Social Security Administration announced a 3.6% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2027 on October 14, 2026. Most VA survivor benefits follow that number.

• Survivors Pension: Goes up automatically on December 1, 2026. The yearly maximum for a surviving spouse is expected to rise from $11,699 to about $12,120.
• DIC: Rises only after Congress passes the yearly veterans' COLA bill (H.R. 8552 / S. 4487). It hadn't passed as of early November 2026, but it's usually signed in late November.
• Education and burial: New rates are already in effect. Chapter 35 pays $1,621 a month as of October 1, 2026, and burial and plot allowances rose to $1,032 each.
• First higher payment: Should arrive around December 31, 2026. See our 2027 VA pay schedule for every date.

You don't need to apply for a COLA increase. The VA adds it automatically.

VA Survivor Benefits at a Glance

"Expected" amounts assume the 3.6% COLA and are estimates until the VA posts its official 2027 rates.

Monthly Payments: DIC and Survivors Pension

Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC)

DIC is a tax-free monthly payment for families of service members who died in the line of duty, or veterans who died from a service-connected condition. It can also cover families of veterans who were rated totally disabled for 10 years before death, even if the death wasn't service-connected.

• Who qualifies: Surviving spouses, children under 18 (or up to 23 if in school), and some low-income parents. Spouses who remarry before 55 usually lose DIC. Those who remarry at 55 or older can keep it.
• How much: $1,699.36 a month for a spouse through November 30, 2026, plus $421 per child. If Congress approves the COLA, that's about $1,760.54 and $436 starting December 1.
• How to apply: Spouses and children use VA Form 21P-534EZ. Parents use VA Form 21P-535.

Congress is also weighing the Love Lives On Act, which would let spouses keep DIC no matter when they remarry. A Senate committee approved it in March 2026, but it isn't law yet. For more, see our complete DIC guide.

Survivors Pension

Survivors Pension helps low-income spouses and children of wartime veterans. Unlike DIC, the death doesn't have to be service-connected.

• Who qualifies: Spouses who haven't remarried and unmarried children. Your net worth must be at or below $163,699, rising to about $169,592 on December 1. Your home and car don't count.
• How much: The VA pays the difference between your countable income and a yearly maximum. For a spouse with no children, that's $11,699 now and about $12,120 starting December 1. Medical costs you pay can lower your countable income and raise your payment.
• How to apply: Use VA Form 21P-534EZ. The VA will check you for DIC at the same time and pay whichever is higher. You can't get both.

Extra help: Aid and Attendance or Housebound

If you need help with daily tasks like bathing or dressing, or you rarely leave home, the VA can add money to your DIC or pension. With DIC, Aid and Attendance adds $421 a month (about $436 expected). With pension, it raises your yearly maximum to $18,697 (about $19,370 expected). Have your doctor fill out VA Form 21-2680. Learn more in our Aid and Attendance guide.

Try it: Survivor Benefits ChecklistSee which survivor benefits your family may qualify for and what paperwork you'll need.

Education: Chapter 35 and the Fry Scholarship

Chapter 35 (DEA) pays spouses and children of eligible veterans a monthly allowance for college, trade school, or job training. From October 1, 2026, it pays $1,621 a month for full-time school, for up to 36 months. The money goes to the student, not the school.

If a service member died in the line of duty after September 10, 2001, the family may qualify for the Fry Scholarship instead. It provides up to 36 months of Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits, including tuition, housing, and books. Most families must choose one program, and the choice is final.

Apply for either with VA Form 22-5490.

Health Care: CHAMPVA

CHAMPVA helps pay medical bills for spouses and children who don't qualify for TRICARE. It covers families of veterans who died from a service-connected condition or were rated permanently and totally disabled. It works like health insurance: you pay a yearly deductible and a share of your bills.

Apply with VA Form 10-10d through VA.gov. Spouses who remarry before 55 usually lose coverage.

Housing: VA Home Loans

Eligible surviving spouses can use a VA-backed home loan to buy, build, or refinance. Most require no down payment, and spouses who get DIC don't pay the VA funding fee.

To start, request a Certificate of Eligibility. If you get DIC, use VA Form 26-1817. If you don't, send VA Form 21P-534EZ with your marriage license and the veteran's death certificate.

Burial Benefits

Eligible veterans can be buried in a national cemetery at no cost, with a free headstone, burial flag, and Presidential Memorial Certificate. Spouses and dependent children can often be buried there too.

The VA also helps with funeral costs. It pays up to $2,000 for a service-connected death. For other deaths on or after October 1, 2026, it pays up to $1,032 for burial plus $1,032 for a plot. Apply with VA Form 21P-530EZ. For non-service-connected deaths, file within 2 years of the burial.

Military Benefits: SBP and Life Insurance

Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP): If a military retiree enrolled in SBP, their spouse or children can get up to 55% of the covered retired pay. It's paid by the Department of Defense, not the VA. Since 2023, spouses can get full SBP and full DIC at the same time. SBP is taxable, though, and DIC isn't. Contact DFAS and file DD Form 2656-7.

Veterans' Group Life Insurance (VGLI): If the veteran had VGLI, their named beneficiaries can collect up to $500,000. File form SGLV 8283 with the Office of Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance.

State Survivor Benefits

Many states add their own help, such as free college tuition, property tax breaks, or cash payments. Contact your state's veterans affairs office, or browse state benefit resources on BenefitKarma.

How to Get Started

1. File quickly: If you apply for DIC within a year of the death, payments can start from the month of death. An Intent to File (VA Form 21-0966) holds your start date while you gather paperwork.
2. Use one form for the big three: VA Form 21P-534EZ checks you for DIC, Survivors Pension, and money the VA owed the veteran.
3. Gather your documents: You'll usually need the death certificate, marriage or birth certificates, and the veteran's DD214.
4. Get free support: The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) offers 24/7 help at 800-959-8277.

Benefit amounts change each year, so check VA.gov for the official 2027 rates once they're posted. To learn more about all the benefits available to you and your family, sign up now for BenefitKarma!