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Past rates: 2023 VA DIC rates for spouses and dependents

Review 2023 VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) rates for the surviving spouses and dependent children of Veterans. These VA survivor benefits are tax exempt. This means you won’t have to pay any taxes on your compensation payments. These rates are effective December 1, 2022.

Want to check current DIC rates for spouses and dependents? 

Check the current rates

Surviving spouse rates if the Veteran died on or after January 1, 1993

If you’re the surviving spouse of a Veteran

Your monthly payment rate is: $1,562.74
Effective December 1, 2022

You may also be eligible for added amounts based on certain factors. Find any descriptions in the table below that are true for you. Add the amount listed in the Added monthly amount column of each description to your monthly payment. This is your total monthly payment.

Added amounts for surviving spouses

Effective December 1, 2022

If this description is true… You may qualify for this benefit Added monthly amount (in U.S. $)
  • The Veteran had a VA disability rating of totally disabling (including for individual unemployability) for at least the 8 full years leading up to their death, and
  • You were married to the Veteran for those same 8 years
 8-year provision 331.84 You have a disability and need help with regular daily activities (like eating, bathing, or dressing) Aid and Attendance 387.15 You can’t leave your house due to a disability Housebound allowance 181.37 You have 1 or more children who are under 18
  • Transitional benefit, and
  • DIC apportionment rate
  • 332.00 for the first 2 years after the Veteran’s death
  • 387.15 for each eligible child

Example of how to calculate your DIC payment

If you’re the surviving spouse of a Veteran, your monthly rate would start at $1,562.74. 

Then for each additional benefit you qualify for, you would add the amounts from the Added amounts table.  

In this example: We show the total monthly payment for someone with 2 children under 18, and who qualifies for the 8-year provision and Aid and Attendance. 

Total monthly payment for the first 2 years

$1,562.74 (monthly rate) 
+ $387.15 (first child under 18) 
+ $387.15 (second child under 18) 
+ $331.84 (8-year provision) 
+ $387.15 (Aid and Attendance) 
+ $332.00 (transitional benefit for the first 2 years after the Veteran’s death) 
= $3,388.03 per month

Total monthly payment after 2 years (when transitional benefit ends)

$3,388.03 (monthly payment with transitional benefit) 
- $332.00 (transitional benefit) 
= $3,056.03 per month

Note: You can find the details of these rates in title 38 U.S.C. 1311(a, b, c, d, f) and 38 CFR 3.461(b).

Surviving spouse rates if the Veteran died before January 1, 1993

If you’re the spouse or child of a Veteran who died before January 1, 1993, we use a different method to determine your DIC monthly payment.

Surviving spouse, with or without dependent children

To find your monthly payment, click on your Veteran’s pay grade category. Find their specific pay grade in the left column of the Monthly payment rates table, and the matching monthly payment to the right.

Then, go down to the Added or increased amounts table. Add any added or increased amounts that apply to you based on the Veteran’s disability rating and whether you have dependent children under 18.

Enlisted Veteran pay grades E-1 to E-9

Monthly payment rates

Effective December 1, 2022

Note: If you’re the surviving spouse of an aviation cadet or other service member not covered by this table, you’ll receive the DIC rate for enlisted E-3.

Veteran’s pay grade Monthly payment (in U.S. $) E-1, E-2, E-3, E-4, E-5, E-6 1,562.74 E-7 1,616.75 E-8 1,706.81 E-9 regular 1,780.11 E-9 special capacity
Veteran served as:
  • Sergeant Major of the Army or Marine Corps, or
  • Senior enlisted adviser of the Navy, or
  • Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, or
  • Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard
 1,921.60 If this description is true… We’ll adjust your monthly payment by this amount (in U.S. $)
  • The Veteran had a pay grade of E-1 to E-7, and
  • The Veteran had a VA disability rating of totally disabling (including for individual unemployability) for at least the 8 full years leading up to their death, and
  • You were married to the Veteran for those same 8 years
 Add $331.84
  • The Veteran had a pay grade of E-8 or E-9, and
  • The Veteran had a VA disability rating of totally disabling for at least the 8 full years leading up to their death, and
  • You were married to the Veteran for those same 8 years
 Increase payment to $1,894.58 You have 1 or more children who are under 18 Add $387.15 per child

Warrant officer pay grades W-1 to W-4

Veteran’s pay grade Monthly payment (in U.S. $) W-1 1,650.22 W-2 1,715.80 W-3 1,765.96 W-4 1,868.86 If this description is true… We’ll adjust your monthly payment by this amount (in U.S. $)
  • The Veteran had a VA disability rating of totally disabling (including for individual unemployability) for at least the 8 full years leading up to their death, and
  • You were married to the Veteran for those same 8 years
 Increase payment to $1,894.58 You have 1 or more children who are under 18 Add $387.15 per child

Officer pay grades O-1 to O-10

Veteran’s pay grade Monthly payment (in U.S. $) O-1 1,650.22 O-2 1,706.81 O-3 1,823.83 O-4 1,933.15 O-5 2,127.39 O-6 2,398.79 O-7 2,589.11 O-8 2,843.81 O-9 3,041.87 O-10 regular 3,336.41 O-10 special capacity
Veteran served as:
  • Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, or
  • Chief of Staff of the Army or Air Force, or
  • Chief of Naval Operations, or
  • Commandant of the Marine Corps
 3,580.80 If this description is true… We’ll adjust your monthly payment by this amount (in U.S. $)
  • The Veteran had a pay grade of O-1 to O-3, and
  • The Veteran had a VA service-connected disability rating of totally disabling (including for individual unemployability) for at least the 8 full years leading up to their death, and
  • You were married to the Veteran for those same 8 years
 Increase payment to $1,894.58 You have 1 or more children who are under 18 Add $387.15 per child

Example of how to calculate your DIC payment

If you’re the surviving spouse of a Veteran whose pay grade was E-3, your monthly rate would start at $1,562.74.

Then for each additional benefit you qualify for, you would add or adjust your monthly rate using the Added or increased amounts table. 

In this example: We show the total monthly payment for someone with the E-3 monthly rate who qualifies for the 8-year provision and has 2 children under 18.

$1,562.74 (monthly rate) 
+ $331.84 (8-year provision for E-3 pay grade) 
+ $387.15 (rate for first child under age 18) 
+ $387.15 (rate for second child under age 18) 
= $2,668.88 total monthly payment

If you were the surviving spouse of a Veteran whose pay grade was E-9, and you qualified for the 8-year provision, and you had 2 dependent children under 18, you would calculate your monthly payment as in the example below.

$1,894.58 (increased payment for Veteran with pay grade of E-8 or E-9, with 8-year provision) 
+ $387.15 (rate for first child under 18) 
+ $387.15 (rate for second child under 18) 
= $2,668.88 total monthly payment

DIC rates if you’re the surviving child of a Veteran

Find the survivor status that applies to you.

Surviving, unmarried adult child of a Veteran, when the Veteran’s surviving spouse is also eligible for DIC

We make this monthly payment to you separately as the adult surviving child, in addition to the eligible surviving spouse’s compensation. 

Monthly payment rates

Effective December 1, 2022

Child status Monthly payment (in U.S. $) Child between 18 and 23 who’s in a qualified school program 327.99 Helpless child over 18
(An adult child who became permanently unable to support themselves before age 18) 659.83

Surviving eligible child of a Veteran, when the Veteran doesn’t have a surviving spouse who’s eligible for DIC

We’ll base your payment amount on the number of the Veteran’s eligible surviving children. You’re an eligible child if you meet at least one of the requirements listed below.

At least one of these must be true:

  • You’re under 18, or
  • You’re between 18 and 23 and in a VA-approved school program, or
  • You’re permanently unable to support yourself due to a disability that happened before age 18 (we use the term “helpless child”)

Monthly payment rates

Effective December 1, 2022

Number of Veteran’s eligible children Monthly rate for each child (in U.S. $) Total monthly payment (in U.S. $) 1 659.83 659.83 2 474.61 949.21 3 412.88 1,238.63 4 368.50 1,474.01 5 341.88 1,709.39 6 324.13 1,944.77 7 311.45 2,180.15 8 301.94 2,415.53 9 294.55 2,650.91

Added amounts

  • For each additional eligible child in a family of 10 or more children, add $235.38.
  • For each helpless child over 18, add $387.15 to your monthly rate above. This will be your total monthly payment. For example, if there are 2 eligible surviving children, and one of them is a helpless child, the rate for that child would be $861.76 ($474.61 + $387.15).

How DIC may affect your VA Survivors Pension or Survivor Benefit Plan

How do my payments for DIC affect my ability to receive VA Survivors Pension?

If you’re eligible for both DIC and Survivors Pension benefits, we’ll pay you whichever benefit gives you the most money. You can’t get both.

Learn more about  Survivors Pension benefits

Check current VA Survivors Pension benefit rates

What’s a Survivor Benefit Plan?

The Survivor Benefit Program is a voluntary annuity program that service members may buy as a retirement benefit for their family members. An annuity is a monthly payment received for life. Depending on their military service, members may use this program to buy a Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) or Reserve Component Survivor Benefit Plan (RCSBP).

We don’t manage this program. It’s managed by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) at the Department of Defense.

If you have questions about your SBP or RCSBP payments, you can call DFAS at 800-321-1080 (TTY: 711). They’re open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET.

Can I get SBP or RCSBP payments and DIC at the same time?

Yes. You can get a full SBP or RCSBP payment and a full DIC payment at the same time. 

Note: In the past, DFAS reduced your SBP or RCSBP payments by a percentage of your DIC payment. This was called the “SBP-DIC Offset.” Starting on January 1, 2021, DFAS began reducing the offset in phases. On January 1, 2023, DFAS fully eliminated the offset. Survivors can now get full benefits for both programs.

Learn more about the end of the SBP-DIC Offset on the DFAS website

Full Title 38 regulations

Read the full regulations from Title 38 Code of Federal Regulations.

Full section

38 U.S.C. II Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (chapter 13, sections 1310 to 1318) 
38 U.S.C 501(a) Subpart A—Pension, Compensation, and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation

3.5 Dependency and indemnity compensation
3.10 Dependency and indemnity compensation rate for a surviving spouse
3.22 DIC benefits for survivors of certain Veterans rated totally disabled at time of death

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