VA benefits for your family
A permanent & total (P&T) disability rating — or a service-connected death — can unlock federal benefits for your spouse and children: health coverage, education, and survivor pay. See what your status unlocks.
Family & survivor benefits
What does your rating unlock?
Set your projected rating and P&T status to see which benefits are available now and which unlock at P&T. This is education and eligibility guidance — not a determination, and not legal advice.
A P&T rating means the VA considers your service-connected disability total and not expected to improve. CHAMPVA and Chapter 35 generally require it.
CHAMPVA
Civilian Health and Medical Program of the VA
- Who it's for
- The spouse and dependent children of a veteran rated permanently and totally (P&T) disabled from a service-connected condition (or who died of one).
- What your family gets
- VA-administered health coverage that shares the cost of covered medical services and supplies (doctor visits, hospital care, prescriptions) for the veteran's spouse and children, when they are not eligible for TRICARE.
- How to apply
- Apply to the VA Health Administration Center with VA Form 10-10d (Application for CHAMPVA Benefits) plus proof of the veteran's P&T rating and the dependent relationship.
- Good to know
- Eligibility requires the veteran's disability to be permanent AND total (a P&T rating), or that the veteran died of a service-connected condition (or was P&T at death). A dependent eligible for TRICARE is generally not eligible for CHAMPVA.
Last verified 2026-06-16
Chapter 35 / DEA
Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA)
- Who it's for
- The spouse and children of a veteran who is permanently and totally (P&T) disabled from a service-connected condition, or who died of (or while rated P&T from) a service-connected condition.
- What your family gets
- A monthly education and training benefit — for college degrees, certificates, apprenticeships, on-the-job training, and some correspondence courses — payable for a set number of months of full-time enrollment.
- How to apply
- Apply through VA.gov (or VA Form 22-5490, Dependents' Application for VA Education Benefits). The chosen school's certifying official then certifies enrollment to the VA.
- Good to know
- Eligibility requires the veteran's service-connected disability to be permanent and total (P&T), or a qualifying service-connected death. Newer rules limit how long a dependent has to use DEA: children generally have a delimiting window (commonly to age 26 / a set number of years), and the maximum number of months was reduced from 45 to 36 for those who first became eligible on or after Aug 1, 2018. Confirm your delimiting date with the VA.
Last verified 2026-06-16
DIC
Dependency and Indemnity Compensation
- Who it's for
- An eligible surviving spouse, child, or parent of a veteran who died of a service-connected condition — or who was rated permanently and totally (P&T) disabled for a qualifying period before death.
- What your family gets
- A tax-free monthly payment to the survivor. A surviving spouse receives a flat base monthly rate (with possible add-ons for dependent children, housebound status, or aid and attendance).
- How to apply
- A surviving spouse or child files VA Form 21P-534EZ; a surviving parent files VA Form 21P-535. File with the VA after the veteran's death with the death certificate and marriage/relationship evidence.
- Good to know
- DIC is for SURVIVORS, so it applies after the veteran's death. It is payable when the death was service-connected, or when the veteran was continuously rated totally disabled (P&T) for a qualifying period (generally 10 years immediately before death, or since release from active duty in some cases). See 38 CFR §3.5.
Last verified 2026-06-16
VA Disability Pro is independent software — not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, a VSO, or an attorney — and does not give legal advice. This page is educational eligibility guidance, not a determination, and we never guarantee an outcome. Always confirm current rules, amounts, and time limits on the official VA.gov pages linked above.