When you want to add children or a spouse as a dependent for your VA disability benefits, you can apply electronically using the VA’s eBenefits web portal. Here, you can submit forms and documentation of disability or school attendance. However, if you want to add a parent as a dependent for your VA disability benefits, you can only apply by mail.
Full Answer
How to add or remove a dependent from VA compensation?
You can add a dependent if:
- You get married
- You have or adopt a child
- Your child is between 18 and 23 years old and enrolled in school full time
- We determine that your child, who is at least 18 years old, became permanently disabled before turning 18
- You become the caregiver for a parent whose income and net worth is below a certain amount
How do I verify my dependents?
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Does a surviving spouse get VA disability?
Surviving military spouses can sometimes receive veterans disability compensation. This benefit is called Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), and it is paid on a monthly basis. DIC is available to a surviving military spouse (a widow or widower) and his or her dependent children.
Does VA cover dependents?
VA benefits for spouses, dependents, survivors, and family caregivers. As the spouse or dependent child of a Veteran or service member, you may qualify for certain benefits, like health care, life insurance, or money to help pay for school or training. As the survivor of a Veteran or service member, you may qualify for added benefits, including ...
How do I add my dependents to my VA disability?
If you can't, or don't want to file online, you can file a claim for additional disability compensation by mail using these forms: For a spouse or a child under 18 years of age, you'll need to fill out an Application Request to Add and/or Remove Dependents (VA Form 21-686c).
How long does it take to add dependents to VA disability?
Submitting an electronic dependency claim through eBenefits allows VA to make a decision on your claim in as little as 48 hours. Simply log into eBenefits and click “Add or Remove Dependent” under the Apply section.
Does my VA disability increase when I have a child?
Under current VA disability pay rates, a veteran with a 30% rating will receive $24.00 for each additional child under age 18. Those VA disability pay rates increase $8.00 for each 10% increase in disability rating. At 100%, it increases slightly more than $8.00.
What VA form do I add to dependents?
Use VA Form 21-686c to submit a claim for additional benefits for a dependent, or to request to remove a dependent from your benefits.
Does the VA verify dependents?
Completion of VA Form 21-0538 and VA Form 21-0537 by beneficiaries allows the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to verify the following approximately once every eight years: status of the dependents of all Veterans in receipt of additional compensation for a spouse and/or child(ren), and.
How much does a spouse add to VA disability?
Financial Benefits The additional payments are added to other disability compensation the veteran is awarded, which include: $150 a month for a spouse with no children.
How do I add a child to my VA?
To add a child or spouse, you can mail in VA Form 21-686c, Declaration of Status of Dependents. To add a full-time student dependent, age 18-23, you should submit VA Form 21-674: Request for Approval of School Attendance in addition to VA Form 21-686c, Declaration of Status of Dependents.
Does VA pay for college dependents?
If your combined disability rating is 30 percent or higher, you are eligible to receive additional benefits for qualifying dependents in your household, including children between the ages of 18 and 23 who are still in school.
Does the VA back pay for dependents?
If it has been longer than a year since your marriage and/or birth of your child, VA may only pay you back to the date you submitted your dependency claim or, in some cases, only up to one year before you submitted your dependency claim.
Can you claim someone on disability as a dependent?
The simple answer: yes. Generally speaking, if your SSI-collecting dependent meets all other regulations required, you can legally claim them. That said, you must account for these benefits when considering their living expenses.
What is VA Form 21 674b?
VA Form 21-674b is used to verify the school attendance of a child who is receiving benefits or for whom benefits are being received. Without this information, VA would be unable to properly authorize benefits for school attendance.
Who Counts as A Dependent For VA Disability?
With some exceptions, anyone who you can claim as a dependent for income tax purposes can be claimed as a dependent for VA Disability Claims.This i...
When Is The Best Time to Add Dependents to VA Disability?
The best time to add dependents is when you file your claim. Get the information on file and then you don’t have to worry about it anymore.Most Vet...
How Do You Add Dependents to VA Disability?
As I mentioned above, the best way to add dependents to VA Disability Claims is to do so with your original claim. When you submit VA Form 21-526,...
How to Add a Dependent to Your VA Disability Benefits
If you are applying for additional disability compensation because you have a qualifying child or spouse, you can submit the required form through the VA benefits website. Depending on your situation, you might have to send in additional forms and evidence with your application.
Eligibility Rules to Add a Dependent to Your VA Disability Compensation
If you are not eligible for VA disability benefits, you cannot apply for additional compensation for a dependent.
Who is a Dependent for Purposes of VA Disability Benefits
The VA can approve the addition of a dependent to your disability benefits if the person falls into one of these categories:
When to Add a Dependent to Your Benefits
The VA allows you to add a dependent at logical points in the process. By way of example, if you are just now filing your initial claim for VA disability compensation, you can go ahead and include your dependent in the claim.
How to add dependents to VA disability?
As I mentioned above, the best way to add dependents to VA Disability Claims is to do so with your original claim. When you submit VA Form 21-526 , or fill out a claims form online , be sure to include the correct information. The VA is required to accept your statement as to marriage, birth, divorce, etc, so long as your statement includes: ...
Why do veterans hem and haw about VA disability?
Why? Because they won’t see any increase in VA Disability until they reach the 30% VA Disability level , they save it to worry about later. In fact, when you get an increase in your VA Disability rating that takes you above the 30% marker, ...
What benefits do dependents get from the VA?
Importantly, eligible dependents will also have access to certain VA programs and benefits, such as employee services, VA health care, life insurance, education and training services, and VA memorial benefits.
What age can you be dependent on your spouse?
Qualifying dependents include the following: A spouse. Unmarried children (including biological children, step children, and adopted children) who are under the age of 18; between the ages of 18 and 23 and attending school full-time; or were seriously disabled prior to reaching age 18.
What happens if a dependent child gets married?
If a dependent child gets married, the veteran is required to report the name of the child and the date of the marriage as he or she will no longer qualify as a dependent. The married child will then be removed from the veteran’s VA benefits.
How many pages are there in the VA form 21-686c?
VA Form 21-686c, Declaration of Status of Dependents. VA Form 21-686c is a 12-page form that veterans use to add a spouse or child under the age of 18 to their VA benefits. However, the first six pages are simply providing instructions on how to complete the form.
What is section VI of VA?
Section VI – Veteran/Claimant Reporting Death of a Dependent. If a dependent spouse passes away, veterans must notify VA by completing this section. Here, the veteran will have to provide the name of the spouse, the date of death, and the place of death in order to remove him or her from their VA benefits.
When will VA add dependents?
April 18, 2018. Veterans who were discharged under other than Dishonorable conditions and rated at least 30% disabled by the VA may add eligible dependents to their VA benefits, increasing their monthly disability payments in addition to allowing eligible dependents access to certain VA programs.
How old do you have to be to add a child to the VA?
To add a child under the age of 18 or a spouse to your benefit rate, VA Form 21-686c: Declaration of Status of Dependents must be completed and submitted to the VA.
What is a parent in the military?
Parents (biological, step, adopted, foster, etc.) are defined as those who, for at least one year, “stood in the relationship of a parent to a veteran at any time before his or her entry into active service.”.
