Veterans in receipt of VA disability compensation (service connected disabilities) with at least a 30-percent combined rating can receive additional compensation for qualifying dependents. Dependents include legal spouses, dependent children, and even financially dependent parents.
A dependent is someone who relies on a veteran for financial support. A veteran, or their dependent(s), may be entitled to additional VA benefits through the veteran’s disability compensation or survivor programs. Recognizing eligible dependents can increase monthly payments and open the door to healthcare, education, and other benefits.
VA follows the law of the state where the veteran resides in determining if there is a valid marriage. Generally, the veteran need only produce a valid marriage certificate, along with pertinent information about the spouse (full name, social security number, date of birth, etc.), to confirm a valid marriage. However, VA may request prior divorce or death decrees if the veteran or the spouse had prior marriages.
There are several important considerations when determining if a child may be considered a dependent for the veteran’s award. First, “child” is defined as:
Next, a “dependent” child is one who is:
VA will require the veteran provide evidence confirming that the person is the veteran’s dependent child. This evidence typically involves birth certificates (listing parent’s name and date of birth), and social security numbers. However, depending on the situation above, this evidence might also include verification of enrollment from a school if a child is over 18, evidence of permanent disability, or court documents confirming adoptions.
Financially dependent parents may also be added to a veteran’s monthly compensation benefit. VA defines a “parent” as a biological or adoptive mother or father, or as a person “who for a period of not less than 1 year stood in the relationship of a parent to a veteran at any time before his or her entry into active service.”
Financial dependence may be shown either through the income of the parent(s), or if the income exceeds VA’s policy, whether the parent has “sufficient income and/or net worth to provide reasonable maintenance for themselves and for members of their family?”
Generally, if a parent’s income does not exceed $400 per month for a single parent, or $660 per month for parents residing together (including a remarried parent), then the parent(s) will be deemed to be financially dependent. However, if the monthly income of the parent(s) exceed that amount, VA will then make a case-by-case determination regarding whether the parent(s) are able to provide their own reasonable maintenance. Factors that may be relevant to this determination could be the parent(s) access to investments, including real property, cost of out-of-pocket medical expenses, or other necessary expenses such as rent, groceries, taxes, utilities, whether the parent(s) reside with the veteran, or whether the veteran may already be contributing to the parent(s) household for maintenance.
At Greene & Marusak, we help veterans add, update, or appeal dependent-related decisions to ensure their compensation is accurate and complete. Whether you need help filing a new form or understanding why a dependent was removed, our VA-accredited team is here to assist.
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Greene & Marusak focuses on representing veterans and their family members for VA Service-Connected Disability Benefits.
