What is VA DIC?
Last verified September 6, 2026 · Reviewed by Esteban Magallon, VA-Accredited Claims Agent
Details
- DIC is paid under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 13, primarily §§ 1310, 1311, and 1318.
- The most common path is § 1310 DIC, which requires the veteran's death to be service-connected.
- A separate path, § 1318 DIC, can apply even when the death itself was not service-connected, if the veteran met certain total-disability duration requirements before death.
- DIC is paid at a base monthly rate for the surviving spouse, plus add-ons for dependent children, Aid and Attendance, Housebound status, and (in some cases) an 8-year 'married to a totally disabled veteran' provision.
- DIC is distinct from Survivors Pension, which is a needs-based benefit for low-income survivors of wartime veterans and does not require a service-connected death.
Related
This is general educational information about VA claims — not legal or medical advice. Individual outcomes depend on the record. Oakridge Claims is a private VA-Accredited Claims Agent practice and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.