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How are VA Disability Survivor Benefits Calculated?

VA disability survivor benefitsVeterans and their families make major sacrifices for our country. VA benefits, including disability coverage, are designed to help repay them. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) notes that Dependency and Indemnity Compensation, ”VA DIC” or “survivors benefits,” are available to the spouse of a veteran who died on active duty or due to a service-related issue.

This raises an important question: How are VA disability survivor benefits calculated? The short answer is that the government will look at the specific circumstances of your applications. Here, our Chicago area VA disability attorney Harold W. Conick provides a guide to the calculation of VA survivor benefits in Illinois.

What to Know About VA Disability Survivor Benefits

Once you have qualified for veterans’ disability survivor benefits, the VA will need to determine the appropriate amount of the award. Under the VA DIC system, there is a “base rate” for VA survivor benefits before the beginning of each year to reflect inflation. Beyond that, additional benefits may be available to applicants based on their financial circumstances. Here is what you know about how the VA DIC payments are calculated for 2022:

  • Base Rate VA Survivor Benefit: On December 1st, 2021, the new VA DIC payment rate for surviving spouses took effect. A surviving spouse of a military veteran killed in the line of duty or due to a service-related medical impairment will receive a base payment of $1,437.66 per month in 2022. The payment is more than 5 percent higher than 2021 to adjust for inflation.
  • Enhanced Benefit for Parents of Young Children: If you have children who are under the age of 18, your VA survivor’s disability payment will be higher. In 2022, a surviving spouse will be entitled to an additional $356.16 per month for each qualifying child. To be clear, the benefit for each child is added on top of the base payment.
  • 8-Year Provision: If your military veteran spouse was fully disabled and receiving benefits for at least eight years prior to their passing and you were married to them during that time, you can claim an additional $305.28 monthly survivor benefit in 2022.
  • Survivor Disability Status: Finally, an additional benefit may be available if you, as a qualifying surviving spouse, are also disabled. If you are disabled to the point that you need help with activities of daily living, an additional $356.16 monthly payment may be added for “aid and attendance.” Once again, this payment is added on top of your other VA survivor benefits.

Contact Our Northern Illinois VA Disability Lawyers for Immediate Help

At Harold W. Conick & Associates Ltd., our skilled Chicago VA disability benefits lawyers are aggressive, experienced advocates for justice. If you have any questions or concerns about the calculation of veterans’ survivor benefits, we are more than happy to help.

Contact us today by phone to schedule your confidential consultation. Our firm provides VA disability representation throughout the greater Chicago metropolitan area and Northern Illinois – including, but not limited to Cook, DuPage, Will, Kane, Lake, and McHenry Counties, as well as Northeastern Indiana and Southern Wisconsin.