Helpful Information
- What’s an intent to file?
- Disability Compensation
- Types of Service-Connected Disability Claims
- Presumptive Conditions
- Veterans and Survivors Pension
- Dependency and Indemnity Compensation
- Aid and Attendance
- VA Life Insurance
- CHAMPVA Benefits
What’s an intent to file?
An intent to file sets a potential start date (or effective date) for your benefits. If you notify the VA of your intent to file and they approve your claim, you may be able to get retroactive payments. Retroactive payments are payments for the time between when they processed your intent to file and when they approved your claim.
You can notify VA of your intent to file if you plan to file a claim or a Supplemental Claim for these types of benefits:
- Disability compensation
- Pension benefits
- Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC)
Disability Compensation
A tax-free monetary benefit paid to Veterans with disabilities that are the result of a disease or injury incurred or aggravated during active military service. The benefit amount is graduated according to the degree of the Veteran's disability on a scale from 10 percent to 100 percent (in increments of 10 percent). Compensation may also be paid for disabilities that are considered related or secondary to disabilities occurring in service and for disabilities presumed to be related to circumstances of military service, even though they may arise after service.
Am I eligible for VA disability compensation?
You may be eligible for VA disability benefits or compensation if you meet both requirements.
Both of these must be true:
- You have a current illness or injury (known as a condition) that affects your mind or body, and
- You served on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training
And at least one of these must be true:
- You got sick or injured while serving in the military—and can link this condition to your illness or injury (called an in-service disability claim), or
- You had an illness or injury before you joined the military—and serving made it worse (called a pre-service disability claim), or
- You have a disability related to your active-duty service that did not appear until after you ended your service (called a post-service disability claim)
Types of Service-Connected Disability Claims
Original Claim – your first claim for disability compensation
Increased Claim – claim for more compensation for a disability that we’ve already determined to be service connected and that’s gotten worse
New Claim – claim for added benefits or other benefit requests related to an existing service-connected disability
Supplemental Claim – provide new evidence to support a disability claim that was previously denied.
Secondary Service-Connected Claim – claim for a new disability that is linked to a service-connected disability you already have
Special Claim – claim for special needs linked to your service-connected disability (specially equipped vehicle if your service-connected disability prevents you from driving, temporary payments if you are recovering from surgery or other treatment and unable to move, increased payments if you cannot work because of your service-connected disability)
Presumptive Conditions
To get a VA disability rating, your disability must connect to your military service. For many health conditions that developed years after your service, you need to prove that your military service caused your condition. But for some conditions, we automatically assume (or “presume”) that your service caused your condition. We call these “presumptive conditions.” We consider a condition presumptive when it is established by law or regulation. If you have a presumptive condition, you do not need to prove that your service caused the condition. You only need to meet the service requirements for the presumption. Learn more about service and presumptive conditions below:
Agent Orange Exposure - Service and Presumptive List
Camp Lejeune Service and Presumptive List
Gulf War Southwest Asia Service and Presumptive List
Burn pit and other toxic exposure locations and conditions
Veterans Pension
The Veterans Pension program provides monthly payments to wartime Veterans who meet certain age or disability requirements, and who have income and net worth within certain limits.
Your income for VA purposes is how much you earn, including your Social Security benefits, investment and retirement payments, and any income your dependents receive. Some expenses, like non-reimbursable medical expenses (medical expenses not covered by your insurance provider), may reduce your income for VA purposes.
From December 1, 2023, to November 30, 2024, the net worth limit to be eligible for Veterans Pension benefits is $155,356.
On October 18, 2018, we changed the way we assess net worth to make the pension entitlement rules clearer. The net worth calculation includes your and your dependent’s assets and income for VA purposes. When you apply for Veterans Pension benefits, you’ll need to report all of these assets and income.
Note: If your child’s net worth is more than the net worth limit, we don’t consider them to be a dependent when we determine your pension.
Read our definitions below:
Assets
Assets include the fair market value of all the real and personal property that you own, minus the amount of any mortgages you may have. “Real property” means any land and buildings you may own. Your personal property assets may include these and other items:
- Investments (like stocks and bonds)
- Antique furniture
- Boats
Assets don’t include:
- Your primary residence (the home where you live most or all of the time)
- Your car
- Basic home items like appliances that you wouldn’t take with you if you moved to a new house
When we receive a pension claim, we review the terms and conditions of any assets the Veteran may have transferred in the 3 years before filing the claim.
You may be eligible for the Veterans Pension program if you meet these requirements:
Both of these must be true:
- You didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge, and
- Your yearly family income and net worth meet certain limits set by Congress. Your net worth includes all personal property you own (except your house, your car, and most home furnishings), minus any debt you owe. Your net worth includes the net worth of your spouse.
And at least one of these must be true about your service:
- You started on active duty before September 8, 1980, and you served at least 90 days on active duty with at least 1 day during wartime, or
- You started on active duty as an enlisted person after September 7, 1980, and served at least 24 months or the full period for which you were called or ordered to active duty (with some exceptions) with at least 1 day during wartime, or
- You were an officer and started on active duty after October 16, 1981, and you hadn’t previously served on active duty for at least 24 months
And at least one of these must be true:
- You’re at least 65 years old, or
- You have a permanent and total disability, or
- You’re a patient in a nursing home for long-term care because of a disability, or
- You’re getting Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income
Under current law, we recognize the following wartime periods to decide eligibility for VA pension benefits:
- Mexican Border period (May 9, 1916, to April 5, 1917, for Veterans who served in Mexico, on its borders, or in adjacent waters)
- World War I (April 6, 1917, to November 11, 1918)
- World War II (December 7, 1941, to December 31, 1946)
- Korean conflict (June 27, 1950, to January 31, 1955)
- Vietnam War era for Veterans who servedin the Republic of Vietnam (November 1, 1955, to May 7, 1975)
- Vietnam War era for Veterans who served outside the Republic of Vietnam(August 5, 1964, to May 7, 1975)
- Gulf War (August 2, 1990, through a future date to be set by law or presidential proclamation)
Click here for our letter explaining requirements for Pension, Non-Service-Connected Pension, and Aid and Attendance
Survivors Pension
A VA Survivors Pension offers monthly payments to qualified surviving spouses and unmarried dependent children of wartime Veterans who meet certain income and net worth limits set by Congress.
Your income for VA purposes is how much you earn, including your Social Security benefits, investment and retirement payments, and any income your dependents receive. Some expenses, like non-reimbursable medical expenses (medical expenses not covered by your insurance provider), may reduce your income for VA purposes.
From December 1, 2023, to November 30, 2024, the net worth limit to be eligible for Veterans Pension benefits is $155,356.
On October 18, 2018, we changed the way we assess net worth to make the pension entitlement rules clearer. The net worth calculation includes your and your dependent’s assets and income for VA purposes. When you apply for Veterans Pension benefits, you’ll need to report all of these assets and income.
Note: If your child’s net worth is more than the net worth limit, we don’t consider them to be a dependent when we determine your pension.
Read our definitions below:
Assets
Assets include the fair market value of all the real and personal property that you own, minus the amount of any mortgages you may have. “Real property” means any land and buildings you may own. Your personal property assets may include these and other items:
- Investments (like stocks and bonds)
- Antique furniture
- Boats
Assets don’t include:
- Your primary residence (the home where you live most or all of the time)
- Your car
- Basic home items like appliances that you wouldn’t take with you if you moved to a new house
When we receive a pension claim, we review the terms and conditions of any assets the Veteran may have transferred in the 3 years before filing the claim.
You may be eligible for this benefit if you haven’t remarried after the Veteran’s death, and if the deceased Veteran didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge and their service meets at least one of these requirements.
At least one of these must be true:
- The Veteran entered active duty on or before September 7, 1980, and served at least 90 days on active military service, with at least 1 day during a covered wartime period, or
- The Veteran entered active duty after September 7, 1980, and served at least 24 months or the full period for which they were called or ordered to active duty (with some exceptions), with at least 1 day during a covered wartime period or
- The Veteran was an officer and started on active duty after October 16, 1981, and hadn’t previously served on active duty for at least 24 months
Learn more about covered wartime periods
And this must be true for you:
Your yearly family income and net worth meet certain limits set by Congress. Your net worth equals the value of everything you own (except your house, your car, and most home furnishings), minus any debt you owe.
You may be eligible for this benefit if you’re unmarried and you meet at least one of these requirements.
At least one of these must be true:
- You’re under age 18, or
- You’re under age 23 and attending a VA-approved school, or
- You’re unable to care for yourself due to a disability that happened before age 18
Under current law, we recognize these wartime periods to decide eligibility for pension benefits:
- Mexican Border period (May 9, 1916, to April 5, 1917, for Veterans who served in Mexico, on its borders, or in adjacent waters)
- World War I (April 6, 1917, to November 11, 1918)
- World War II (December 7, 1941, to December 31, 1946)
- Korean conflict (June 27, 1950, to January 31, 1955)
- Vietnam War era for Veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam (November 1, 1955, to May 7, 1975)
- Vietnam War era for Veterans who served outside the Republic of Vietnam (August 5, 1964, to May 7, 1975)
- Gulf War (August 2, 1990, through a future date to be set by law or presidential proclamation)
Click here for our letter explaining requirements for Pension, Non-Service-Connected Pension, and Aid and Attendance
Dependency and Indemnity Compensation
If you are the surviving spouse, child, or parent of a service member who died in the line of duty, or the survivor of a Veteran who died from a service-related injury or illness, you may be able to get a tax-free monetary benefit called VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (VA DIC).
As a surviving spouse:
One of these must be true:
- You lived with the Veteran or service member without a break until their death, or
- If you’re separated, you weren’t at fault for the separation
And one of these must be true:
- You married the Veteran or service member within 15 years of their discharge from the period of military service during which the qualifying illness or injury started or got worse, or
- You were married to the Veteran or service member for at least 1 year, or
- You had a child with the Veteran or service member
Note: If you remarried, you can receive or continue to receive compensation if one of these describes you:
- You remarried on or after December 16, 2003, and you were 57 years of age or older at the time you remarried, or
- You remarried on or after January 5, 2021, and you were 55 years of age or older at the time you remarried
Evidence
You’ll need to provide evidence with your claim showing that one of these descriptions is true for the Veteran or service member. Evidence may include documents like military service records, doctor’s reports, and medical test results.
Provide evidence showing that one of these is true:
- The service member died while on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive-duty training, or
- The Veteran died from a service-connected illness or injury, or
- The Veteran didn’t die from a service-connected illness or injury, but was eligible to receive VA compensation for a service-connected disability rated as totally disabling for a certain period of time
If the Veteran’s eligibility was due to a rating of totally disabling, they must have had this rating:
- For at least 10 years before their death, or
- Since their release from active duty and for at least 5 years immediately before their death, or
- For at least 1 year before their death if they were a former prisoner of war who died after September 30, 1999
Note: “Totally disabling” means the Veteran’s injuries made it impossible for them to work.
As a surviving child:
All of these must be true:
- You aren’t married, and
- You aren’t included on the surviving spouse’s compensation, and
- You’re under the age of 18 (or under the age of 23 if attending school)
Note: If you were adopted out of the Veteran’s or service member’s family, but meet all other eligibility criteria, you still qualify for compensation.
Evidence
You’ll need to provide evidence with your claim showing that one of these descriptions is true for the Veteran or service member. Evidence may include documents like military service records, doctor’s reports, and medical test results.
Provide evidence showing that one of these is true:
- The service member died while on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive-duty training, or
- The Veteran died from a service-connected illness or injury, or
- The Veteran didn’t die from a service-connected illness or injury, but was eligible to receive VA compensation for a service-connected disability that was rated as totally disabling for a certain period of time
If the Veteran’s eligibility was due to a service-connected disability rated as totally disabling, they must have had this rating:
- For at least 10 years before their death, or
- Since their release from active duty and for at least 5 years immediately before their death, or
- For at least 1 year before their death if they were a former prisoner of war who died after September 30, 1999
Note: “Totally disabling” means the Veteran’s injuries make it impossible for them to work.
As surviving parent:
Both of these must be true:
- You’re the biological, adoptive, or foster parent of the Veteran or service member, and
- Your income is below a certain amount
Note: We define a foster parent as someone who served in the role of a parent to the Veteran or service member before their last entry into active service.
Evidence
You’ll need to provide evidence with your claim showing that one of these descriptions is true for the Veteran or service member. Evidence may include documents like military service records, doctor’s reports, and medical test results.
Provide evidence showing that one of these is true:
- The service member died from an injury or illness while on active duty or in the line of duty while on active duty for training, or
- The service member died from an injury or certain illnesses in the line of duty while on inactive training, or
- The Veteran died from a service-connected illness or injury
Aid and Attendance
VA Aid and Attendance or Housebound benefits provide monthly payments added to the amount of a monthly VA pension for qualified Veterans and survivors. If you need help with daily activities, or you’re housebound.
You may be eligible for this benefit if you get a VA pension and you meet at least one of these requirements.
At least one of these must be true:
- You need another person to help you perform daily activities, like bathing, feeding, and dressing, or
- You have to stay in bed—or spend a large portion of the day in bed—because of illness, or
- You are a patient in a nursing home due to the loss of mental or physical abilities related to a disability, or
- Your eyesight is limited (even with glasses or contact lenses you have only 5/200 or less in both eyes; or concentric contraction of the visual field to 5 degrees or less)
Housebound benefits eligibility
You may be eligible for this benefit if you get a VA pension and you spend most of your time in your home because of a permanent disability (a disability that doesn’t go away).
Note: You cannot get Aid and Attendance benefits and Housebound benefits at the same time.
Click here for our letter explaining requirements for Pension, Non-Service-Connected Pension, and Aid and Attendance
Veterans Affairs Life Insurance (VALife)
VALife insurance can offer financial security for Veterans, service members, and their spouses and dependent children. VALife provides low-cost coverage to Veterans with service-connected disabilities.
If you’re age 80 or younger
You’re eligible for VALife if you have a VA service-connected disability rating—even if your rating is 0%. There’s no time limit to apply after getting your disability rating.
If you’re age 81 or older
All of these must be true:
- Before you turned 81 years old, you applied for VA disability compensation for a service-connected disability, and
- After you turned 81, you received a rating for that same disability, and
- You apply for VALife within 2 years of getting notification of your disability rating
For more information on VALife Insurance eligibility and benefits click here.
CHAMPVA Benefits
Are you the spouse or surviving spouse of—or a child of—a Veteran with disabilities or a Veteran who has died? If you don’t qualify for TRICARE (the Department of Defense’s health care program for active-duty and retired service members and their families), you may be able to get health insurance through the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA). Through this program, we cover the cost of some of your health care services and supplies. This is called cost sharing.
You may only be eligible for health care through CHAMPVA if you don’t qualify for TRICARE and at least one of these descriptions is true for you.
At least one of these must be true:
- You’re the spouse or child of a Veteran who’s been rated permanently and totally disabled for a service-connected disability by a VA regional office, or
- You’re the surviving spouse or child of a Veteran who died from a VA-rated service-connected disability, or
- You’re the surviving spouse or child of a Veteran who was at the time of death rated permanently and totally disabled from a service-connected disability, or
- You’re the surviving spouse or child of a service member who died in the line of duty, not due to misconduct (in most of these cases, family members qualify for TRICARE, not CHAMPVA).
A service-connected disability is a disability that we’ve concluded was caused—or made worse—by the Veteran’s active-duty service. A permanent disability is one that’s not expected to improve.
Note: A Veteran who’s the qualifying CHAMPVA sponsor for their family may also qualify for the VA health care program based on their own Veteran status. If 2 spouses are both Veterans who qualify as CHAMPVA sponsors for their family, they both may now qualify for CHAMPVA benefits. Each time they need medical care, they may choose to get care through the VA health care program or using their CHAMPVA coverage.
With CHAMPVA, you’ll be covered for services and supplies when we determine they are medically necessary and were received from an authorized provider. When providers are performing services within the scope of their license or certification, we consider them to be authorized.
Covered services include:
- Ambulance service
- Ambulatory surgery
- Durable medical equipment (DME)
- Family planning and maternity
- Hospice
- Inpatient services
- Mental health services
- Outpatient services
- Pharmacy (prescription medicines)
- Skilled nursing care
- Transplants
When you’re signed up for CHAMPVA, you’ll get a copy of the CHAMPVA Program Guide. This guide will tell you more about covered and non-covered services and supplies.
Download the CHAMPVA Program Guide (PDF)
Download fact sheets on CHAMPVA benefits
To learn more about CHAMPVA and how to apply click here.