Do My VA Disability Benefits Increase When I Get Married? 

If you’re a veteran about to get married or marry someone with children, it’s important to understand how your VA benefits may change. Veterans who receive disability compensation and have a combined disability rating of at least 30% may be eligible for additional compensation when they add qualified dependents, such as a spouse or stepchildren.  

In this article, we’ll cover who qualifies, how your benefits can increase, what benefits you, your spouse and any stepchildren could be entitled to and what steps you need to take to update your VA disability status after marriage. 

Does My VA Disability Compensation Increase After Marriage? 

Yes, your disability compensation may increase after marriage. VA adjusts compensation rates based on the number of dependents, which can include a spouse and stepchildren. Here’s how it works: 

• Spouse: Your compensation can increase if you marry, including legally recognized spouses such as those in same-sex or common-law marriages. 
• Stepchildren: If you marry someone with children, stepchildren can also be considered dependents if they meet eligibility criteria, such as being under 18, between 18 and 23 years old and attending school full-time, or being permanently disabled before turning 18. 

When you add these dependents, your monthly payments can increase based on your disability rating and the number of qualified dependents you claim. To determine the exact increase in your compensation, you can use our VA Disability Compensation Rates calculator to find out your exact compensation. 

Health Care Benefits for Spouse and Stepchildren 

Your spouse may be eligible for health coverage under the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA), which provides cost-sharing coverage for certain health care services. Your spouse must qualify based on your VA disability rating, typically needing you to be permanently and totally disabled. 

Stepchildren can also qualify for CHAMPVA under similar conditions. You will need to provide documentation such as birth certificates or legal guardianship papers to establish their eligibility for coverage. 

Education Benefits for Spouse and Stepchildren 

• Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) Program: This program offers financial support to spouses and children of veterans for education and training programs, including college tuition, vocational training, and apprenticeships. 
• Fry Scholarship: If you are the stepchild or adopted child of a veteran who died in the line of duty, you may be eligible for the Fry Scholarship, which covers the costs of higher education. 

Housing and Loan Benefits After Marriage 

After marriage, your spouse may be able to use your VA home loan benefits. The VA home loan guaranty helps you and your family buy, build, or adapt a home. Your spouse can be added to the mortgage to take advantage of the loan benefits. 

If you have a service-connected disability and need your home to be adapted, you may qualify for Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) grants. Adding dependents may affect your eligibility for these grants, especially if additional living space or adaptations are required. 

Survivor Benefits for Spouse and Stepchildren 

If you pass away due to a service-connected condition, your spouse and stepchildren may be eligible for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC). This program provides monthly payments to surviving family members. The eligibility and payment amounts depend on several factors, including the cause of death and the veteran’s disability rating. 

If your spouse and stepchildren are low-income, they may be eligible for the Survivor’s Pension. This benefit is available to surviving spouses and dependents of wartime veterans. 

Burial and Memorial Benefits 

Your spouse and stepchildren are eligible for burial and memorial benefits through VA. These benefits include a burial allowance, a gravesite in a VA national cemetery, and other memorial services. 

For more information about disability benefits after marriage and to update your status, visit VA.gov. To learn more about all the benefits you and your dependents can receive, check out our comprehensive benefits guide. 

What If My Spouse Is Also a Veteran with a Disability Rating? 

If both you and your spouse are veterans, and each has a combined disability rating of at least 30%, both of you are eligible to receive additional compensation for each other as dependents. In this case, you can both claim each other as dependents and receive an increase in your respective benefits. 

A few things to keep in mind: 

• Processing Time: Claims can take longer to process if your spouse is also a veteran, as VA needs to coordinate and verify the information for both individuals. 
• Retroactive Pay: If you submit your claim online, VA may provide retroactive pay to the date you started the claim process, should your application be approved. 

How to Add a Spouse or Stepchildren to Your VA Disability Benefits 

To increase your VA disability compensation after getting married or adding stepchildren as dependents, you must notify VA and provide the required documentation. You can file a claim online to add your spouse and stepchildren to your benefits. Filing online is recommended because it allows for faster processing and immediate confirmation that your claim has been submitted. 

To complete the process, you’ll need the following: 

• Marriage Certificate: Proof of your marriage must be submitted to verify your spouse as a dependent. 
• Stepchildren’s Birth Certificates: Provide legal documentation for each stepchild you are claiming as a dependent. 
• Proof of Full-Time School Enrollment (if applicable): For stepchildren between 18 and 23 years old who are still in school full-time, you’ll need to submit VA Form 21-674, Request for Approval of School Attendance. 

There are two primary ways to submit your claim: 

• Online Submission: As mentioned, submitting online is the fastest option, and it ensures that VA recognizes the claim date as the day you started the process. 
• By Mail: If you prefer to file by mail, download and fill out VA Form 21-686c, Declaration of Status of Dependents. For stepchildren between 18 and 23, include VA Form 21-674. 

Mail the completed forms to:  
Department of Veterans Affairs
Evidence Intake Center 
PO Box 4444 
Janesville, WI 53547-4444 

VA states that after your claim is approved, you can expect to receive increased compensation in around two weeks, but this may vary. If there are any delays or if additional information is needed, VA will contact you. 

Can I Get Paid Back to the Date My Spouse and I Got Married? 

If you’re wondering whether VA will backdate your additional disability compensation to the date of your marriage, the answer is: Yes, but certain conditions must be met. VA states that all of these must be true for you to receive back pay to the date of your marriage: 

• You had already received a combined disability rating of at least 30% at the time of the marriage. 
• You file your claim for additional compensation within one year of the marriage. 
• You respond within one year to any VA requests for additional information or evidence needed to confirm your claim. 

If you do not meet these conditions, such as filing more than one year after the marriage, VA may only provide back pay from the date they received your claim or, in some cases, up to a year before this date. 

What Happens If I Get Divorced or Need to Remove a Stepchild from My VA Benefits? 

If you get divorced or need to remove a stepchild from your VA benefits, it’s important to take swift action to avoid overpayments and ensure your benefits are correctly adjusted. Here’s what you need to know: 

• How to Remove a Dependent: You can use VA’s online tool to remove a dependent from your disability compensation. This applies to a divorced spouse or stepchildren who no longer qualify as dependents. 
• Automatic Removal of Stepchildren at 18: Stepchildren are automatically removed from your benefits when they turn 18, unless they are enrolled full-time in school. In this case, you must submit VA Form 21-674, Request for Approval of School Attendance, for stepchildren between 18 and 23 years old who are still in school. 
• Avoiding Overpayments: It’s critical to notify VA as soon as a divorce occurs or when stepchildren no longer qualify as dependents. Continuing to receive compensation for ineligible dependents can result in VA withholding future payments until the overpaid amount is recovered. 
• No Supporting Documents Required for Divorce: You usually don’t need to submit supporting documents to remove a divorced spouse or stepchildren. Just notify VA through their online system to ensure your benefits reflect the correct status. 

By addressing these actions promptly, you can ensure that your benefits remain accurate and avoid potential financial issues down the road.