During World War I, American families hung blue stars in their windows for every member serving in the military. When a loved one died in service, they replaced the blue star with gold. Each April, on April 5, America celebrates Gold Star Spouses Day, a national observance honoring the surviving husbands and wives of service members who made the ultimate sacrifice. At the Department of Veterans Affairs, that recognition comes with the commitment to make surviving spouses aware of every benefit available to help them rebuild their lives. Here is what is available in 2026.
Dependency and Indemnity Compensation
Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) is a tax-free monthly payment for eligible surviving spouses of service members who died in the line of duty or veterans who died from a service-connected condition. The 2026 base rate is $1,699.36 per month. Additional amounts may apply: $360.85 is added if the veteran was rated totally disabled for at least eight continuous years before death and the spouse was married to the veteran for those same eight years; $421.00 is added per child under 18; $359.00 is added for the first two years after the veteran’s death if there are children under 18. Aid and Attendance adds $421.00 if the surviving spouse is housebound or needs regular assistance with daily activities.
Surviving spouses who remarry can continue receiving DIC if they remarried on or after Jan. 5, 2021, and were at least 55 years old at the time; or if they remarried between Dec. 16, 2003, and Jan. 4, 2021, and were at least 57 years old. If a subsequent marriage ends for any reason, the surviving spouse can reapply for DIC.
What the PACT Act Changed for Surviving Spouses
The PACT Act added hypertension as a presumptive condition for Agent Orange exposure. Because high blood pressure is linked to heart disease, stroke, kidney failure and aortic dissection, surviving spouses of Vietnam-era veterans who died from any of those conditions may now be eligible for DIC that they were previously denied. The VA is required to review previously denied cases as if the PACT Act had been in effect at the time of the original claim. That means effective dates can reach back years, potentially resulting in significant back pay. If your DIC claim was denied before the PACT Act and your veteran’s cause of death involved the heart, blood vessels or kidneys, file a Supplemental Claim now.
Pending legislation would expand DIC further. H.R. 6047, the Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act, would create a dedicated cost-of-living adjustment for DIC, separate from the Social Security COLA that currently drives the annual increase. The bill passed the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee in February. If enacted, it would increase the average DIC payment by approximately $23 in 2027 and $42 by 2036 for nearly 600,000 current recipients, according to Congressional Budget Office estimates.
Other Benefits for Surviving Spouses
VA Home Loan Guaranty
Unremarried surviving spouses of veterans who died in service or from a service-connected cause are eligible for a VA-guaranteed home loan with zero down payment and no private mortgage insurance. Surviving spouses who remarried after age 57 (on or after Dec. 16, 2003) may also be eligible.
CHAMPVA
Surviving spouses and dependents who are not eligible for Tricare may qualify for the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, which covers a portion of health care costs. More than 112,000 women of reproductive age are currently enrolled in CHAMPVA.
Education Benefits
Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (Chapter 35/DEA) provides up to 36 months of education and training benefits. The Fry Scholarship provides Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to children and spouses of service members who died in the line of duty after September 10, 2001. Transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits may also be available if the veteran transferred benefits before their death.
Tricare
Surviving spouses receive Tricare at active-duty dependent rates for three years after the service member’s death under transitional survivor status. After three years, costs adjust to retiree rates. Children remain covered until 21, or 23 if enrolled in school, with no enrollment fees or copays under Tricare Prime. If a surviving spouse remarries, they lose Tricare eligibility, but CHAMPVA may be restored if the remarriage ends.
Survivors Pension
Survivors Pension is a separate, tax-free monthly benefit for low-income, unremarried surviving spouses of wartime veterans whose death was not service-related. The veteran must have served at least 90 days on active duty (or 24 months if entering service after Sept. 7, 1980), including at least one day during a covered wartime period.
Additional one-time payments include Accrued Benefits (any VA compensation or pension due to the veteran before their death), the Month of Death payment (the veteran’s last month of benefits paid to the surviving spouse), and the Death Gratuity ($100,000 for survivors of service members who die on active duty).
Burial Benefits
Burial benefits include burial in a VA national cemetery at no cost, a government headstone or marker, a burial flag, and a Presidential Memorial Certificate. Surviving spouses may also be eligible for burial alongside the veteran.
How to Apply
For DIC and Survivors Pension, file VA Form 21P-534EZ online at VA.gov, by mail or in person at a VA regional office. Consider filing an intent to file first to preserve your effective date while you gather evidence. For home loan eligibility, apply for a Certificate of Eligibility through VA.gov. For education benefits, apply through VA.gov’s education portal. A Veterans Service Organization can help you navigate the process at no cost. Call the VA at 1-800-827-1000 or visit Ask VA online for assistance.
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