The VA Survivors Pension, formerly referred to as Death Pension, gives monthly payments to spouses and unmarried children of veterans who served during wartime and meet income limits. To qualify for this benefit, a veteran must have served during one of these wartime periods:

• Mexican Border period (1916-1917)
• World War I (1917-1918)
• World War II (1941-1946)
• Korean Conflict (1950-1955)
• Vietnam War era (1955-1975, depending on location of service)
• Gulf War (1990-present)

Am I eligible?

You may be eligible for this benefit based on your relationship to a veteran, their service history, and your income. Below are the requirements for spouses and children.

Spouse Eligibility

You may qualify for a VA Survivors Pension if you haven’t remarried after a veteran’s death and if the veteran:

• Did not receive a dishonorable discharge, and
• Served at least 90 days of active military service, including at least 1 day during a wartime period, if they enlisted on or before September 7, 1980, or
• Served at least 24 months or the full period for which they were called to active duty (with some exceptions) and at least 1 day during a wartime period, if they enlisted after September 7, 1980, or
• Was an officer who started active duty after October 16, 1981, and had not previously served on active duty for at least 24 months.

Child Eligibility

You may qualify for a VA Survivors Pension if you are unmarried and meet at least one of these requirements:

• Under age 18, or
• Under age 23 and attending a VA-approved school, or
• Unable to care for yourself due to a disability that occurred before age 18.

How do I apply for Survivors Pension?

You can apply for a VA Survivors Pension in several ways:

To apply online, you need to sign in or create an account with a secure VA partner, like login.gov or id.me. This keeps your personal information safe when applying.

Sign In or Create Account

Once you sign in or create an account on the VA website, you will be guided to the application for Survivors Pension benefits. 

You can also apply by mail or in-person. To do so, you will first need to download and print the application form below:

• Survivors Pension Application (English)

If applying by mail, mail your completed application to:

Department of Veterans Affairs
Pension Intake Center
PO Box 5365
Janesville, WI 53547-5365

If applying in-person, take your completed application to a nearby VA regional office. Find the VA regional office closest to you.

Note: No matter how you apply, you can check your claim status, ask for a review, or submit an appeal here: VA Claim or Appeal Status

How can I get help applying?

If you need help applying for Survivors Pension, would like to learn more about VA benefits, or have questions, call the VA Helpline at 800-698-2411, ext. 0 (TTY: 711). Agents are available 24/7 to assist you.

You can also speak with a claims agent, accredited attorney, or Veterans Service Organization (VSO) representative to get help in completing your Survivors Pension application. To learn more about accredited representatives or to find one near you, click here.