A
- Agent Orange
- Agent Orange was a defoliant used
during the Vietnam War. Some known effects are listed in 38
CFR §3.309(e).
For more detailed information and new
changes see: Agent
Orange Home Page
See also Spina Bifida below.
- AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency
Syndrome)
- AIDS can qualify as a service
connected disability. Improved Pension may also be paid if
AIDS is the disability preventing the veteran from working.
For more information see the Veterans Health Administration
web site on Public
Health Strategic Healthcare Group
- Aid &
Attendance Allowance
- An additional benefit paid to
veterans, their spouses, surviving spouses and parents. This
allowance is paid in all Compensation, Dependency and
Indemnity Compensation (DIC) and Pension Programs. It is
paid based on the need of aid and attendance by another
person or by specific disability. Special Monthly
Compensation (L) can at times be designated an aid &
attendance benefit.
Eligibility criteria, see 38 CFR §§3.350
(Special Monthly Compensation), 3.351
(Special monthly Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC),
death compensation, pension and spouse's compensation
ratings), 3.552
(Determining need for aid & attendance, housebound).
See also Special Monthly Compensation (SMC)
below.
Rates, see Special
Monthly Compensation (SMC), Dependency and Indemnity
Compensation (DIC) - Surviving
Spouse or Parents,
Improved Pension - Disability
or Death.
- Appeals
- If you do not like a VA decision,
most can be appealed. Start by contacting your
nearest office.
Appeals are first made to the office that made the decision.
A hearing officer or decision review officer usually handles
these cases. If the case is still in dispute it is then sent
to the Board of Veterans Appeals (BVA).
If it is not resolved there, it can be appealed outside the
Department of Veterans Affairs to the Court of Appeals for
Veteran Claims (CAVC).
VA does not handle CAVC appeals. You must contact CAVC
within 120 days from your BVA decision.
- Application
- OnLine
Application's are available for Compensation, Pension
and Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment benefits.
Your application may need supporting evidence and/or
documents. (If any of the evidence is not immediately
available, send in the application anyway. The date VA
receives your application is important to you, if VA grants
your claim. VA benefits payments usually will begin from
that date regardless of when the claim is approved.)
See also Forms or
contact your
nearest office.
- Automobile Allowance &
Adaptive Equipment
- One automobile allowance is
payable to certain very disabled veterans. Some
reimbursement is possible for adaptive equipment. Check with
your
nearest office before making any purchases.
Eligibility criteria, see 38 CFR §3.808
- Rates, see Special
Benefit Allowances Rate Table
B
- Birth Defects
- There is a monetary allowance
under 38 U.S.C. chapter 18 for an individual with disability
from covered birth defects whose biological mother is or was
a Vietnam veteran.
-
Eligibility criteria, see 38 CFR §3.815
and TITLE 38, PART II, CHAPTER 18, SUBCHAPTER II, §1812
- Burial
- The Burial Benefit Program covers,
burial, plot, internment, cremation, flags, representation
at a funeral, transportation and headstone. Specific
criteria govern each category.
See the National Cemetery
Administration's site.
See also our Fact
Sheets for more information.
Eligibility criteria, see 38 CFR §§3.1600
(Table of Contents & Burial), 3.1601
(Claims & Evidence), 3.1602
(Special Conditions), 3.1603
(Unclaimed), 3.1604
(Non VA), 3.1605
(VHA), 3.1606
(Transportation), 3.1607
(Flags), 3.1608
(Nonallowable), 3.1610
(Nat'l Cem), 3.1611
(Representation) & 3.1612
(Marker).
Rates, see Burial,
Headstone & Plot Rate Table
C
- Cemetery
- See the National
Cemetery Administration's site or Burial
above.
- CHAMPVA
- A health insurance is available
from the Veterans Health Administration. See their CHAMPVA
website for more information.
- Children
- Children of veterans receive
benefits based on two eligibility factors: (1) whether the
benefit program allows for payment for or to children and
(2) whether the veteran's relationship to the child can be
proven.
Eligibility criteria, see 38 CFR §§3.57
(Child), 3.58
(Child Adopted out of Family), 3.204
(Evidence Requirements), 3.210
(Relationship).
See the specific Benefit Programs for more information: Compensation,
Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC),
Pension, and Spina
Bifida and Children
of Vietnam Veterans.
Rates, see the Compensation,
Special
Monthly Compensation (SMC), Dependency
and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), Improved Disability
or Death
Pension, and Spina
Bifida Rate Tables.
- Clothing Allowance
- Prosthetic appliances and
medications have an effect on clothing. If qualified, a
veteran can receive a one time or yearly allowance for
reimbursement.
Eligibility criteria, see 38 CFR §3.810.
Rates see Special
Benefit Allowances Rate Table.
- Compensation
- This benefit program evaluates
disability resulting from all types of diseases and injuries
encountered as a result of military service. The degrees of
disability that are determined by VA represent, as far as
can practicably be determined, the average loss in wages
resulting from such diseases and injuries and their
complications in civil occupations. Generally, the degrees
of disability specified are also designed to compensate for
considerable loss of working time from exacerbations or
illnesses.
See the Fact
Sheets for more information.
Eligibility criteria, see 38 CFR §3.4.
- Congressional Medal of Honor
- See: Medal of
Honor
D
- DD Form 214
- See Military
Discharge below.
- Dependency
and Indemnity Compensation (DIC)
- This benefit program pays a
monthly payment to a surviving spouse, child, or parent of a
veteran because of a service-connected death of a veteran.
See the Fact
Sheets for more information.
Eligibility criteria, see 38 CFR §§3.5,
3.22
(Benefits at Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC)
rates in certain cases when death is not service connected).
Restoration
of Entitlement
- Diabetes Mellitus (Type II)
- As a presumptive condition for
in-country Vietnam veterans see: Agent
Orange Home Pagefor more detailed information.
- Disability Compensation
- See Compensation
above.
- Disability Examinations
Worksheets
- See Examinations
below.
- Disability Severance Pay
- By law, payment of VA compensation
and military disability severance pay for the same medical
condition or disability is prohibited. VA compensation will
be withheld on a monthly basis until the total amount of
military severance pay has been recovered.
See Concurrent Benefit and Elections, 38 CFR §3.700.
- Drill Pay
- See Selected
Reserve and National Guard.
E
- Education
- VA has many educational assistance
programs.
See the Fact
Sheets for more information.
Or visit theGI Bill web
site.
- Examinations
- Physical examinations, when made
by the VA, are done under criteria worked out by both the
Veterans Health Administration and Veterans Benefits
Administration.
See Disability
Examination Worksheets (55 disability examination
worksheets).
F
- Filipino
Veterans
- New Philippine Scouts or
Commonwealth Army (USAFFE) and Recognized Guerillas
See the Fact
Sheets for more information.
- Flag
- A United States Flag is available
at the death of a veteran.
See the Fact
Sheets for more information.
- Foreign Services Program
- See the Foreign
Services Homepage
- Former
Prisoner of War (POW)
- Former POWs often underwent
experiences that severely affected their lives. VA works
with this group of veterans to ensure that their needs are
met.
Former
POW & their Survivors Home Page
See the Fact
Sheets for more information.
Also see 38 CFR §§3.307
(Presumptive service connection for prisoner-of-war related
diseases) and 3.309(c)
(Disease subject to presumptive service connection)
- Forms
- VA forms have been organized for
your use. Some are available via the web.
An application
for benefits is now on-line.
See also Forms or
contact your
nearest office.
G
- Gulf War
- The "Gulf War" began on
August 2, 1990. Since an end of the conflict has not been
declared by Congress, everyone who has been on active duty
since it began may qualify as wartime veterans, regardless
of duty assignment, when seeking VA benefits.
See Gulf War Veterans'
Health.
Also see GulfLink,
Defense Technology Information Center.
For undiagnosed illness, see 38 CFR §3.317.
H
- Headstone
- See the National
Cemetery Administration's site or Burial
above.
- Health Care
- For health care and health care
issues see the Veterans
Health Administration's website.
Also see our Fact
Sheets for more information.
- Health Care Programs for Elderly
Veterans
- The Veterans Health Administration
offers many health care programs for elderly veterans. See
the VHA web site
on this issue.
- Health Insurance
- See CHAMPVA
above.
- Home Loan
- For home loan information see the Loan
Guaranty Service's website.
Also see our Fact
Sheets for more information.
- Homeless
- Veterans can be homeless too. We
have special programs to help.
See the Fact
Sheets for more information.
Also see VA Homeless
Program and 3-9-00
Testimony before the Committee on Veteran’s Affairs
- Housebound
- An additional benefit paid to
veterans, their surviving spouses and parents. This
allowance is paid in all Compensation, Dependency and
Indemnity Compensation (DIC) and Pension Programs. It is
paid based on specific disabilities and conditions. It is a
lesser additional benefit than Aid &
Attendance. Special Monthly Compensation (S) can at
times be designated a housebound benefit.
Eligibility criteria, see 38 CFR §§3.351
(Special monthly Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC),
death compensation, pension and spouse's compensation
ratings), 3.352
(Determining need for aid & attendance, housebound).
Rates, see Special
Monthly Compensation (SMC), Dependency and Indemnity
Compensation (DIC) - Surviving
Spouse or Parents,
Improved Pension - Disability
or Death.
I | J
| K | L
- Insurance
- For insurance information see the Insurance
Service's website.
See also RH Insurance on the Fact
Sheet page.
See also CHAMPVA above.
M
- Medal of
Honor
- The Medal of Honor award is paid
by Compensation & Pension Service.
Eligibility Criteria, see 38 CFR § 3.802.
Rates see Special
Benefit Allowances Rate Table.
U.S. Army Center of Military History Medal
of Honor Citations
When clicking the link below, you are now leaving
the Department of Veterans Affairs Website
VA does not endorse and is not responsible for the content
of the linked website.
The Congressional Medal of
Honor Society
- Medals
- See: Military
Awards and Decorations
- Medical Records (Other than
Service Medical Records)
- Those applicants who have medical
records to substantiate any and all treatment by private
doctors and hospitals are encouraged to submit them with
their application to expedite processing.
- Merchant Marine
- Members of the Merchant Marine are
considered veterans.
Eligibility Criteria, see 38 CFR § 3.7.
See: Benefits
for Merchant Marines
Website for U.S. Merchant
Marine, U.S. Maritime Service, Army Transport Service,
Military Sea Transport Service, and Military Sealift
Command.
- Military
Discharge/DD Form 214 - (Copy 4 - Member Copy)
- Those applicants who have a copy
of their DD-214 are encouraged to provide a copy with their
claim to expedite processing. Otherwise, VA will attempt to
obtain verification from the service department.
Copies of missing DD Forms 214 may be obtained from the
National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, MO through
the NARA web site.
- Evidence requirements, see 38 CFR
§3.203.
- Military Retired Pay
- By law, the payment of VA
compensation benefits is affected by the receipt of military
retired pay. If you receive military retirement, you may
initiate a waiver of your retired pay to receive the full
amount of VA compensation. Until the waiver takes effect,
your compensation will be adjusted or withheld depending on
the amount of military retired pay you are entitled to. The
advantage of waiving military retired pay for VA
compensation is that while VA benefits are reportable for
Federal tax purposes, they are not taxable. Check with the IRS
web site for more tax information.
See Retirement Pay, 38 CFR §3.750.
- Military Services
- See our Military
Services page for more information.
N
- National Guard-Reservist
Benefits
- See Fact
Sheet
O
- Outreach
- See our Military
Services page for more information.
See also the Veterans
Health Administration's website.
P
- Parent
- Parents who are dependent on a
veteran with a service-connected disability, or whose child
died in-service or from a service-connected disability, may
be entitled as dependents on the veterans compensation award
or to Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) if they
are in financial need. Parents may be biological, step,
adopted, or in loco parentis.
Eligibility criteria, see 38 CFR §§3.5
Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), 3.59
(Parent), or 3.209
(Birth).
Rates, see Compensation
and Parents
Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) Rate Tables.
- Pension
- Pension is available to veterans,
surviving spouses and children, if the veteran has
qualifying service and there is financial need. Veterans
must also have a qualifying disability which need not be
service-connected.
Three pension programs are currently being paid. Only one
program is still accepting applications - Improved Disability
or Death Pension. Old Law and Section 306 Disability
or Death Pensions recipients are protected at the rate
they were receiving when their program was superceded by
Improved Pension on January 1, 1979.
See Fact
Sheets for more information.
- Eligibility criteria for Improved
Pension, see 38 CFR §§3.3
Pension, 3.23
Improved Pension Rates, 3.342
Permanent and total disability ratings for pension purposes.
Rate Tables, see Improved Disability
or Death
Pension, Protected
Pensions.
- Philippines, Veterans from the
- See Filipino
Veterans
- Plot
- See the National
Cemetery Administration's site or Burial
above.
- Preference for Employment in the
Federal Government
- See Veterans'
Preference Advisor web site.
- Prisoner of War (POW)
- See: Former
Prisoner of War (POW)
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- PTSD can be a service connected
disability. PTSD also qualifies as a disability for
entitlement to Improved Pension. For health care information
see the Veterans Health Administration website on PTSD.
Q
- Qualifying
Service
- Service is considered qualifying
when it meets the requirements set down for each benefit.
(See the eligibility criteria in Burial,
Compensation, Dependency
and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), Pension,
or Spina Bifida.) Service may have
length, character of discharge, wartime or other
requirements.
Eligibility requirements, as above and see also 38 §§CFR 3.1
(Definitions), 3.2
(Periods of War), 3.6
(Duty Periods), 3.7
(Individuals and groups considered to have performed
active military,naval, or air service), 3.12
(Character of Discharge), 3.12a
(Minimum active-duty service requirement), 3.13
(Discharge to change status), 3.14
(Validity of enlistments), and 3.15
(Computation of Service).
R
- Regulations
- Our Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
are written based on the United States Code (U.S.C.). The
Department of Veterans Affairs is governed by Title 38 in
both Codes. Title 38 U.S.C. is precedential, superceding any
Title 38 CFR section should either appear to contradict the
other. Title 38 CFR can be searched at our WARMS1
website or through the GPO2
website. Title
38 U.S.C. has its own website.
Footnotes: 1Web Automated Reference
Materials System; 2Government Printing Office
- Reservist-National Guard
Benefits
- See Fact
Sheet
- Restoration of Entitlement
- Restoration
of Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) Entitlement
- Retired Serviceperson's
Family Protection Plan (RSFPP)(10 U.S.C. §1431)
- Payments received under this plan
do not bar concurrent payment of Dependency and Indemnity
Compensation (DIC), death compensation or pension and are
excluded as income in such cases (38 CFR §3.261
(a)(14)). Contact the respective military payment
center.
- (RSFPP) Retired Serviceperson's
Family Protection Plan
- See Retired
Serviceperson's Family Protection Plan (RSFPP)
S
- SBP (Survivor Benefit Plan)
- See Survivor
Benefit Program (SBP)
- SBP-MIW (Survivor Benefit Plan -
Minimum Income Annuity)
- See Survivor
Benefit Program (SBP)
- Selected Reserve
and National Guard
- By law, if you are an active
member of the Selected Reserve or National Guard, your VA
compensation will be withheld at the rate of one day of pay
for each drill period served. Also, VA compensation is not
payable while serving full-time on active duty.
See Concurrent Benefit and Elections, 38 CFR §3.700.
- Service Connection
- Service connection for a
disability or death is established through many ways. The
four most common are:
- Disability or death was incurred in military service. 38
CFR §§3.303,
3.304
- Aggravation of a before service disability during
service. 38 CFR §3.306
- Presumption that the disease or disability was incurred
in military service. 38 CFR §§3.307,
3.308,
3.309
- Because of a service-connected disability, a secondary
condition has occurred. 38 CFR §3.310
- Service connection of a disease or
disability is necessary before disability compensation can
be paid.
- Service Medical Records
- Those applicants who have their
service medical records are encouraged to submit them with
their application to expedite processing. Otherwise, VA will
contact the service department to obtain them.
- Sexual Trauma
- See Women's Issues
below. This information is stored under "women",
but it applies to both sexes.
Also see Compensation
Benefits for Sexual Trauma Fact Sheet
- Social Security Administration
- Social Security Administration (SSA)
and VA often serve the same people at the same time. To
prevent mispayment (under payment as well as overpayment),
the VA works closely with SSA.
We also share medical information but only with the
person's permission.
SSA benefits (retirement or disability) are counted as
income for VA purposes (IVAP). But SSI (Supplemental
Security Income) benefits are not.
It is mandatory that anyone placing a claim with VA provides
their Social Security number (if they have one) (38 CFR §3.216).
Links to Social Security Administrations web sites are
listed below:
- Social Security Number -
Mandatory Disclosure
- See 38 CFR §3.216
and 38 U.S.C. §5101.
- Specially Adapted
Housing/Special Home Adaptions
- A veteran may be entitled to a
Specially Adapted Housing or Special Home Adaptions based on
a service-connected disability.
Eligibility criteria, see 38 CFR §§3.809
Specially Adapted Housing, 3.809a
(Special Home Adaptions).
See also the Loan
Guaranty Service's website.
- Special Compensation for
Severely Disabled Uniformed Services Retirees
- Special compensation for severely
disabled uniformed services retirees is authorized by
Section 658, PL 106-65. This benefit will be administered by
the Department of Defense (DoD). This
benefit is not paid by VA.
More information, see Compensation & Pension Service's Fast
Letter 99-124.
- Special
Monthly Compensation (SMC)
- Special Monthly Compensation (SMC)
is a rate paid in addition to (i.e., SMC (K)) or in place of
0% to 100% combined degree compensation. To qualify, a
veteran must be disabled beyond a combined degree percentage
or due to special circumstances (i.e., aid and attendance,
loss of use of one hand, etc.). SMCs are referred to by the
letters (K) through (R.2). These alphabetic designations
follow the paragraph numbering system in 38
U.S.C. §1114 (also see references to that in 38 CFR §3.350
below).
Eligibility criteria, see 38 CFR §3.350
(Special Monthly Compensation)
Rates, see Special
Monthly Compensation (SMC)
- Special Monthly Pension (SMP)
- Special Monthly Pension (SMP) is
either the aid and attendance or housebound
allowance.
Rates, see Improved Disability
or Death
Pension.
- Special Separation Benefit (SSB)
- VA compensation will be withheld
in full until the amount of the SSB has been recovered.
See Concurrent Benefit and Elections, 38 CFR §3.700
- Spina Bifida
- The Veterans’ Benefits Act of
1997 granted benefits for children of Vietnam veterans who
were suffering from spina bifida (38 U.S.C. §1805).
Eligibility criteria, see 38 CFR §3.814.
See also the Veterans Health Administration web site for Spina
Bifida and our new Agent
Orange Home Page.
- Spouse/Surviving Spouse
- The veteran or parent may receive
benefits for a dependent spouse. The surviving spouse of a
veteran may be entitled to benefits.
Eligibility criteria for Spouse, see 38 CFR §§3.1(j)
(Marriage), 3.50
(Spouse and surviving spouse), 3.204
(Evidence of dependents and age), 3.205
(Marriage), 3.206
(Divorce), 3.207
(Void or annulled marriage), 3.211
(Death), and 3.213
(Change of status affecting entitlement)
Eligibility criteria for Surviving Spouse, see all of the
above and 38 CFR §§3.52
(Marriages deemed valid), 3.53
(Continous cohabitation), 3.54
(Marriage dates), 3.55
(Terminated marital relationships), 3.60
(Definition of "living with"), 3.214
(Court Decisions; unremarried widows), and 3.215
(Termination of marital relationship or conduct).
See the specific Benefit Programs for more information: Compensation,
Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC),
and Pension. See also Survivors
and Eligible Dependents VA Benefits
Rates, see the Compensation,
Special
Monthly Compensation (SMC), Dependency
and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), and Improved Disability
or Death
Pension Rate Tables.
Restoration
of Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) Entitlement
- Survivor and
Eligible Dependents VA Benefits
- Please see Survivors
and Eligible Dependents VA Benefits
- Survivor
Benefit Plan (SBP)
- Since September 21, 1972, the
Survivor Benefit Plan has been available for retired service
personnel and commissioned officers of the Public Health
Service. Eligible persons designate all or a part of retired
pay as a basis for survivor's annuity. Eligible surviving
spouses of military retirees who did not participate in the
plan and who died prior to September 21, 1973 are eligible
for SBP-MIW (Survivor Benefit Plan - Minimum Income
Annuity). To be eligible the surviving spouse must not be
remarried, must be eligible for VA death pension, and must
have income for VA purposes, excluding any SBP annuity, of
less than the MIW-SBP annuity limitation.
Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC): SBP survivor's
annuity to a surviving spouse is subject to reduction or
discontinuance if the spouse becomes eligible for Dependency
and Indemnity Compensation (DIC). Concurrent payment of SBP
and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) to children
or parents is not prohibited. Contact the respective
military payment center.
Pension: Any payments under MIW-SBP is income for VA
purposes. See 38 CFR §3.261
(a)(14) and §3.271.
T | U
- Transition Assistance Program
- See Seamless
Transition.
- Transportation
- See the National
Cemetery Administration's site or Burial
above.
V
- Vocational Rehabilitation
- When a veteran is found to be
disabled we offer vocational rehabilitation as one of the
additional benefits.
See the Vocational
Rehabilitation & Employment Service's website for
more information.
- Voluntary Separation Incentive (VSI)
- Your annual VSI payment will be
reduced by an amount equal to the amount of VA compensation
paid for the same period.
See Concurrent Benefit and Elections, 38 CFR §3.700.
W | XYZ
- Wartime
- See Qualifying
Service above.
- Women's Issues
- See our Women
Veterans Issues Homepage
- See VA's web site Programs
& Initiatives for Women Veterans
Return to Top
To inquire concerning the status of your compensation,
Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), pension, burial,
clothing allowance, automobile, specially adapted housing, or
spina bifida claim or to ask any general Compensation &
Pension (C&P) benefit question, you may call our toll-free
number:
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