What Are the VA Benefits for Family, Dependents, and Caregivers?
When veterans return home with an injury, illness, or medical condition that warrants a VA disability rating — it affects family, dependents, caregivers, and spouses. Those men and women, and the survivors of veterans may be eligible for benefits provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. You may want to know — what are the VA benefits for family, dependents, and caregivers — and VA Benefits Attorneys may be able to help.
Guide to VA Benefits for Veteran Spouses, Survivors, Dependents, and Caregivers
Whether a veteran is disabled and requires additional care at home or died while in the military, the survivors, spouses, dependents, and caregivers may be eligible for VA benefits. Those benefits can include burial and memorial benefits for a deceased veteran, life insurance for family members, educational benefits, and much more.
Here is a better look at available VA benefits for the family and caregivers of living and deceased veterans:
VA Health and Disability Benefits
The Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) is a healthcare benefits program created by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to provide medical benefits for the spouse, dependent children, surviving spouse, surviving children, and caregivers of veterans. These benefits can include access to VA healthcare providers and cost-sharing programs.
VA Survivors Pension and DIC Benefits
The surviving children, spouse, and parents of a veteran may be entitled to compensation via VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) benefits or a VA Survivors Pension. Additional monetary benefits for household expenses may be available for VA Aid and Attendance.
VA Education and Career Benefits
The family of veterans may be eligible for education and career assistance that can include monetary compensation for school expenses or for daily living expenses while training for a new job or career. These benefits are available to spouses, dependent children, a surviving spouse, and surviving children through the Chapter 35 Survivors and Dependents Education Assistance Program or a Fry Scholarship.
VA Housing Assistance Benefits
The surviving spouse of a deceased veteran may be eligible for housing assistance benefits. This housing assistance allows the surviving spouse to apply for VA home loans to buy, build, improve, or refinance a home and can help spouses learn how to better manage loan benefits.
VA Life Insurance Benefits
The spouse of a veteran, dependent children, surviving spouse, and surviving children may be eligible for life insurance coverage. The life insurance coverage provided by the Family Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (FSGLI) can provide additional coverage or complement existing insurance policies. Beneficiaries of veteran life insurance policies can also receive FREE financial advice.
VA Burial and Memorial Benefits
Burial and memorial costs can add up for a veteran’s family and the spouse, dependent children, surviving spouse, surviving children, and surviving parents may be eligible for burial assistance and compensation. This may include burial in a VA National Cemetery, assistance with burial costs, requests for memorial items, and grief counseling.
READ MORE: Is There a Time Limit to Apply for VA Disability Benefits?
If you are a veteran or family member of a veteran, you may be asking — what are the VA benefits for family, dependents, and caretakers? We hope that this breakdown provided by VA Benefits Attorneys has answered some of your questions.
