VA Spouse Benefits Guide (2026): Complete Benefits for Living & Surviving Spouses

Nov 19

As the spouse of a veteran, you play a central role in the household — emotionally, financially, and often as a caregiver. Yet understanding what benefits the VA provides to spouses in 2026 can feel overwhelming.

The VA offers powerful programs for:

spouses of living veterans,
spouses who require long-term care (including assisted living and nursing homes), and
surviving spouses after a veteran passes away.

This guide breaks everything down clearly so you can understand every major spouse benefit, who qualifies, how to apply, and how Operation Veterans Edge can help you navigate the claims process.

Spouse Benefits While the Veteran Is Alive (2026)

Spouses of living veterans may qualify for significant VA benefits depending on the veteran’s disability rating, service history, and income level. These benefits can improve access to health care, education, and long-term support.

Here are the major programs available in 2026:

1. CHAMPVA Health Care (if the veteran is 100% P&T)

If the veteran is rated 100% Permanent & Total, spouses may qualify for CHAMPVA, which covers:

inpatient and outpatient medical care
mental health services
surgeries and imaging
prescriptions
some durable medical equipment

Eligibility:

Veteran is 100% P&T OR
Veteran died from a service-connected condition and spouse has not remarried before age 55

Cost:

Extremely affordable — far cheaper than private insurance.

2. Education Benefits (DEA – Chapter 35)

If the veteran is 100% P&T, spouses may qualify for Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA).

DEA includes:

Up to 36 months of educational benefits
College, trade school, apprenticeships
Correspondence training
Tuition + subsistence payments

2026 monthly amounts are expected to increase slightly after COLA, and will be updated when the official VA chart releases.

3. VA Home Loan Protections

Spouses of living veterans may qualify for:

Zero-down VA-backed home loans
VA IRRRL streamline refinancing
Foreclosure protections in certain hardship cases
Benefits for adapting a home if the veteran has mobility needs

4. Aid & Attendance (A&A) for Spouses Who Need Care

Important: A spouse can qualify for Aid & Attendance even when the veteran is alive.

Spouses may qualify when they need help with:

dressing
bathing
transferring
managing medications
staying safe without supervision

This benefit is paid to the veteran, but the criteria can be based on the spouse’s needs.

Applies to:

assisted living
in-home care
certain independent living situations
memory care (depending on documentation)

A&A can increase monthly pension amounts significantly if the household meets income and medical need rules.

Benefits for Surviving / Widowed Spouses (2026)

When a veteran passes away, the spouse may be eligible for extensive survivor benefits — some of the strongest financial protections the VA offers.

1. Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC)

DIC is a tax-free monthly payment made to surviving spouses when:

the veteran died from a service-connected condition, OR
the veteran held a 100% P&T rating for 10 years, OR
the veteran was rated P&T for 5 years from discharge, OR
the veteran was a former POW and died after Sept 30, 1999

2026 DIC Estimated Base Rate

Expected to be roughly $1,600–$1,700 per month after COLA.

Additional amounts may apply for:

dependent children
Aid & Attendance
Housebound status

2. CHAMPVA Health Care (continued eligibility)

Surviving spouses typically retain CHAMPVA as long as they do not remarry before age 55.

3. Home Loan Benefits (surviving spouse)

Surviving spouses may qualify for:

VA home loans with no funding fee
IRRRL refinancing
VA foreclosure protections

4. Burial Benefits for Surviving Spouses

Benefits include:

a burial allowance
a headstone or marker
presidential memorial certificate
interment in a national cemetery (for the veteran)
certain allowances for transportation

5. DEA Education Benefits (surviving spouse)

Surviving spouses may qualify for 36 months of DEA educational assistance.

Aid & Attendance for Assisted Living (2026)

Aid & Attendance (A&A) is a monthly financial benefit added on top of a qualifying VA pension. It is designed for veterans or spouses who require assistance with daily living due to medical conditions, disability, or aging.

Aid & Attendance is not limited to the veteran — a spouse may qualify independently if they meet medical need criteria.

A&A Eligibility for a Living Spouse (2026)

A spouse may qualify if any one of the following is true:

They require assistance with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) such as dressing, bathing, toileting, transferring, feeding, or medication management
They are legally blind
They are a patient in an assisted living, memory care, or licensed care home
They suffer from cognitive impairment requiring supervision for safety
They require care to protect them from hazards in their environment (fall risk, wandering, medication errors)

Important:

The spouse’s disability level, NOT the veteran’s, is what determines A&A medical eligibility.

However, income and net worth rules are based on the household, because the pension belongs to the veteran.

2. Does the Veteran’s Status Affect Spouse A&A Eligibility?

Yes — the A&A pension is always paid to the veteran, even if the spouse is the one who medically qualifies.

This means:

To receive A&A for the spouse, the veteran must:

Have wartime service (per VA rules — not necessarily combat), AND
Be eligible for a VA pension (based on income, net worth, and age or disability)

Wartime service requirement (VA Pension rule):

The veteran must have served:

At least 90 days of active service (if before 1980), with at least one day during a wartime period, or
24 months active duty (post-1980 rule), with at least one wartime day

Wartime periods include:

WWII
Korean War
Vietnam War (including expanded locations for presumptive service)
Gulf War period (Aug 2, 1990 – present)

3. A&A Payment Amounts for Spouses (2026)

A&A is added to the base Veterans Pension amount.

Here are the 2026 estimated maximums based on COLA projections.

If the spouse is the one who medically qualifies:

VA pays at the “Veteran with One Dependent – Aid & Attendance” rate.

Estimated 2026 maximum:

≈ $32,000–$34,000 per year

(or ≈ $2,650–$2,850 per month)

Actual amounts vary based on countable income and medical expenses.

Aid & Attendance for Nursing Home Care (2026)

Nursing home care almost always meets the medical need requirements for Aid & Attendance because the spouse is receiving 24/7 supervised assistance.

Eligibility Requirements for Spouses in Nursing HomeS

A spouse qualifies when:

They are a patient in a nursing home due to physical or cognitive disability
They require daily skilled care or assistance
They require supervision for safety
They have medical documentation supporting placement

VA considers nursing home residency as automatic evidence of A&A-level need, but supporting documentation is still required.

2. Required Documentation

VA Form 21-0779 — Nursing Home Information
VA Form 21-2680 (physician’s assessment)
Nursing home care plan
Statement of services provided
Billing statements

3. Where to Apply

Same as A&A Assisted Living — VA Pension Intake Center (see contact info above).

CHAMPVA Health Care (2026)

CHAMPVA remains one of the best benefits available to spouses — offering low-cost access to care nationwide.

Key points:

Available when veteran is 100% P&T or died from service-connected causes
Works alongside Medicare
Covers nearly all outpatient and inpatient health needs
Has modest outpatient cost shares
Requires annual compliance with rules

Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) – 2026

DEA (Dependents’ Educational Assistance), also known as Chapter 35, is a powerful education benefit available to spouses of qualifying veterans.

Who Qualifies (Spouses)

You may qualify if the veteran:

Is rated 100% Permanent & Total (P&T)
Died from a service-connected disability
Died while rated P&T
Is officially determined to be missing in action, a POW, or hospitalized long-term for a service-connected condition

2. What DEA Covers

Up to 36 months of educational assistance for:

College degree programs
Career training + vocational schools
Technical training
Apprenticeships and on-the-job training
Licensing and certification tests
Distance learning
Correspondence training

3. DEA Monthly Payment Amount (2026 projected)

2026 COLA increases are expected to raise DEA payments slightly.

Current + projected:

2026 Estimated Rates:

Full-time: ≈ $1,500–$1,550 / month
3/4 time: ≈ $1,150–$1,200 / month
1/2 time: ≈ $750–$800 / month

These amounts are paid directly to the spouse, tax free.

4. How Long a Spouse Has to Use DEA

Standard Rule: Must use benefits within 10 years of eligibility.
Surviving Spouses: Often given a 20-year eligibility window.
Children: Must use before age 26.

Special rules apply for remarriage, divorce, and P&T assignment timing.

5. Where to Apply / Who to Contact

Apply online:

https://www.va.gov/education/survivor-dependent-benefits/

VA Education Hotline:

1-888-442-4551 (M–F, 8am–7pm ET)

Dependency & Indemnity Compensation (DIC) – 2026

Dependency & Indemnity Compensation (DIC) is a tax-free, lifetime monthly payment made to surviving spouses of veterans who died from service-connected conditions.

Who Qualifies for DIC (2026)

A surviving spouse qualifies if ANY of the following are true:

Veteran’s death was service-connected

Veteran was rated 100% Permanent & Total (P&T) for:

10 years prior to death
OR 5 years from release from active duty
OR 1 year if former Prisoner of War (POW)

Veteran died while on active duty, active duty for training (ADT), or inactive duty training (IDT)

Veteran had a service-connected condition that substantially contributed to death

(Even if not the immediate cause)

2. DIC Monthly Payment (2026 estimated)

Using projected COLA increases:

Base DIC Rate (2026): ≈ $1,650/month
Additional for spouse with dependent children: +≈ $330/month
Aid & Attendance for surviving spouse: +≈ $330–350/month
Housebound: +≈ $175/month

All payments are tax-free and paid for life.

3. Required Forms

VA Form 21P-534EZ — Application for DIC, Survivors Pension, and A&A
Veteran’s death certificate
Marriage certificate
Medical evidence (if cause of death is disputed)

4. Where to Apply / Contact

Survivors Benefits Hotline:

1-800-827-1000