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Past rates: 2020 VA DIC rates for parents

Review 2020 VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) rates for the surviving parents of Veterans. These VA survivor benefits are tax exempt. This means you won’t have to pay any taxes on your DIC payments. These rates are effective December 1, 2019.

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Get rates for the current year

DIC rates if only 1 parent is alive

These rates apply to you if you’re eligible for VA DIC as a surviving parent and both of the below descriptions are true for you.

Both of these must be true:

  • You’re the Veteran’s only surviving parent, and
  • Either you’re not remarried or you’re remarried and living with your spouse

Note: Your yearly income is how much money you earn during one calendar year (January 1 to December 31). This includes income from all sources, such as wages, salary, investment payments, rental properties, gifts, income of dependents living in your home, and some retirement payments. If you’re remarried and living with your spouse, this also includes your spouse’s income.

Find out if you're eligible for VA DIC as a surviving parent

Select the income range that applies to you

Click on an accordion to review the rate table. Use the amount in the first column that’s closest to your income when rounded up to find your beginning monthly rate. Then, follow the directions in the how to use the rate tables section to figure out your monthly payment.

Go to the how to use the rate tables section

$1,900 or less

Yearly income limit (in U.S. $)
Your total income for the year must be less than or equal to this amount
Beginning monthly rate (in U.S. $) Rate of decrease
(also called a $1 decrement)
$800 $663 None 900 655 .08 1,000 647 .08 1,100 693 .08 1,200 631 .08 1,300 623 .08 1,400 615 .08 1,500 607 .08 1,600 599 .08 1,700 591 .08 1,800 583 .08 1,900 575 .08

$2,000 to $2,900

Yearly income limit (in U.S. $)
Your total income for the year must be less than or equal to this amount
Beginning monthly rate (in U.S. $) Rate of decrease
(also called a $1 decrement)
$2,000 $567 .08 2,100 559 .08 2,200 551 .08 2,300 543 .08 2,400 535 .08 2,500 527 .08 2,600 519 .08 2,700 511 .08 2,800 503 .08 2,900 495 .08

$3,000 to $3,900

Yearly income limit (in U.S. $)
Your total income for the year must be less than or equal to this amount
Beginning monthly rate (in U.S. $) Rate of decrease
(also called a $1 decrement)
$3,000 $487 .08 3,100 479 .08 3,200 471 .08 3,300 463 .08 3,400 455 .08 3,500 447 .08 3,600 439 .08 3,700 431 .08 3,800 423 .08 3,900 415 .08

$4,000 to $4,900

Yearly income limit (in U.S. $)
Your total income for the year must be less than or equal to this amount
Beginning monthly rate (in U.S. $) Rate of decrease
(also called a $1 decrement)
$4,000 $407 .08 4,100 399 .08 4,200 391 .08 4,300 383 .08 4,400 375 .08 4,500 367 .08 4,600 359 .08 4,700 351 .08 4,800 343 .08 4,900 335 .08

$5,000 to $5,900

Yearly income limit (in U.S. $)
Your total income for the year must be less than or equal to this amount
Beginning monthly rate (in U.S. $) Rate of decrease
(also called a $1 decrement)
$5,000 $327 .08 5,100 319 .08 5,200 311 .08 5,300 303 .08 5,400 295 .08 5,500 287 .08 5,600 279 .08 5,700 271 .08 5,800 263 .08 5,900 255 .08

$6,000 to $6,900

Yearly income limit (in U.S. $)
Your total income for the year must be less than or equal to this amount
Beginning monthly rate (in U.S. $) Rate of decrease
(also called a $1 decrement)
$6,000 $247 .08 6,100 239 .08 6,200 231 .08 6,300 223 .08 6,400 215 .08 6,500 207 .08 6,600 199 .08 6,700 191 .08 6,800 183 .08 6,900 175 .08

$7,000 to $7,900

Yearly income limit (in U.S. $)
Your total income for the year must be less than or equal to this amount
Beginning monthly rate (in U.S. $) Rate of decrease
(also called a $1 decrement)
$7,000 $167 .08 7,100 159 .08 7,200 151 .08 7,300 143 .08 7,400 135 .08 7,500 127 .08 7,600 119 .08 7,700 111 .08 7,800 103 .08 7,900 95 .08

$8,000 or more

Yearly income limit (in U.S. $)
Your total income for the year must be less than or equal to this amount
Beginning monthly rate (in U.S. $) Rate of decrease
(also called a $1 decrement)
$8,000 $87 .08 8,100 79 .08 8,200 71 .08 8,300 63 .08 8,400 55 .08 8,500 47 .08 8,600 39 .08 8,700 31 .08 8,800 23 .08 8,900 15 .08 9,000 7 .08 9,024 5.08 .08 If living with spouse: 9,025 to 21,024
If not living with spouse: 9,025 to 15,641
5 None

DIC rates if both parents are alive

If the eligible parent doesn’t live with a spouse

These rates apply to you if you’re eligible for VA DIC as a surviving parent and both of the below descriptions are true for you.

Both of these must be true:

  • You and the Veteran’s other surviving parent are both alive, and
  • You’re not living with the Veteran’s other surviving parent or a current spouse

Note: Your yearly income is how much money you earn during one calendar year (January 1 to December 31). This includes income from all sources, such as wages, salary, investment payments, rental properties, gifts, income of dependents living in your home, and some retirement payments. If you’re remarried and living with your spouse, this also includes your spouse’s income.

Find out if you're eligible for VA DIC as a surviving parent

Select the income range that applies to you

Click on an accordion to review the rate table. Use the amount in the first column that’s closest to your yearly income when rounded up to find your beginning monthly rate. Then, follow the directions in the how to use the rate tables section to figure out your monthly payment.

Go to the how to use the rate tables section

$1,900 or less

Yearly income limit (in U.S. $)
Your total income for the year must be less than or equal to this amount
Beginning monthly rate (in U.S. $) Rate of decrease
(also called a $1 decrement)
$800 $480 None 900 472 .08 1,000 464 .08 1,100 456 .08 1,200 448 .08 1,300 440 .08 1,400 432 .08 1,500 424 .08 1,600 416 .08 1,700 408 .08 1,800 400 .08 1,900 392 .08

$2,000 to $2,900

Yearly income limit (in U.S. $)
Your total income for the year must be less than or equal to this amount
Beginning monthly rate (in U.S. $) Rate of decrease
(also called a $1 decrement)
$2,000 $384 .08 2,100 376 .08 2,200 368 .08 2,300 360 .08 2,400 352 .08 2,500 344 .08 2,600 336 .08 2,700 328 .08 2,800 320 .08 2,900 312 .08

$3,000 to $3,900

Yearly income limit (in U.S. $)
Your total income for the year must be less than or equal to this amount
Beginning monthly rate (in U.S. $) Rate of decrease
(also called a $1 decrement)
$3,000 $304 .08 3,100 296 .08 3,200 288 .08 3,300 280 .08 3,400 272 .08 3,500 264 .08 3,600 256 .08 3,700 248 .08 3,800 240 .08 3,900 232 .08

$4,000 to $4,900

Yearly income limit (in U.S. $)
Your total income for the year must be less than or equal to this amount
Beginning monthly rate (in U.S. $) Rate of decrease
(also called a $1 decrement)
$4,000 $224 .08 4,100 216 .08 4,200 208 .08 4,300 200 .08 4,400 192 .08 4,500 184 .08 4,600 176 .08 4,700 168 .08 4,800 160 .08 4,900 152 .08

$5,000 to $5,900

Yearly income limit (in U.S. $)
Your total income for the year must be less than or equal to this amount
Beginning monthly rate (in U.S. $) Rate of decrease
(also called a $1 decrement)
$5,000 $144 .08 5,100 136 .08 5,200 128 .08 5,300 120 .08 5,400 112 .08 5,500 104 .08 5,600 96 .08 5,700 88 .08 5,800 80 .08 5,900 72 .08

$6,000 or more

Yearly income limit (in U.S. $)
Your total income for the year must be less than or equal to this amount
Beginning monthly rate (in U.S. $) Rate of decrease
(also called a $1 decrement)
$6,000 $64 .08 6,100 56 .08 6,200 48 .08 6,300 40 .08 6,400 32 .08 6,500 24 .08 6,600 16 .08 6,700 8 .08 6,737 5.04 .08 6,738 to 15,641 5 None

 

If the eligible parent lives with the Veteran’s other parent or a current spouse

These rates apply to you if you’re eligible for VA DIC as a surviving parent and both of the below descriptions are true for you.

Both of these must be true:

  • You and the Veteran’s other surviving parent are both alive, and
  • You’re living with the Veteran’s other surviving parent or a current spouse

Note: Your yearly income is how much money you earn during one calendar year (January 1 to December 31). This includes income from all sources, such as wages, salary, investment payments, rental properties, gifts, income of dependents living in your home, and some retirement payments. If you’re remarried and living with your spouse, this also includes your spouse’s income.

Find out if you're eligible for VA DIC as a surviving parent

Select the income range that applies to you

Click on an accordion to review the rate table. Use the amount in the first column that’s closest to your income when rounded up to find your beginning monthly rate. Then, follow the directions in the how to use the rate tables section to figure out your monthly payment.

Go to the how to use the rate tables section

$1,900 or less

Yearly income limit (in U.S. $)
Your total income for the year must be less than or equal to this amount
Beginning monthly rate (in U.S. $) Rate of decrease
(also called a $1 decrement)
$1,000 $452 None 1,100 449 .03 1,200 446 .03 1,300 443 .03 1,400 439 .04 1,500 435 .04 1,600 431 .04 1,700 426 .05 1,800 421 .05 1,900 416 .05

$2,000 to $2,900

Yearly income limit (in U.S. $)
Your total income for the year must be less than or equal to this amount
Beginning monthly rate (in U.S. $) Rate of decrease
(also called a $1 decrement)
$2,000 $410 .06 2,100 404 .06 2,200 398 .06 2,300 392 .06 2,400 386 .06 2,500 379 .07 2,600 372 .07 2,700 365 .07 2,800 358 .07 2,900 350 .08

$3,000 to $3,900

Yearly income limit (in U.S. $)
Your total income for the year must be less than or equal to this amount
Beginning monthly rate (in U.S. $) Rate of decrease
(also called a $1 decrement)
$3,000 $342 .08 3,100 334 .08 3,200 326 .08 3,300 318 .08 3,400 310 .08 3,500 302 .08 3,600 294 .08 3,700 286 .08 3,800 278 .08 3,900 270 .08

$4,000 to $4,900

Yearly income limit (in U.S. $)
Your total income for the year must be less than or equal to this amount
Beginning monthly rate (in U.S. $) Rate of decrease
(also called a $1 decrement)
$4,000 $262 .08 4,100 254 .08 4,200 246 .08 4,300 238 .08 4,400 230 .08 4,500 222 .08 4,600 214 .08 4,700 206 .08 4,800 198 .08 4,900 190 .08

$5,000 to $5,900

Yearly income limit (in U.S. $)
Your total income for the year must be less than or equal to this amount
Beginning monthly rate (in U.S. $) Rate of decrease
(also called a $1 decrement)
$5,000 $182 .08 5,100 174 .08 5,200 166 .08 5,300 158 .08 5,400 150 .08 5,500 142 .08 5,600 134 .08 5,700 126 .08 5,800 118 .08 5,900 110 .08

$6,000 to $6,900

Yearly income limit (in U.S. $)
Your total income for the year must be less than or equal to this amount
Beginning monthly rate (in U.S. $) Rate of decrease
(also called a $1 decrement)
$6,000 102 .08 6,100 94 .08 6,200 86 .08 6,300 78 .08 6,400 70 .08 6,500 62 .08 6,600 54 .08 6,700 46 .08 6,800 38 .08 6,900 30 .08

$7,000 or more

Yearly income limit (in U.S. $)
Your total income for the year must be less than or equal to this amount
Beginning monthly rate (in U.S. $) Rate of decrease
(also called a $1 decrement)
$7,000 22 .08 7,100 14 .08 7,200 6 .08 7,212 5.04 .08 7,213 to 21,024 5 None

How to use the rate tables to calculate your DIC payments

  1. Find your beginning monthly rate in the table above that applies to you.
    To do this, find the yearly income limit amount in the first column that’s closest to your income when rounded up. The amount listed to the right, in the middle column, is your beginning monthly rate. 

    For example: Let's say you're the eligible parent, living with the Veteran's other parent or a current spouse. For this example, click on the $7,000 or more income range directly above. If you earn $7,153 a year, you make more than $7,100, and less than $7,200. So you would use the $7,200 income limit. Your beginning monthly rate would be $6.

  2. Calculate the difference between your actual income and the income limit that's closest to your income when rounded down. 
    To do this, find the income limit in the first column that's closest to your income when rounded down. Subtract this income limit from your actual income.

    Using our example: $7,153 (actual income) - $7,100 (income limit closest to your income when rounded down) = $53

  3. Multiply this amount by the rate of decrease.
    The rate of decrease is the decimal listed in the last column. It helps us adjust your rate to match your actual income level.

    Using our example: $53 X .08 (rate of decrease) = $4.24

  4. Add this amount to your beginning monthly rate.
    The total is your monthly payment.

    Using our example: $4.24 + $6 (beginning monthly rate) = $10.24 (monthly payment)

  5. If you're eligible for Aid and Attendance, add $359.
    The total is your monthly payment with Aid and Attendance.

    Using our example: $10.24 (monthly payment) + $359 (Aid and Attendance) = $369.24 (monthly payment with Aid and Attendance)

    Find out if you're eligible for Aid and Attendance

  6. Next, determine your payment schedule
    How often you get a payment depends on your total amount for the year.

    Multiply your monthly payment amount by 12 months. Then use the payment schedule below, based on the total amount for the year.

    If your payments for the year add up to:

    • More than $228, we'll pay you monthly.
    • Between $144 and $228, we'll pay you 4 times a year, or 1 payment every 3 months.
    • Between $72 and $144, we'll pay you 2 times a year, or 1 payment every 6 months.
    • Less than $72, we'll pay you once a year.

    Using our example: 12 X $369.24 (monthly payment amount with Aid and Attendance) = $4,430.88 (total year's value).

    Because your total year's worth of payment is more than $228, you'd be paid on a monthly schedule.