How much does the VA pay for dependents?
At 30 percent or higher, a spouse, children, and dependent parents each add to your monthly VA compensation. The amount scales with your rating, so the same dependent is worth more at 100 percent than at 30 percent.
The 30 percent threshold
This is the rule that surprises people. At 10 and 20 percent, compensation is a flat amount regardless of family size. 1 Dependent additions begin at 30 percent.
So a veteran rated 20 percent with a spouse and three children receives the same monthly payment as a single veteran rated 20 percent.
Roughly what each dependent adds in 2026
Because the amounts scale with the rating, these are ranges running from 30 percent at the low end to 100 percent at the high end:
| Dependent | Added per month |
|---|---|
| Spouse | about $65 to $220 |
| Each child under 18 | about $32 to $109 |
| Each child 18 to 23 in school | about $246 to $352 |
| Dependent parent | about $52 to $176 |
| Spouse needing aid and attendance | about $121 to $201 |
These add together. A spouse and two children add all three amounts.
Why the amounts scale
Dependent additions are built into the rate tables at each rating level rather than being flat sums. The higher the rating, the larger the addition. This is why two veterans with the same spouse can receive noticeably different dependent amounts.
Children over 18
A child usually stops counting as a dependent at 18. The exception is a child between 18 and 23 who is attending an approved school, which not only keeps the dependent status but carries a notably larger addition than a child under 18. Establishing it generally requires VA Form 21-674, the Request for Approval of School Attendance.
A child who became permanently incapable of self-support before turning 18 may remain a dependent without an age limit.
Dependent parents
Parents can be claimed, and this one is genuinely little known. Unlike a spouse or child, a parent has to be financially dependent on the veteran, which is an income and net worth test. The claim is made on VA Form 21-509, the Statement of Dependency of Parents.
Keeping it current runs both directions
Dependent status is added or changed on VA Form 21-686c through VA.gov. Marriage, a new child, and a child starting school all raise the payment.
Divorce, a child aging out, and a dependent's death lower it. When the VA is not told, it keeps paying the higher amount, and that difference becomes an overpayment the veteran is asked to repay later. Keeping the record current protects against a debt letter, not just a missed increase.
Effective dates
When dependency evidence is received within one year of the rating action that made the veteran eligible, the addition can be effective from that rating date. 2 Outside that window, the effective date is generally tied to when the claim was received.
An accredited VSO can help with dependency claims at no cost.