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Helping The Brave, because no brave fights alone

Benefits education

Family, caregivers and survivors

Spouses, children, caregivers and survivors have benefits in their own right. Many go unclaimed because families never hear about them.

Who this is for: Spouses, children, caregivers and surviving family members.

Health care for family

CHAMPVA covers the spouse or child of a veteran who is permanently and totally disabled from a service-connected condition, or who died from one, when they are not eligible for TRICARE.

The Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers can provide a stipend, training, respite and health coverage for an approved primary caregiver of an eligible veteran.

Survivor benefits

Dependency and Indemnity Compensation is a monthly payment to eligible surviving spouses, children and in some cases parents when a veteran dies from a service-connected condition, or in certain cases after being rated totally disabled for a period of time.

Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance and the Fry Scholarship can pay for a survivor's education. Burial benefits and a headstone or marker are separate again.

  • Claims for survivors have their own forms and deadlines; a county office can file them at no cost.
  • Keep the veteran's DD214, marriage and birth certificates, and the death certificate together.

Support for the people doing the caring

The VA Caregiver Support Line at 1-855-260-3274 connects caregivers with a local support coordinator. Peer support, counseling and respite exist and are underused.

Questions to bring to an accredited representative

County veteran service officers and VSO representatives help at no cost. Accredited attorneys and claims agents may charge fees in the limited situations allowed by law.

  • Does our family qualify for CHAMPVA or TRICARE?
  • Can I apply for the caregiver program, and what does approval involve?
  • As a survivor, am I eligible for DIC, and what evidence is needed?
  • Are there education benefits for our children?
Find your county officeSearch accredited help nationwide

Your next step

Family and caregiver resourcesFind your county officeVA family and caregiver benefits

Official sources

Reviewed against these sources on September 22, 2026. Rules change. Confirm details with VA or an accredited representative before you act on them.

This guide is general education. It does not decide your eligibility, it is not legal or medical advice, and Helping The Brave is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Keep reading

Eligibility basics

Discharge status, service period and length of service decide which doors are open to you. Understanding them first saves months of guessing.

Disability compensation

A monthly, tax-free payment for conditions connected to your service. The rating is about how much the condition limits you, not how severe it feels.

VA health care

Enrollment puts you in a priority group, and that group decides what you pay. Many veterans who assume they do not qualify actually do.