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If you're the survivor of a veteran who died from a service-connected condition, Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC)is a tax-free monthly benefit. This estimates your 2026 payment — the surviving-spouse base rate plus the common add-ons most people don't know to ask about.
Sources: VA.gov — DIC rates (effective Dec 1, 2025), VA.gov — DIC for spouses & dependents, Find a free VSO
Adds $421.00/month for each eligible child.
Estimated monthly DIC payment
$1,699.36
tax-free · about $20,392/year
Rates effective December 1, 2025 (2025-12-01), the current DIC rates, sourced from VA.gov. DIC is tax-free. This estimates the surviving-spouse benefit with the common add-ons; the add-ons stack on the $1,699.36 base.
Not included: parents' DIC (income-based), the add-on for children in a qualifying school program past 18, and special situations. Aid & Attendance and Housebound are mutually exclusive. Confirm your exact entitlement with a VSO.
SBP + DIC: the SBP-DIC offset (the "widow's tax") was fully eliminated as of January 2023 — eligible survivors now receive their full military Survivor Benefit Plan annuity and full DIC, no longer reduced by each other. A free VSO can confirm your situation. Educational estimate, not a benefits decision.
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Related: model a living veteran's rate with the combined rating calculator, see what a 100% P&T rating unlocks in the benefits checklist, or get free filing help from a VSO.