The Surviving Spouse's Guide to VA Benefits

When a veteran dies, the VA does not send a list of what the surviving spouse is owed. Almost every benefit must be claimed, on the right form, with the right proof, and the clock starts sooner than most families realize. This step-by-step guide shows surviving spouses, and the adult children helping them, how to claim every benefit the VA provides after a veteran's death: DIC, the Survivors Pension, CHAMPVA health coverage, education benefits, burial honors, and the money the VA may already owe. Written in plain language with current 2026 figures, it explains which programs fit your situation, how to file correctly the first time, how to reopen an old denial, and how to get free help from accredited Veterans Service Officers so you never have to pay a lawyer.