{"type":"dic","title":"Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC)","short":"Tax-free monthly benefit for surviving spouses, children, and parents of service-connected-deceased veterans.","eligibility":["Surviving spouse: must have been married to the veteran 1+ years OR have a child with them OR married before veteran's discharge if certain conditions met","Surviving children: under 18, OR 18-23 in school, OR any age if disabled before 18","Surviving parents: low-income parents may qualify under separate criteria","Veteran's death must be related to a service-connected condition (presumed if veteran was P&T at time of death for 10+ years)"],"monthly_2025_amount":"$1,653.07 base for surviving spouse","additional_modifiers":"Plus dependent allowances ($410 for each child) + housebound/aid-and-attendance increases","form":"VA Form 21P-534EZ","download_url":"https://www.va.gov/find-forms/about-form-21p-534ez/","next_step":"CVSO can file at no cost — find_cvso (MCP) or /api/resources/search?type=cvso","cached_seconds":86400}