United States Department of Veterans Affairs

Survivors' (Death) Pension Calculation

How Does VA Calculate a Survivors' (Death) Pension Amount?

Your pension is calculated to be an amount equal to the difference between your income for VA purposes and the maximum annual pension rate set by Congress.

  • If, for example, the maximum annual pension rate for a spouse without a dependent, as set by Congress, is $8,219 and your income is $6,000, your VA pension will be $2,219 ($8,219 - $6,000 = $2,219) paid in monthly installments.


  • If your income for VA purposes is more than $8,219 in this example, then you are not eligible for VA Survivors' (Death) Pension for that year.  You may reapply again at any time your income for VA purposes falls below the limit.


  • A portion of your unreimbursed medical expenses (what you paid out of pocket after medical insurance pays) may reduce your income for VA purposes.     You can apply the portion of your unreimbursed medical expenses only if the expenses exceed 5% of the maximum annual pension rate allowed by Congress.   Using the example above for an income of $6,000:
    • If your medical expenses for a year are $8,000 and your medical insurance pays $6,400 of that, your unreimbursed medical expense is ($8,000 - $6,400) $1,600.


    • The unreimbursed medical expenses must exceed 5% of $8,219, or $410 to be deductible.   Since your unreimbursed medical expenses ($1,600) in this example are greater than $410, the portion of the unreimbursed medical expenses that exceed $410, or $1,190, may be deducted from your income for VA purposes which then increases the amount VA will pay to you.


    • The ($1,600 - $410) $1,190 out of pocket medical expenses will reduce your income from $6,000 to $4,810 ($6,000 - $1,190).


    • Your VA pension would then be $8,219 (maximum annual pension rate for a spouse with no dependents) minus $4,810 (total income after deducting unreimbursed medical expenses), or $3,409 for that year.

    Net worth, or corpus of estate (the value of your assets) also has a bearing on your pension eligibility.   Because VA pension is a needs based benefit, a large net worth may render you ineligible.
    Net worth and corpus of estate mean the market value, less mortgages or other encumbrances, of all real and personal property owned by the claimant, except the claimant's dwelling (single family unit), including a reasonable lot area, and personal effects suitable to and consistent with the claimant's reasonable mode of life.
    There are a number of other criteria that may affect your eligibility to pension benefits such as requiring the need of regular aid and attendance to manage your activities of daily living, or you are in a care facility.   That is why we encourage you to go ahead and file an application, particularly if your income for VA purposes appears to be near the maximum annual pension rate.



Disclaimer --We will make every effort to keep this Internet Site current and accurate, but there will surely be times when this site will not be current.   These pages are for general information only, your best source of current information is to contact the managers of the benefits programs.