If a veteran is living, an absent dependent can be a dependent spouse, child(ren), or parent (for disability compensation payments only) who does not reside with the veteran.

If a veteran is deceased, an absent dependent for a surviving spouse is the surviving spouses dependent child(ren) who does not reside with the surviving spouse.

Under the first-of-the-month (FOM) rule, we determine an absent dependents residence as of the first moment of the month. For information on the first-of-the-month rules, see SI 00835.500.

NOTE: The VA recognizes an absent dependent spouse because a marital relationship exists between the veteran and the absent dependent spouse. However, if the veteran and their spouse are divorced, the divorced spouse would no longer receive any VA apportionment or augmentation payments.

Apportionment is the VA's direct payment of the dependent's portion of VA benefits to a dependent spouse, child or parent (for disability compensation payments only). Apportionment reduces the amount of the augmented benefit otherwise payable to the veteran or veteran's surviving spouse because the augmented portion of the benefit is instead paid directly to the dependent spouse, child, or parent (for disability compensation payments only) for whom the benefit amount was increased.

On February 9, 2026, the VA discontinued making new needs-based apportionment awards except in very limited circumstances where: (1) the veteran (or surviving spouse) is incarcerated; or (2) the veteran is incompetent, does not have a fiduciary, and is institutionalized (e.g., in a hospital, nursing home, or other domiciliary care) at government expense.

There are no changes for dependents with existing apportionment awards as of February 9, 2026, as a result of this change to the VA’s apportionment policy. All apportionments being paid as of February 9, 2026, will continue to be paid until the circumstances that provided entitlement to the apportionment no longer exist (e.g., divorce, death of the veteran/primary beneficiary or apportionee, etc.).

For more information about benefit filing requirements before and after the change to the VA’s apportionment rules effective February 9, 2026, see SI 00510.005.

An augmented benefit is an increase in a VA benefit payment to a veteran or a veteran's surviving spouse that is based on the existence of a dependent spouse, child, or parent (for disability compensation payments only). The augmented VA benefit includes a veteran's portion and any dependents' portions.) The VA normally issues an augmented VA benefit as a single payment to the veteran or the veteran's surviving spouse.

A beneficiary is an individual entitled to VA benefits. . Depending on the context, a beneficiary can be the veteran, the veteran’s (surviving) spouse, a dependent child, or a dependent parent.

For purposes of this section:

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  If a veteran is living, the veteran is the beneficiary;

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  If a veteran is deceased, the veterans surviving spouse is the beneficiary;

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  If a veteran is deceased, and the veterans surviving child is independent of the veterans surviving spouse, the surviving child is the beneficiary; and

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  If a spouse, child, or parent (for disability compensation payments only) receives a benefit directly from the VA through apportionment, the apportioned spouse, child, or parent is a beneficiary.

NOTE: The VA does not augment the benefit payments for:

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  Surviving child improved death pension; or

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  Surviving child Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC); or

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  Parents' DIC benefits.

The beneficiary's portion is the amount of VA benefits that is attributable to the veteran, (surviving spouse), child, or dependent parent.

NOTE: For surviving child improved death pension, surviving child Dependency Indemnity Compensation (DIC), and parents DIC benefits, the entire payment is for the surviving child or surviving parent.

An absent spouse receiving benefits directly from the VA through apportionment may receive the entire payment where the payment includes augmented portions for dependent children in their custody.

For purposes of this section, a child is a son or daughter (biological, adoptive, or by marriage) who is:

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  under age 18;

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  age 18-23 (inclusive) and a student; or

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  age 18 or older, and disabled before age 18.

A dependent is someone who is or was dependent on the veteran for financial support, as determined by the VA.

For purposes of this section, if a veteran is:

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  living and receiving VA compensation payments, dependents can be the veterans spouse, child(ren), or dependent parent(s);

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  living and receiving VA pension payments, dependents can be the veterans spouse and child(ren); and

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  deceased, dependents for the veteran are the surviving spouse and any related (biological or adopted) children.

The dependent's portion is the part of an augmented benefit that is attributable to the dependent.

A divorced spouse is no longer married to the veteran, and the VA cannot make payments by apportionment or augmentation to the divorced spouse. If any of the veteran's dependent children are in the custody of the divorced spouse, the VA may make apportionment payments directly to the dependent children in some circumstances. When this happens and the dependent children are in the custody of the divorced spouse, normally the divorced spouse acts as the fiduciary for the dependent children. For the definition of fiduciary, see SI 00830.314B.10. in this section.

A fiduciary is one who is legally

responsible to another and oversees the financial management of the other person's benefits either because of the individual's age or because it has been determined that the individual is unable to manage their financial affairs.

We consider any portion of an apportioned VA benefit the VA pays directly to a dependent spouse, child, or parent (for disability compensation only), as VA income to the dependent spouse, child, or parent who receives it. It is not considered a support payment from the veteran. For more information about Alimony and Spousal Support, see SI 00830.418, and for Child Support, see SI 00830.420.

NOTE: On February 9, 2026, the VA discontinued making new needs-based apportionment awards except in very limited circumstances where: (1) the veteran (or surviving spouse) is incarcerated; or (2) the veteran is incompetent, does not have a fiduciary, and is institutionalized (e.g., in a hospital, nursing home, or other domiciliary care) at government expense.

For information on Apportionment, see SI 00830.314B.2. in this section.

NOTE 2: Court-ordered support payments are not VA income. (For more information on Alimony and Spousal Support, see SI 00830.418, and for Child Support, see SI 00830.420.)

The beneficiary's portion is the amount of VA benefits that are attributable to the veteran, child, (surviving spouse), or dependent parent. A given beneficiary's portion counts as income to that beneficiary.

The dependent's portion of an augmented VA benefit is considered VA income to the dependent only if the dependent resides with the veteran or the veteran's surviving spouse. The dependent's portion is not a support payment from the veteran, it is VA income. For more information about Alimony and Spousal Support see SI 00830.418, and for Child Support, see SI 00830.420.

Prior to November 17, 1994, if the VA did not deny an application for apportionment, an absent dependent's portion of an augmented VA benefit that the veteran received was VA income to the absent dependent.

If the VA denied an application for apportionment, the absent dependent's portion, less any amount the veteran provided to the absent dependent, was income to the veteran.

EXAMPLE: Prior to 11/17/94 and apportionment denied

SSI child recipient, Susan Baker, is an absent dependent. The VA denied Susan's application for apportionment. Susan's parent, Joseph Baker, is a veteran and also an SSI recipient. Joseph receives an augmented monthly VA pension of $450 on the first of each month. Joseph has no other dependents. During 1993, Joseph sends Susan $25 per month. The VA Regional Office (VARO) verified that Susan's portion of the VA benefit is $50. The claims specialist (CS) inputs $25 as a child support payment (type N income) for Susan and $425 as VA pension based on need (type E income) for Joseph for payments received prior to November 17, 1994.

An absent dependent's portion of an augmented VA benefit the veteran receives on or after November 17, 1994, is not VA income to either the dependent or the veteran. This is true even if the veteran continues to receive the absent dependent's portion of the VA payment and does not release it to them.

For the policy on payments the veteran made to an absent dependent, see SI 00830.314C.6. in this section.

A payment from a veteran to an absent dependent on or after November 17, 1994 is not VA income to the absent dependent. It is unearned income in the form of a gift, a support payment, in-kind support and maintenance, or other income.

EXAMPLE: Effective 11/17/94 an augmented VA benefit without apportionment

Scottie Jones, age 17, and their parent, Raymond Jones, are both SSI recipients who do not reside together. Raymond receives a VA pension for $450 per month. The payment includes the veteran's portion of $400 for Raymond and the dependents portion of $50 for Scottie (Raymond's only dependent). Because Scottie is an absent dependent, the $50 Raymond receives on Scottie's behalf is not income to Raymond or to Scottie. However, Raymond sends Scottie a money order for $25 per month. The CS inputs $25 as child support (type N income) for Scottie since support payments count as other unearned income and not VA income. The VARO verified that Raymond's portion of the VA benefit is $400. The CS inputs $400 as VA pension based on need (type E income) for Raymond.

The veteran is the beneficiary and the VA augments their VA payment for the dependent child. Since the dependent lives with the veteran, the payment counts as income for the child.

EXAMPLE: Dana is a 16 year-old SSI recipient who lives with her father, Alan, who is a veteran and SSI recipient. Alan receives $300 in VA payments each month as verified by VARO. The monthly VA payment is augmented by $50 for Dana. Since Dana lives with Alan, the $50 dependent’s portion counts for Dana as VA income.

The absent dependent child, who is in the custody of the veteran's divorced spouse, receives direct payment of their augmented portion of the veteran’s benefit through VA apportionment. The apportioned payment that the child receives counts as VA income to the child. Normally, the divorced spouse acts as the fiduciary for a dependent child.

For a definition of fiduciary, see SI 00830.314B.10. in this section.

The VA determines the parent is financially dependent on the veteran. The veteran receives augmented disability compensation payment from the VA for the dependent parent. If the parent lives with the veteran, their augmented portion of the disability compensation payment counts as VA income to the parent. If the parent does not live with the veteran and receives their augmented portion by apportionment, the amount they receive through apportionment counts as VA income to the parent. If the parent does not live with the veteran and there is no apportionment, the augmented portion of the disability compensation payment that the veteran receives based on the dependent parent does not count as VA income to either the veteran or the absent dependent parent (effective 11/17/1994).

Input the veteran's portion as VA income to the veteran only if the interface did not post the income. A verification code of 2, 3, or 4 following the claim number of the VA income entry on the SSR indicates an interface posting.

If the case has an active SSI claim system pending file, process the actions on the SSI claim system using the VETERANS AFFAIRS PAYMENT page. For information on the Veterans Affairs Payment page, see MS 08114.052.

For the specific rules to input VA Compensation or Pension not based on need (type C unearned income) and based on need (type E unearned income) for a dependent, see SM 01305.296.

NOTE: To input VA educational benefits on the SSI claim system, select EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS payment TYPE on the drop-down list on the VETERANS AFFAIRS PAYMENT page.

If the interface did not post the income, input the dependent spouse's portion (but not an absent dependent spouse's portion) as VA income to the dependent spouse. A verification code of 2, 3, or 4 following the claim number of the VA income entry on the SSR indicates an interface posting.

If the case has an active SSI claim system pending file, process the actions on the SSI claim system using the VETERANS AFFAIRS PAYMENT page. For information on the Veterans Affairs Payment page, see MS 08114.052.

For the specific rules to input VA Compensation or Pension that is either not based on need (type C unearned income) or based on need (type E unearned income) for a dependent, see SM 01305.2961.

NOTE: Include the special program service center office code (PCOC) code of "D" following the claim number to indicate a dependent when inputting type C or E income. For information on VA PCOC entries, see SM 02002.015. To input VA educational benefits on the SSI claim system, select EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS payment TYPE on the drop-down list on the VETERANS AFFAIRS PAYMENT page.

If the interface does not post the income to the SSR, input the dependent child's portion (but not an absent dependent child's portion) as VA income to the dependent child. A verification code of 2, 3, or 4 following the claim number of the VA income entry on the SSR indicates an interface posting.

If the case has an active Supplemental Security Income (SSI) claims system pending file, process the actions on the SSI claim system using the VETERANS AFFAIRS PAYMENT page.

For information on the Veterans Affairs Payment page, see MS 08114.052.

For the specific rules to input VA Compensation or VA Pension that is either not based on need (type C unearned income) or based on need (type E unearned income) for a dependent, see SM 01305.296.

NOTE: When you input type C or E income, include the PCOC code of "D" following the claim number. For information on VA PCOC entries, see SM 02002.015.

To input VA educational benefits on the SSI claim system from the VETERANS AFFAIRS PAYMENT page drop-down list, select EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS payment TYPE.