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Adding dependents to your compensation (30% and up)
At a combined rating of 30% or higher, VA pays extra for your spouse, children, and dependent parents. It is not automatic. You have to tell VA.
At a glance
| Rating needed | Combined 30% or more |
| Who counts | Spouse (including common-law and same-sex marriages); unmarried children under 18; children 18 to 23 in school full time; children of any age who became permanently disabled before 18; parents who depend on you financially |
| Forms | VA Form 21-686c (spouse, children under 18); add VA Form 21-674 for each child 18 to 23 in school. Both online at VA.gov |
| Official page | va.gov add or remove a dependent |
What it adds in 2026 (effective Dec 1, 2025)
| Dependent | At 30% | At 100% |
|---|---|---|
| Spouse | +$65.00 | +$219.59 |
| First child | +$44.00 | +$146.85 |
| Each additional child under 18 | +$32.00 | +$109.11 |
| Each additional child 18 to 23 in school | +$105.00 | +$352.45 |
| One dependent parent | +$52.00 | +$176.24 |
| Spouse who needs aid & attendance | +$61.00 | +$201.41 |
Amounts in between (40% to 90%) scale up. The calculator applies them for you. These "+" figures are subtracted from VA's published table rows.
The one-year rule
Tell VA within one year of the marriage, birth, adoption, or the rating decision that got you to 30%, and the extra pay goes back to that date. Tell VA later, and it starts only when you tell them (38 CFR 3.401(b)).
- School-age kids: file the 21-674 before each school year. It lapses when the term ends.
- Divorce, a child turning 18, a death: you must remove the dependent or VA will create an overpayment and take it back.
- The first child 18 to 23 in school is priced as the "first child" on VA's table; only additional school-age children get the higher add-on. Needs verification
Sources
- VA compensation rates, Dec 1, 2025 (page updated Dec 2, 2025)
- VA add or remove a dependent (page updated Sep 17, 2021; rules unchanged)
- 38 CFR 3.401(b) effective dates for dependents
- VA Form 21-686c (form revised Aug 2025)
- VA Form 21-674 (form revised Nov 2024)
All links checked and content verified on Oct 16, 2026. Rules change; confirm on the official page before you act.