The 2022 Dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) rates will see a 5.9% increase based on the Social Security Administration’s cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) increase. Congress passed legislation in early October to increase DIC and other benefits in tandem with the Social Security COLA.
To calculate the DIC rate increase, the average of the indices of July, Aug. and Sept. 2021 was compared to the 2020 third-quarter average. DIC rates for 2022 are effective Dec. 1, 2021.
See our COLA increase watch for the most recent updates on COLA. Dependency and indemnity compensation rate increases are determined by cost-of-living adjustments.
DIC is a tax-free monetary benefit generally payable to a surviving spouse, child or parent of service members who died while on active duty, active duty for training or inactive duty training or to survivors of veterans who died from their service-connected disabilities. Parents DIC is an income-based benefit for parents who were financially dependent on a service member or veteran who died from a service-related cause.
2022 Dependency and Indemnity Compensation Dates
Effective date: Dec. 1, 2021
First paycheck: Dec. 31, 2021
DIC Rates if the Veteran Died on or After Jan. 1, 1993
If you’re the surviving spouse of a veteran, your monthly payment rate is $1,437.65, effective Dec. 1, 2021.
You may also be eligible for added amounts based on certain factors. Find any descriptions in the table below that are true for you. Add the amount listed in the added monthly amount column of each description to your monthly payment. This is your total monthly payment.
Added Amounts for Surviving Spouses
Veteran’s Death Was on or After Jan. 1, 1993
Basic monthly rate = $1,437.65 (38 U.S.C. 1311(a)(1))
Additional Allowances:
| If this description is true: | You may qualify for this benefit | Added monthly amount (in U.S. $) |
|---|---|---|
| The veteran had a VA disability rating of totally disabled (including for individual unemployability) for at least eight full years leading up to their death, and you were married to the veteran for those same eight years | Eight-year provision | $305.27 |
| You have a disability and need help with regular daily activities (like eating, bathing or dressing) | Aid and attendance | $356.16 |
| You can’t leave your house because of a disability | Housebound allowance | $166.84 |
| You have one or more children who are under age 18 | Transitional benefit, and DIC apportionment rate | $306.05 for the first two years after the Veteran’s death $356.16 for each eligible child |
Find the survivor status below that applies to you.
Surviving Dependent Child of a Veteran, When the Veteran Has no Surviving Spouse:
Your monthly payment rate is $607.01, effective Dec. 1, 2021.
Surviving, Unmarried Adult Child of a Veteran, When the Veteran’s Surviving Spouse Is Also Eligible for DIC:
This monthly payment is made to you separately as the adult surviving child, in addition to the eligible surviving spouse’s compensation.
Monthly DIC Payment Rates
Effective Dec. 1, 2021
Child Status Monthly Payment (in U.S. $)
Schoolchild: $301.74
Helpless child: $607.01
Surviving Eligible Child of a Veteran, When the Veteran Doesn’t Have a Surviving Spouse Who’s Eligible for DIC:
Your DIC payment amount is based on the number of the veteran’s eligible surviving children. Eligible children include children who are under age 18 or who are between ages 18 and 23 and in a qualified school program.
Monthly Payment Rates
Effective Dec. 1, 2021
| Number of Veteran’s Eligible Children | Monthly Rate for Each Child (in U.S. $) | Total Monthly Payment (in U.S. $) |
|---|---|---|
| One | $607.01 | $607.01 |
| Two | $436.62 | $1,137.36 |
| Three | $339.00 | $1,356.00 |
| Four | $320.12 | $1,429.55 |
| Five | $285.91 | $1,429.55 |
| Six | $298.19 | $1,789.14 |
| Seven | $286.52 | $2,005.64 |
| Eight | $277.77 | $2,222.16 |
| Nine | $270.97 | $2,438.73 |
*For each helpless child (an adult child who became permanently unable to support themselves before age 18) older than 18, add $356.16
**For each additional child, add $216.54
2021 Surviving Spouse’s Rates
Veteran’s Death Was Before Jan. 1, 1993
Enlisted Pay Grades
E-1 E-2 E-3 E-4 E-5
$1,437.65 $1,437.65 $1,437.65 $1,437.65 $1,437.65
E-6 E-7 E-8 E-9 E-9*
$1,437.65 $1,487.35 $1,570.20 $1,637.63 $1,546.40
* E-9 special capacity veteran spouse rate: $1,767.80
- Sergeant Major of the Army or Marine Corps
- Senior enlisted adviser of the Navy
- Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force
- Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard
2021 Warrant Officer Pay Grades
Warrant Officer Rank
W-1 W-2 W-3 W-4
$1,518.14 $1,578.47 $1,624.62 $1,719.27
2021 Officer Pay Grades
| Officer Rank | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| O-1 | O-2 | O-3 | O-4 |
| $1,518.14 | $1,570.20 | $1,677.86 | $1,786.90 |
| O-5 | O-6 | O-7 | O-8 |
| $1,957.12 | $2,206.79 | $2,381.89 | $2,616.19 |
| O-9 | O-10 | O-10* | |
| $2,798.41 | $3,069.37 | $3,294.20 | |
O-10 special capacity veteran served as: $3,294.20
- Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Chief of Staff of the Army or Air Force
Chief of Naval Operations
Commandant of the Marine Corps
The Survivor Benefit Plan and Phase-Out of the SBP-DIC Offset
The Survivor Benefit Plan, sponsored and subsidized by the Department of Defense, provides up to 55% of a service member’s retired pay to an eligible beneficiary in the event that the service member passes away.
Under the current law, a surviving spouse who receives DIC is subject to a dollar-for-dollar reduction of SBP payments, which can result in SBP being either partially or fully offset.
On Jan. 1, 2021, the offset was repealed with a phase-in reduction. It will be entirely removed by Jan. 1, 2023.
Find more answers with the DoD’s SBP-DIC frequently asked questions document.
