VA Form 21P-534EZ is the single application survivors use to claim Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), the Survivors Pension, and accrued benefits after a veteran’s death. You can complete it online at VA.gov, upload a filled PDF through the AccessVA QuickSubmit tool, or mail it to the VA’s Pension Intake Center in Janesville, Wisconsin. Because the form bundles three benefit streams into one filing, the VA evaluates everything you may be owed from a single submission.
Before you start typing, do two things: figure out which of the three benefits apply to your situation, and file an intent to file if you aren’t ready to submit the full application today. Both steps protect money.
What the Form Covers
DIC is a tax-free monthly payment for surviving spouses, children, and dependent parents when the veteran died from a service-connected condition or died on active duty. For 2026, the base DIC rate for a surviving spouse is $1,699.36 per month.
The Survivors Pension is a needs-based benefit for low-income survivors of wartime veterans whose death was not service-related. The VA pays the difference between your countable annual income and a Maximum Annual Pension Rate set by Congress. To qualify, your net worth cannot exceed $163,699 for the benefit period running December 1, 2025 through November 30, 2026.
Accrued benefits are payments the VA owed the veteran but had not yet paid at the time of death. If the veteran had a pending claim or appeal, you can also ask to take it over through a process called substitution.
You can check the box for one, two, or all three on the same form.
Documents to Gather Before You Start
Collecting paperwork up front prevents a development letter later. You will need:
- The veteran’s death certificate, unless the veteran died on active duty.
- The veteran’s DD Form 214 or equivalent, showing branch, dates of active duty, and character of discharge.
- Your marriage certificate, plus divorce decrees or death certificates for any prior spouses of either of you. The VA wants the full marital history for both sides.
- Birth certificates for dependent children; adoption papers if applicable. For a child aged 18 to 23 who is in school, add VA Form 21-674 (Request for Approval of School Attendance).
- Financial records: bank statements, tax returns, and documentation of every income source. If your assets exceed $75,000 or you have multiple income sources, the VA may require a separate VA Form 21P-0969 (Income and Asset Statement).
- Medical evidence for DIC if the death certificate does not name a service-connected cause. A medical opinion, sometimes called a nexus letter, should state that the link is “at least as likely as not” and explain the reasoning. Private nexus evaluations run from about $500 to over $3,000.
- Direct deposit information: routing number and account number.
If you’re claiming a higher pension rate for Aid and Attendance or Housebound status, you’ll also need VA Form 21-2680 (Examination for Housebound Status or Permanent Need for Regular Aid and Attendance), completed by a medical provider.
Lock in Your Effective Date First
When benefits start depends on when the VA receives your claim. If it arrives within one year of the veteran’s death, the effective date is the first day of the month the veteran died, and back pay covers every month between the death and the decision. File more than a year out, and benefits start from the date the VA receives the claim. Those interim months are gone.
If you need time to gather documents, file VA Form 21-0966 (Intent to File). It’s short: you check a box for the type of benefit you plan to claim. That filing gives you one year to submit the completed 21P-534EZ, and the VA treats the full application as though it arrived on the intent-to-file date.
Filling Out the Form, Section by Section
The form has 14 sections. Skip the ones that don’t fit your situation.
Section I — Veteran’s Identification. Full legal name, Social Security number, VA file number if you have it, date of birth, date of death, and whether the veteran died on active duty. Leave the VA file number blank if you don’t know it; the VA can pull it from the Social Security number.
Section II — Claimant’s Identification. Your name, relationship to the veteran, Social Security number, date of birth, mailing address, phone, and email. Note here if you are also a veteran.
Section III — Veteran’s Service Information. Branch, dates of active duty, place of last separation, and any Reserve or Guard details. Flag POW status if it applies. Pull these dates straight from the DD-214. Estimates cause delays.
Section IV — Marital Information. Date and place of your marriage to the veteran, type of ceremony, and how the marriage ended. This establishes your legal standing as a surviving spouse.
Section V — Marital History. Previous marriages for both of you: former spouse’s name, marriage and termination dates, and how each ended. The VA uses this to rule out conflicting spousal claims.
Section VI — Children of the Veteran. Names, birth dates, Social Security numbers, and places of birth for all dependent children. Mark any child who is married, disabled, or attending school between 18 and 23.
Section VII — DIC. Check the box if you’re claiming DIC. If you believe the veteran’s death resulted from VA medical treatment, you can claim under 38 U.S.C. § 1151; list the facility and treatment dates. This section also includes a PACT Act re-evaluation option for toxic-exposure deaths.
Section VIII — Aid and Attendance or Housebound. Complete this if you are in a nursing home, need help with daily activities, or are largely confined to your home. Submit VA Form 21-2680 with it.
Section IX — Income and Assets. Total assets and whether any exceed $75,000, any assets you transferred in the three years before filing, primary residence details, and all family income sources. The VA cross-references this information, and discrepancies cause delays.
Section X — Medical and Other Expenses. Unreimbursed medical costs, in-home or facility care, and the veteran’s last illness and burial expenses. These reduce your countable income for pension purposes and can raise your benefit.
Section XI — Direct Deposit. Bank name, routing number, account number.
Section XII — Certification and Signature. Sign and date. You are certifying that everything is true to the best of your knowledge.
Section XIII — Witnesses. Only required if you signed with an “X” mark. Two witnesses sign and give their addresses.
Section XIV — Alternate Signer. A court-appointed representative or authorized agent signs here, with documentation of authority.
A Warning on Asset Transfers
If you’re applying for the Survivors Pension and your net worth is near the $163,699 limit, don’t give assets away to qualify. The VA reviews any transfer for less than fair market value in the three years before you filed. If the transferred amount would have pushed you above the limit, the VA imposes a penalty period of up to five years, during which you receive no pension. The penalty is calculated by dividing the amount transferred by $2,874. Once applied, there is no undo. Gifts, below-market sales, and trust transfers inside the lookback window can cost you years of benefits.
How to Submit
Three options:
- Online at VA.gov. The VA hosts an online version of the 21P-534EZ. You’ll need a verified login through Login.gov or ID.me.
- AccessVA QuickSubmit. Fill out the PDF, scan it, and upload it at eauth.va.gov/accessva. Use the same tool to upload supporting documents like the death certificate and DD-214.
- Mail. Send everything to: Department of Veterans Affairs, Pension Intake Center, PO Box 5365, Janesville, WI 53547-5365. Use certified mail or a trackable service so you have proof of the receipt date.
After You File
You’ll get a formal acknowledgment once the VA has the claim in its system. Track progress through the claim status tool on VA.gov as the file moves from initial review to evidence gathering to decision.
Recent VA data shows average processing times of about 73 days for both DIC and Survivors Pension claims, down from 160-plus days in prior years. Complete, well-documented claims often move faster than the average; missing evidence or a required medical opinion will push the timeline out.
The decision comes by mail. An approval letter lays out your monthly amount, effective date, and first-payment timing. A denial letter explains the reasons and your options for a Supplemental Claim, Higher-Level Review, or Board Appeal. Filing any decision review within one year of the denial preserves your original effective date, so an eventual approval can still include back pay to the date you first filed.