The Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) benefit paid by the Department of Veterans Affairs to survivors of certain deceased veterans will be increasing by 8.7% for 2023.
What Is DIC?
DIC is a monthly benefit paid to eligible survivors of certain deceased veterans. There are two main types, one for surviving spouses and one for surviving parents.
The surviving spouse DIC is a congressionally mandated monthly benefit which is adjusted annually based on the Cost-of-Living.
Under most circumstances, a surviving spouse under 57 years old who remarries cannot receive DIC. Spouses, however, are eligible for increased benefits if they have children under 18, or if they have a disability themselves that requires living assistance.
Parent DIC is based on the parent's income. Typically, only those parents whose income is below a certain level are eligible.
How Much Is DIC?
The basic monthly tax-free DIC benefit will increase from $1,437.66 for 2022 to $1,562.74 for 2023, with additional amounts also seeing the 8.7% increase.
Phaseout of Widows Tax
In 2023, affected surviving spouses who receive DIC and Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) payments from the deceased veteran's military service will no longer see their SBP payments decreased by the monthly DIC amount. This is due to the phaseout of the so called "widows tax" that becomes complete in the upcoming year.
Related: The Special Survivor Indemnity Allowance (SSIA) Program
Read More: 2023 Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) Rates
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