Dependent Indemnity Compensation

Function

Dependent Indemnity Compensation (DIC) is a monthly benefit paid to eligible survivors of one of the following:

  • Military service member who died while on active duty
  • Veteran whose death resulted from a service-related injury or disease
  • Veteran whose death resulted from a nonservice-related injury or disease, and who was receiving, or was entitled to receive, veteran affair compensation for service-connected disability that was rated as totally disabling for at least 10 years immediately before death
  • Since the veteran's release from active duty and for at least 5 years immediately preceding death
  • For at least 1 year before death if the veteran was a former prisoner of war who died after September 30, 1999