Veterans who qualify for VA disability benefits receive additional compensation each month if they have dependents. This extra amount can help provide for the veteran’s family, but typically ends when children reach 18. If you have a disabled child who is about to turn 18, you may be wondering if that extra VA compensation will end, even though you’re still caring for them.
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Luckily, veterans receiving VA disability benefits can qualify for VA helpless child benefits for their dependent children who are 18 or older. This article explains what VA helpless child benefits are and who qualifies.
Key takeaways
- The VA offers helpless child benefits to disabled veterans with a child who became permanently incapable of supporting themselves because of a disability they developed before turning 18.
- To qualify for helpless child VA benefits, the child must be: unmarried, the veteran’s biological, adopted, or stepchild, and permanently incapable of self-support due to a physical or mental disability that developed before their 18th birthday.
- If approved, the helpless child benefit is the same as the VA disability dependent rate, but it continues after the child turns 18. The exact rate depends on your combined disability rating and how many other dependents you have.
In this article about VA helpless child benefits:
What are VA helpless child benefits?
The VA offers helpless child benefits to disabled veterans with a child who became permanently incapable of supporting themselves because of a disability they developed before turning 18. Typically, a veteran’s child stops being eligible for benefits when they become an adult, but this is an exception to that rule.
Who qualifies for helpless child VA benefits?
To qualify for helpless child VA benefits, the child must be:
- Unmarried
- The veteran’s biological, adopted, or stepchild
- Permanently incapable of self-support due to a physical or mental disability that developed before their 18th birthday
When determining whether someone qualifies, the VA considers the person’s ability to work and perform activities of daily living and those associated with people their age. They also consider whether the child has ever gone to school or worked. Finally, they consider the diagnosis and whether the condition has improved or is likely to improve.
How to apply for VA helpless child benefits
To apply for VA helpless child benefits, you need to fill out VA Form 21-0304. You may also want to submit supporting evidence with the form, including:
- Medical records showing the disability started before age 18
- A statement from a treating physician describing the nature, severity, and permanence of the condition
- School records, if relevant
- A personal statement describing the child’s day-to-day limitations
These records will typically be enough to support the claim. However, the VA may schedule an exam to gather more information.
If your child is approved for these benefits, the effective date will generally be when the child turned 18 or when you filed.
What is the VA helpless child monthly payment?
If approved, the helpless child benefit is the same as the VA disability dependent rate, but it continues after the child turns 18. The exact rate depends on your combined disability rating and how many other dependents you have. You can check VA compensation rate tables to get an idea of what this rate may be.
When a veteran dies, survivors receiving DIC benefits will also get the helpless child compensation on top of their monthly payment. This additional payment is for the care of the dependent child.
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How Woods & Woods can help
At Woods & Woods, we focus on helping non-working veterans with service-connected conditions get individual unemployability benefits and, in some cases, increased ratings. We also help survivors of veterans receive their DIC benefits. If you think we can help you with your claim, call us today for a free case evaluation. You won’t pay us unless we take and win your case.
Frequently asked questions
Not necessarily. The VA will consider whether the work or training constitutes gainful employment or something that accommodates the disability. The real question is whether your child could financially support themselves through these efforts.
Yes, it’s possible. The VA may ask for updated medical evidence to prove the condition hasn’t improved or that you’re still supporting the child.
Neil Woods
Neil Woods is a VA disability attorney and the owner and president of Woods & Woods. He received his law degree from Western Michigan University.
