VA Form 21P-0517-1
Improved Pension Eligibility Verification Report - Veteran With Dependent Children
Who fills it
veteran
Journey phase
Keeping Your Award Current
Estimated time
25-40 minutes.
When to file
By the deadline printed on the form.
VA sent you this annual EVR as a veteran pension recipient with dependent children listed on your award.
Gather before you start
—Current income from all sources
—Current net worth
—Status update for each dependent child (still in school, still living with you, current age)
—Any school enrollment changes for children 18-23
Attach with the form
—Income documentation if amounts changed
—21P-8416 Medical Expense Report if claiming deductions
—21-674 School Attendance approval if child 18-23 still in school
Section I - Veteran Identification (pre-printed)
Blocks 1-5Name, SSN, VA File Number, address (pre-printed)PII
Pre-printed by VA. Verify accuracy, especially address. Corrections should be noted clearly.
Example
(pre-printed; verify)
Common mistakes
- Not updating a changed address - pension mail sent to wrong address.
Section II - Current Annual Income
Blocks 6-20All income for household (veteran, spouse, dependent children)
Report all income for you, your spouse, and dependent children. Children's SSA survivors benefits, wages, and other income must be included unless you have filed for exclusion (21P-0571).
Example
e.g., Veteran SSA: $16,800/yr; Child SSA survivors: $3,840/yr
Common mistakes
- Not reporting children's Social Security survivors benefits - these are income unless excluded.
Authority
38 CFR 3.3 - Eligibility criteria for veterans pension: wartime service, discharge character, income below MAPR, and net worth below threshold.
Section III - Dependent Children Status
Blocks 21-32Current status of each dependent childRepeatable
For each child on your award: confirm they are still living, confirm their current age, and confirm whether they are in school (if 18-23). Report any child who has turned 18 and is not in school, or who has turned 23 and aged off, or who has married, or who has died.
Example
e.g., Emily Smith (DOB 06/15/2010) - living, age 15, at home. Timothy Smith (DOB 03/22/2004, age 22) - enrolled full time at ASU.
Common mistakes
- Not reporting that a child turned 18 and left school - dependency ends and pension is adjusted.
- Not filing 21-674 separately for school approval when a child is 18-23 in school.
Authority
38 CFR 3.57 - School-enrollment requirements (18-23) and permanently helpless child determinations for dependency.
38 CFR 3.667 - Continued benefits for dependent children in school.
Section IV - Certification
Blocks 33-34Veteran signature and datePII
Sign and return by the deadline. Missing the deadline suspends your pension.
Example
(signature/date)
Common mistakes
- Missing the deadline.
Statutory & regulatory authority
38 CFR 3.3 - Eligibility criteria for veterans pension: wartime service, discharge character, income below MAPR, and net worth below threshold.
38 CFR 3.52 - When an otherwise-invalid marriage is deemed valid for VA benefit purposes (e.g., a surviving spouse who entered the marriage in good faith). (Dependent-child definitions are at 3.57.)
38 CFR 3.667 - Continued benefits for dependent children in school.
38 USC 1521 - Wartime non-service-connected pension for low-income veterans.