VA Form 21P-0518-1

Improved Pension Eligibility Verification Report - Surviving Spouse Without Dependent Children

PensionOfficial VA form on VA.gov

Who fills it

survivor

Journey phase

Keeping Your Award Current

Estimated time

20-30 minutes.

When to file

By the deadline printed on the form.

VA sent you this annual EVR as a surviving spouse receiving Survivors Pension with no dependent children on the award.

Gather before you start

—Current income from all sources (SSA, any pension, interest, dividends)

—Current net worth

—Any marital status changes (remarriage terminates Survivors Pension)

—Any address changes

Attach with the form

—Income documentation if amounts changed

—21P-8416 Medical Expense Report if claiming deductions

Section I - Surviving Spouse Identification (pre-printed)

1 field

Blocks 1-5Name, SSN, VA File Number, address (pre-printed)PII

Pre-printed by VA. Verify all fields are current. Any address change must be reported immediately.

Example

(pre-printed; verify)

Common mistakes

Not reporting address change - future pension mail goes to wrong address.

Section II - Marital Status

1 field · 1 citation

Block 6Confirm you have not remarried

IMPORTANT: Remarriage after the veteran's death TERMINATES Survivors Pension immediately. If you have remarried, you must report it and pension payments will stop. If the second marriage ended (divorce, death), contact VA as benefits may be restorable.

Example

e.g., Have not remarried since veteran's death.

Common mistakes

Not reporting a remarriage - VA will eventually discover it through SSA records and will seek recovery of all overpayments with penalties.

Authority

38 USC 1541 - Death pension for surviving spouse of wartime veteran.

Section III - Current Annual Income

1 field · 1 citation

Blocks 7-18All income from all sources

Report all of your income: Social Security retirement or disability, any private or civil service pension, wages, interest, dividends, rental income, and any other income. Do not include VA pension payments.

Example

e.g., SSA retirement: $14,400/yr; Interest: $240/yr

Common mistakes

Not reporting SSA COLA increase - report every change.
Forgetting to update if you started new part-time work.

Authority

38 CFR 3.3 - Eligibility criteria for veterans pension: wartime service, discharge character, income below MAPR, and net worth below threshold.

Section IV - Certification

1 field

Blocks 19-20Surviving spouse signature and datePII

Sign and return by the deadline. Missing the deadline suspends your pension.

Example

(signature/date)

Common mistakes

Missing the deadline - contact VA immediately.

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 3.500 - When VA reduces or discontinues benefits.

38 USC 1541 - Death pension for surviving spouse of wartime veteran.

VA Form 21P-0518-1

Improved Pension Eligibility Verification Report - Surviving Spouse Without Dependent Children

PensionOfficial VA form on VA.gov

Who fills it

survivor

Journey phase

Keeping Your Award Current

Estimated time

20-30 minutes.

When to file

By the deadline printed on the form.

VA sent you this annual EVR as a surviving spouse receiving Survivors Pension with no dependent children on the award.

Gather before you start

—Current income from all sources (SSA, any pension, interest, dividends)

—Current net worth

—Any marital status changes (remarriage terminates Survivors Pension)

—Any address changes

Attach with the form

—Income documentation if amounts changed

—21P-8416 Medical Expense Report if claiming deductions

Section I - Surviving Spouse Identification (pre-printed)

1 field

Blocks 1-5Name, SSN, VA File Number, address (pre-printed)PII

Pre-printed by VA. Verify all fields are current. Any address change must be reported immediately.

Example

(pre-printed; verify)

Common mistakes

Not reporting address change - future pension mail goes to wrong address.

Section II - Marital Status

1 field · 1 citation

Block 6Confirm you have not remarried

Example

e.g., Have not remarried since veteran's death.

Common mistakes

Not reporting a remarriage - VA will eventually discover it through SSA records and will seek recovery of all overpayments with penalties.

Authority

38 USC 1541 - Death pension for surviving spouse of wartime veteran.

Section III - Current Annual Income

1 field · 1 citation

Blocks 7-18All income from all sources

Example

e.g., SSA retirement: $14,400/yr; Interest: $240/yr

Common mistakes

Not reporting SSA COLA increase - report every change.
Forgetting to update if you started new part-time work.

Authority

38 CFR 3.3 - Eligibility criteria for veterans pension: wartime service, discharge character, income below MAPR, and net worth below threshold.

Section IV - Certification

1 field

Blocks 19-20Surviving spouse signature and datePII

Sign and return by the deadline. Missing the deadline suspends your pension.

Example

(signature/date)

Common mistakes

Missing the deadline - contact VA immediately.

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 3.500 - When VA reduces or discontinues benefits.

38 USC 1541 - Death pension for surviving spouse of wartime veteran.

VA Form 21P-0518-1

Improved Pension Eligibility Verification Report - Surviving Spouse Without Dependent Children

PensionOfficial VA form on VA.gov

Who fills it

survivor

Journey phase

Keeping Your Award Current

Estimated time

20-30 minutes.

When to file

By the deadline printed on the form.

VA sent you this annual EVR as a surviving spouse receiving Survivors Pension with no dependent children on the award.

Gather before you start

—Current income from all sources (SSA, any pension, interest, dividends)

—Current net worth

—Any marital status changes (remarriage terminates Survivors Pension)

—Any address changes

Attach with the form

—Income documentation if amounts changed

—21P-8416 Medical Expense Report if claiming deductions

Section I - Surviving Spouse Identification (pre-printed)

1 field

Blocks 1-5Name, SSN, VA File Number, address (pre-printed)PII

Pre-printed by VA. Verify all fields are current. Any address change must be reported immediately.

Example

(pre-printed; verify)

Common mistakes

Not reporting address change - future pension mail goes to wrong address.

Section II - Marital Status

1 field · 1 citation

Block 6Confirm you have not remarried

Example

e.g., Have not remarried since veteran's death.

Common mistakes

Not reporting a remarriage - VA will eventually discover it through SSA records and will seek recovery of all overpayments with penalties.

Authority

38 USC 1541 - Death pension for surviving spouse of wartime veteran.

Section III - Current Annual Income

1 field · 1 citation

Blocks 7-18All income from all sources

Example

e.g., SSA retirement: $14,400/yr; Interest: $240/yr

Common mistakes

Not reporting SSA COLA increase - report every change.
Forgetting to update if you started new part-time work.

Authority

38 CFR 3.3 - Eligibility criteria for veterans pension: wartime service, discharge character, income below MAPR, and net worth below threshold.

Section IV - Certification

1 field

Blocks 19-20Surviving spouse signature and datePII

Sign and return by the deadline. Missing the deadline suspends your pension.

Example

(signature/date)

Common mistakes

Missing the deadline - contact VA immediately.

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 3.500 - When VA reduces or discontinues benefits.

38 USC 1541 - Death pension for surviving spouse of wartime veteran.

VA Form 21P-0518-1

Improved Pension Eligibility Verification Report - Surviving Spouse Without Dependent Children

PensionOfficial VA form on VA.gov

Who fills it

survivor

Journey phase

Keeping Your Award Current

Estimated time

20-30 minutes.

When to file

By the deadline printed on the form.

VA sent you this annual EVR as a surviving spouse receiving Survivors Pension with no dependent children on the award.

Gather before you start

—Current income from all sources (SSA, any pension, interest, dividends)

—Current net worth

—Any marital status changes (remarriage terminates Survivors Pension)

—Any address changes

Attach with the form

—Income documentation if amounts changed

—21P-8416 Medical Expense Report if claiming deductions

Section I - Surviving Spouse Identification (pre-printed)

1 field

Blocks 1-5Name, SSN, VA File Number, address (pre-printed)PII

Pre-printed by VA. Verify all fields are current. Any address change must be reported immediately.

Example

(pre-printed; verify)

Common mistakes

Not reporting address change - future pension mail goes to wrong address.

Section II - Marital Status

1 field · 1 citation

Block 6Confirm you have not remarried

Example

e.g., Have not remarried since veteran's death.

Common mistakes

Not reporting a remarriage - VA will eventually discover it through SSA records and will seek recovery of all overpayments with penalties.

Authority

38 USC 1541 - Death pension for surviving spouse of wartime veteran.

Section III - Current Annual Income

1 field · 1 citation

Blocks 7-18All income from all sources

Example

e.g., SSA retirement: $14,400/yr; Interest: $240/yr

Common mistakes

Not reporting SSA COLA increase - report every change.
Forgetting to update if you started new part-time work.

Authority

38 CFR 3.3 - Eligibility criteria for veterans pension: wartime service, discharge character, income below MAPR, and net worth below threshold.

Section IV - Certification

1 field

Blocks 19-20Surviving spouse signature and datePII

Sign and return by the deadline. Missing the deadline suspends your pension.

Example

(signature/date)

Common mistakes

Missing the deadline - contact VA immediately.

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 3.500 - When VA reduces or discontinues benefits.

38 USC 1541 - Death pension for surviving spouse of wartime veteran.