VA Form 21P-0519S-1
Improved Pension Eligibility Verification Report - Surviving Spouse With Dependent Children
VA sent you this annual EVR as a surviving spouse receiving Survivors Pension with dependent children listed on your award.
- Who fills it
- survivor
- Journey phase
- Keeping Your Award Current
- Estimated time
- 25-40 minutes.
- When to file
- By the deadline printed on the form.
Official VA form page: https://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/
Gather before you start
- ▸Current income and net worth
- ▸Children's current ages and status
- ▸School enrollment documentation for children 18-23
- ▸Any marital status changes
Attach with the form
- ▸Income documentation if amounts changed
- ▸21P-8416 Medical Expense Report if claiming deductions
- ▸21-674 if child 18-23 is still in school
Section I - Surviving Spouse Identification (pre-printed)
Blocks 1-5Name, SSN, VA File Number, address (pre-printed)PII
Pre-printed by VA. Verify accuracy. Report any address change.
(pre-printed; verify)
Common mistakes
- ×Not correcting an outdated address.
Section II - Marital Status
Block 6Confirm you have not remarried
Remarriage terminates Survivors Pension immediately. Report any remarriage. If a second marriage ended, contact VA about benefit restoration.
e.g., Have not remarried since veteran's death.
Common mistakes
- ×Not reporting a remarriage - creates large overpayment debt.
Authority
- 38 USC 1541 - Death pension for surviving spouse of wartime veteran.
Section III - Income and Children Status
Blocks 7-28All income sources and current status of each dependent child
Report your income and children's income. For each child: confirm they are still living, their current age, and whether they remain eligible (under 18, or 18-23 in school, or permanently disabled). Any child who has turned 18 and is not in school, or reached 23, or married, must be removed.
e.g., SSA: $14,400/yr; Child SSA survivors: $3,840/yr Emily Smith (age 14) - at home, no change. Timothy Smith (age 20) - enrolled full time ASU.
Common mistakes
- ×Not reporting that a child graduated or left school - dependency ends, pension adjusted.
- ×Not filing 21-674 for school approval for a child who is 18-23.
Authority
- 38 CFR 3.52 - Defines dependent children including biological, adopted, stepchildren, and helpless adult children.
- 38 CFR 3.667 - Continued benefits for dependent children in school.
Section IV - Certification
Blocks 29-30Surviving spouse signature and datePII
Sign and return by the deadline. Missing the deadline suspends your pension.
(signature/date)
Common mistakes
- ×Missing the deadline.
Statutory and 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 - Defines dependent children including biological, adopted, stepchildren, and helpless adult children.
- 38 CFR 3.667 - Continued benefits for dependent children in school.
- 38 USC 1541 - Death pension for surviving spouse of wartime veteran.