Claim Raven explanation
What this means
VA considers a parent’s income, estate, necessary expenses, household obligations, and overall ability to maintain a reasonable way of life when deciding dependency for compensation.
Reasonable maintenance is broader than bare survival. It includes necessities and other reasonable conveniences consistent with the parent’s way of life. Remarriage alone does not defeat dependency, but combined income and expenses can affect the factual determination.
How this helps your claim
The regulation contains older fixed income amounts that create conclusive dependency in stated domestic circumstances. Above those amounts, and for a parent residing in a foreign country, VA decides dependency from the individual facts. Contributions from the veteran can help but are not conclusive by themselves.
What to check in your records
Prepare a complete picture of the parent’s income, accessible assets, necessary expenses, household members, and support rather than relying only on the amount the veteran contributes.
- Gather reliable monthly income records for the parent and spouse, if applicable.
- List housing, food, clothing, medical care, and other expenses consistent with the parent’s reasonable mode of life.
- Identify accessible estate assets, support obligations to family members, and the veteran’s regular contributions with dates and amounts.
Show the household’s real financial picture
Use recurring monthly amounts and explain irregular expenses such as medical bills. Identify which income is actually available to support the parent and which assets could reasonably be used for maintenance.
If another dependent family member affects expenses, explain the relationship, age or incapacity, and the support obligation. Avoid counting income that is not actually available without explaining why.
Do my regular payments to a parent prove dependency?
No. The payments are relevant, but the rule says habitual contributions are not conclusive. VA considers them with the parent’s income, assets, expenses, and family obligations.
Official regulatory text
38 CFR § 3.250
eCFR snapshot: 2026-09-17. Layout and spacing are adapted for reading. The full section and its tables are included below.
§ 3.250 Dependency of parents; compensation.
(a) Income —
(1) Conclusive dependency. Dependency of a parent (other than one who is residing in a foreign country) will be held to exist where the monthy income does not exceed:
(i) $400 for a mother or father not living together;
(ii) $660 for a mother and father, or remarried parent and spouse, living together:
(iii) $185 for each additional “member of the family” as defined in paragraph (b)(2).
(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 102(a))
(2) Excess income. Where the income exceeds the monthly amounts stated in paragraph (a)(1) of this section dependency will be determined on the facts in the individual case under the principles outlined in paragraph (b) of this section. In such cases, dependency will not be held to exist if it is reasonable that some part of the corpus of the claimant's estate be consumed for his or her maintenance.
(3) Foreign residents. There is no conclusive presumption of dependency. Dependency will be determined on the facts in the individual case under the principles outlined in this section.
(b) Basic rule. Dependency will be held to exist if the father or mother of the veteran does not have an income sufficient to provide reasonable maintenance for such father or mother and members of his or her family under legal age and for dependent adult members of the family if the dependency of such adult member results from mental or physical incapacity.
(1) “Reasonable Maintenance” includes not only housing, food, clothing, and medical care sufficient to sustain life, but such items beyond the bare necessities as well as other requirements reasonably necessary to provide those conveniences and comforts of living suitable to and consistent with the parents' reasonable mode of life.
(2) “Member of the family” means a person (other than spouse) including a relative in the ascending as well as descending class, whom the father or mother is under moral or legal obligation to support. In determining whether other members of the family under legal age are factors in necessary expenses of the mother or father, consideration will be given to any income from business or property (including trusts) actually available, directly or indirectly, to the mother or father for the support of the minor but not to the corpus of the estate or the income of the minor which is not so available.
(c) Inception of dependency. The fact that the veteran has made habitual contributions to the father or mother, or both, is not conclusive evidence that dependency existed but will be considered in connection with all other evidence. In death claims, it is not material whether dependency arose prior or subsequent to the veteran's death. (See § 3.1000(d)(3) as to accrued.)
(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 102(a))
(d) Remarriage. Dependency will not be denied solely because of remarriage (38 U.S.C. 102(b)(1)). Compensation may be continued if the parent submits evidence to show that dependency exists, considering the combined income and expenses of the parent and spouse.
[28 FR 29, Jan. 1, 1963, as amended at 40 FR 16065, Apr. 9, 1975; 49 FR 47004, Nov. 30, 1984; 61 FR 20727, May 8, 1996]
Related references
- 38 CFR § 3.650: How an additional dependent can change benefit rates
- 38 CFR § 3.651: Benefit changes when another dependent’s status ends
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