Yes. If you are rated 100% permanent and total and you have been receiving additional monthly compensation for a dependent spouse, that additional amount stops once the divorce is final, because a spouse is no longer a dependent under 38 CFR 3.4 and 38 CFR 3.57. Your own compensation rate for your service-connected disabilities does not change based on marital status, but the extra dependent allowance tied to the spouse does end.
You are required to report the change in dependency status to the VA. This is done with VA Form 21-686c, Declaration of Status of Dependents, submitted as soon as the divorce is finalized. Failure to report a dependency change in a timely manner can lead to an overpayment, because VA will eventually find out through data matches and will retroactively adjust your award back to the date of the divorce, creating a debt you will then have to repay or arrange a waiver/payment plan for through the Debt Management Center.
Official 2026 VA monthly compensation, including the 2.8% COLA increase.
Dependent add-ons start at a 30% rating. Child-only and dependent-parent rates: see the full 2026 pay chart.
| Rating | Monthly (2026, incl. 2.8% COLA) |
|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 |
| 20% | $356.66 |
| 30% | $552.47 |
| 40% | $795.84 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 |
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Analyze my claim free →If you have biological or adopted children, you may still claim them as dependents on your award even after the divorce, as long as they remain your legal dependents under VA rules, which can partially offset the loss of the spousal amount.
VA disability compensation itself is generally not divisible as marital property in state divorce proceedings under federal law (38 USC 5301), though it can be considered as income for purposes of calculating child support or spousal support, and state courts handle those calculations differently.
Beyond the compensation question, veterans facing housing instability should contact their local VA Medical Center's Homeless Program or call the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans, and use HUD-VASH or SSVF programs if eligible, since these are specifically designed for veterans at risk of losing housing.
The concrete next step is to file VA Form 21-686c with VA as soon as the divorce decree is final, and separately contact a Veterans Service Organization or VA social worker to discuss SSVF or HUD-VASH assistance before a housing crisis becomes unavoidable.
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