Veterans who receive additional disability compensation for a spouse and children are required to keep the VA informed of changes in dependency status, including divorce, annulment, or remarriage of a spouse. This obligation exists whether or not the veteran has been actively receiving the added dependent amount, because eligibility for the additional payment is tied to the marital and family status VA has on file, not to whether the veteran chose to claim it.
If a spouse remarries without the original marriage being legally terminated, that creates a legal question about the validity of the current marriage, which is generally governed by the law of the jurisdiction where the marriage or remarriage occurred, not by VA regulation. VA itself does not adjudicate bigamy or criminal matters; it simply relies on the dependency status a veteran reports. To formally add, remove, or update dependents, veterans use VA Form 21-686c (Declaration of Status of Dependents). If a veteran believes a former or estranged spouse is fraudulently listed as a dependent on another service member's records, or is improperly receiving BAH, dependent ID benefits, or related military family entitlements, that is typically addressed through the other service member's chain of command or the relevant military branch's family support/legal office, not through VA claims channels, since VA compensation and military dependent benefits are administered separately.
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 →A veteran who suspects a spouse is committing benefits fraud (falsely claiming dependent status while legally still married elsewhere) can report this to the VA Office of Inspector General, and separately, if the other spouse is affiliated with a different service branch, to that branch's Provost Marshal or legal assistance office. Any unresolved marital status issue should also be addressed through the appropriate civil courts, since VA and military benefit determinations will follow whatever legal marital status is documented, not personal certainty about wrongdoing.
Because this situation intertwines an existing 100% PTSD rating, dependency questions, potential fraud, and cross-jurisdictional family law issues in the Philippines and South Korea, the practical next step is to contact a VA-accredited representative (Veterans Service Officer or accredited attorney) to update VA Form 21-686c with accurate dependency information and to simultaneously consult a military legal assistance office or private attorney about the suspected fraudulent dependent claim and any pending legal proceedings overseas.
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