When a veteran is rated 100% permanently and totally disabled, several benefits can extend to a spouse, but eligibility details matter, especially when the 100% rating comes through TDIU rather than a schedular 100% combined rating.
CHAMPVA (health insurance for the spouse) requires that the veteran be rated permanently and totally disabled for a service-connected condition. TDIU can satisfy this if the VA has designated the unemployability rating as permanent (not subject to future reexamination). A 90% schedular rating alone, without the TDIU-based 100%, will not qualify a spouse for CHAMPVA. To apply, the spouse typically submits VA Form 10-10d along with a copy of the veteran's rating decision showing the permanent and total status, plus proof there is no other comparable coverage like TRICARE.
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 →Chapter 35 Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) is another benefit tied to a permanent and total rating. It can provide education or training benefits to a spouse, generally applied for through VA Form 22-5490, though eligibility periods and usage rules apply.
For life insurance, the veteran's own SGLI/VGLI does not automatically cover a spouse, but Family SGLI (FSGLI) can provide a smaller amount of coverage for a spouse of a servicemember with SGLI; veterans who have separated and converted to VGLI should check current coverage options separately, since FSGLI is tied to active SGLI status. A will and broader estate planning are not VA benefits but are worth doing independently, particularly to document how VA compensation, survivor benefits, and any home equity should pass to the spouse.
For home buying, a spouse can be added to a VA loan, and the veteran's entitlement is used to help secure favorable terms; a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) will need to reflect current service-connected status. Lenders may also consider the veteran's disability compensation as qualifying income, which does not need to be grossed up for tax purposes since VA compensation is non-taxable.
The concrete next step is to confirm whether the TDIU award specifically states the disability is permanent, since that single detail determines CHAMPVA and DEA eligibility, and then submit VA Form 10-10d and 22-5490 accordingly.
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