VA 21-0538 (Status of Dependents Questionnaire) 2021-2022

VA 21-0538 is an amendment to the Veteran's Readjustment Benefits and Services Act of 1994 (VRB BSA), which amended the Pension and Compensation Law with an eye toward providing financial assistance to Veterans with certain service-connected disabilities by allowing them to receive payments from multiple accounts. Specifically, the amendment made the following changes to VRB BSA: Allows beneficiaries of the Survivor Benefit Plan (SVP) and Post–9/11 GI Bill programs to receive disability compensation payments in three “accounts”: (a) Dependency and Indemnity Compensation Payable In Federal Courts. This account is currently held by the Defense Service Retirement and Disability System (DSS). Benefits are paid from the Accounts for VA to individuals who are: (1) found to have service-connected disabilities with a service-affected service-related condition; and (2) determined to have contributed for service-affected disability while on active duty. These payments are not restricted; for example, the amount may be paid at anytime. (b) Survivor Benefit Plan. This account is held by the Treasury and is to be used as follows: (1) Payments are made for disability benefits only to individual Veterans and survivors. The VA will review eligibility for Survivor Benefit Plan benefits. Claims for Survivor Benefit Plan benefits will be accepted as a first-come, first-served basis. (2) Veterans and families are eligible only for the following: (i) Lifetime allowance of 1,500 per month for persons not entitled to Veteran's Compensation. (ii) Allowances for each month of service. (iii) Allowances for each dependent claimed as a beneficiary. (iv) Lifetime allowance of 600 per month for persons not entitled to Social Security Disability Benefits due to service-connected physical or mental disability. (v) All other disability-related benefits, which may include, but are not limited to, supplemental living allowances and payment of interest attributable to a disability. Appendix A: The “Invisible Disability Provision,” VA 21-0033 When a retired eligible employee has a “service-connected disability” for which the service-connected veteran receives no disability compensation, the service-connected veteran is eligible to receive “invisible disability compensation,” in addition to veterans' compensation.

If you want to complete VA 21-0538, you must have completed VA Form 21-039 (or other applicable) and received your original or corrected copy of VA Form 20-103. If you are not yet 60 years old, and you did not have a prior application, please do not complete VA 21-0538 until you receive your original or corrected copy of VA Form 20-103. If you complete VA 21-0538 and do not receive your original or corrected copy of VA Form 20-103 within 30 days, you must wait to file an application while you look into what is going on. If you are 60 or older, and you are eligible for benefits, please complete VA 21-0538. Note: It is important that you wait for your copy of VA Form 20-103. If you do not receive your copy of VA Form 20-103 within 30 days, you must wait until all paperwork is received so that both parts of VA 21-0538 can be processed and filed together. This means: (1) You must wait until all forms are received so that a combined information form is prepared. This can take some time and your complete file may be affected if paperwork is not received. (2) You can only file one “Application for Compensation and Disability” form. However, if you wish to file two or more separate claims, you may be able to combine them into a single form. However, you must check the “Composed” box on each claim if you wish to combine. VA 21-0538: (1) Transferred to the Veteran's Claim Division. Upon receipt of VA 21-0538, an agent will transfer VA 21-0538 to the Veteran's Claim Division. (2) Claiming the benefit — If you do not have VA 21-0538, contact the VA Claim Settlement Coordinator or the Veteran's Claims Advisor (for an application for Veterans Benefits claims). Once the Agent has mailed the VA 21-0538 notification to you, you will be allowed to file a claim with a Veteran's Services Contractor (VSC) or, if you are filing your own claim, with a Veteran's Claims Advisor. Note: After you receive the VA notice that your claim is in queue, please note that it is possible some claims will not be processed until further notice. (3) Notifying the VA of your claim.

You do not have to complete VA 21-0538 before you make a decision about a claim. It is important to complete the form in order to obtain your VA record. You must complete the VA 21-0538 and the related forms if: You were born on or after Jan. 1, 1944, and you have reached age 62 before your scheduled death, or You are an elderly individual (age 60 or older) and you have had a service-connected disability rating for at least one year of your life, or You are a Vietnam era veteran (age 18-61) and you lost a service-connected, age 50 disability rating within 10 years before you retired and are not eligible to reenroll. VA 21-0506 applies to these individuals only, and you must complete VA 21-0506 to have your VA record updated. You cannot complete any other form until you have completed VA 21-0538. If you are unable to complete VA 21-0538 before the expiration date of the previous form, you may make up the time on VA 21-0506. If my discharge papers indicate a date of discharge other than “DATE DATE,” I will need to complete VA 21-0603. Can I do this? VA 21-053(b)(4) specifies that you must complete VA 21-053 after completing VA 21-0538. Therefore, you will need to complete VA 21-053 before you can complete VA 21-0538. If you need to correct discharge papers not indicated on your discharge papers, you may still complete VA 21-0538. How long does it take to receive the VA 21-0538? VA 21-0538 will be included in your file once you have completed VA 21-0538. You can expect to receive this form within the first 10 days, or you may find that it has been sent to the post office to be delivered. You should receive it by the due date printed on the back of the form. Do I have to wait 30 days after I receive VA 21-0538 to receive my application materials? VA 21-0506 applies to only those individuals who have applied and found eligibility before completing VA 21-0538 and who have already received their application materials.

Yes. Who can use my VA 21-0538? Any US citizen or resident, 18 or older, may request the VA 21-0538 from the VA. You may be able to get your request fast. Get your request online by entering your address — it is as easy as that. You will need to provide the required information and answer several screening questions to get your VA 21-0538 in time. How do I get help? You can contact the VIA Customer Service Center at or by email. We will be able to help you. Do you know of any other sources of information on the VIA 21-0538? Yes, here is VIA's List of Federal Veterans Benefits Programs.

There are two possibilities: Submit it to VA, requesting the documentation that you need to complete the form for your own records, or just let your VA record keepers handle it on your behalf. If you submit it to VA, you can get documentation from VA when you fill out the form, depending on whether the form was completed after January 31, 2007, or before January 31, 2007. Then the VA can provide you with the records that you need. If the form is completed before January 31, 2007, your VA record keepers might be able to send it to you electronically, but it would take time. If you choose to send your VA record keepers the documentation you need and let them handle it or let them handle it on your behalf, you can file a request for records at VA. Do you need to fill out a 21-059, if I am missing/under documented on some of my medical discharge papers? You are not required to fill out a 21-059 if you meet all the following conditions: You were discharged under a general discharge from active duty, honorable or general discharge with a bad-conduct discharge; Your discharge papers list more than one date for any date in which you were absent from active duty for a continuous period greater than 10 days without good cause beyond your control, unless the discharge papers list more than two weeks; There are no other reasons for your absence; Your absence was for health reasons that were caused by the war, combat, or military occupation; The absence was not for active duty in a theater of active hostilities; You were discharged for good behavior; An honorable or general discharge will not excuse you from a 21-059. For more information, check out our article on the 21-059. Do I need to fill out a 21-061 if my discharge was administratively denied? In most cases' no, but there are situations where you should complete a 21-061 to make sure VA gets it right. For example: You received a bad-conduct discharge; VA does not record the duration of your absence; VA is not aware that you are alive; and You are requesting that your records be revised while you are still alive.

If you need your VA 21-0538, your new card must be presented with your Veteran's identification card when you apply for disability benefits. When you present your veteran's identification card or the VA 21-0616 to your community services social worker, he/she will request for your 21-0538 to be photographed, and for it to be mailed to us. The card will also be issued a temporary replacement for your 21-0538. Your current card will remain on file with your local community services social worker until you receive your replacement cards. When you receive your replacement 21-0538 card, the social worker will ask you to fill out an application and pay for the new card. If your replacement 21-0538 is lost, please go to, click on the My Benefits link, and fill out the form to request your card to be replaced. Please have your original 21-0538 card and your replacement 21-0538 card (if you received it) in the same envelope. My card was sent to the wrong address. Will it show up again? If your replacement 21-0538 card is returned to us because the address you submitted it to be a different one than the address you provided to VA, you will not receive the new card again. Your replacement card must be sent to the address you submitted when you submitted your 21-0538 application, or mail a copy of your new card and the application and payment to support.VA.gov and a copy of your original VA 21-0616 letter to the Veteran's ID Services Center at: Veteran Services/Military Compensation & Retirement VA Service Center P.O.

To attach a document to this form, please follow the instructions below: On the back of the form, include a cover sheet showing the complete information and attachments you wish to attach. For example: Name and contact information, Date of Birth, Social Security Number, Employer, and date you became disabled. Attach supporting documentation to the form (e.g., letters to doctors, other medical providers, etc.). This can be in the following forms: Form DD20 — Form DD-214 Certified copy of a birth certificate Certified copy of U.S. Passport (when you are over 18 and still have eligibility), with or without page number Certified copy of naturalization certificate Certified copy of U.S. Military discharge papers (DD-214), including reason for discharge and service discharge code (e.g., AWOL, AWD, DISCHARGE) Certified Statement of Account and Receipt of pay stub from the previous four quarters, issued in the last 3 months (if the total amount is more than 5,100 annually). For example: Statement of Account & Receipt from previous quarters (Forms W2G or W2G-EZ), with a statement that they were paid 5,100 in the last 4 weeks (do not need to sign). Original or certified copy of VA record showing your name and address. When do I need to return the form? You must return this form to our office no later than February 1, 2018. You will receive a letter indicating that you have been approved for the VA benefits you requested. Furthermore, you should retain this letter in your file. The letter also outlines the necessary steps you need to take to apply for these benefits. How do I obtain a copy of my service record? Call our office to obtain a copy, Option 9:9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST Monday through Friday. Or go to our website. Or. Or go to our website The Department of Defense (DOD) requires that each member must be able to identify themselves by name on a record.

Under the new VA 21-0538, VA will only issue certificates when the following requirements are met: The individual needs an item of compensation that is not already included in their compensation. The items of compensation the veteran needs cannot include anything that is an item of compensation that is included in a compensation voucher or health care payment made by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The veteran cannot apply for VA benefits with more than 8 other veterans. The veteran cannot claim any of the items of compensation that have a voucher or tax-deductible amount. For full details, click here. Who is eligible for VA benefits? Veterans are eligible for VA benefits if they are currently receiving benefits from the VA, and meet certain additional eligibility requirements. To find out more about what is eligible for benefits and to see if you are entitled to benefits, be sure to check out our Benefits for Veterans page. In addition, you can also refer to our Veterans Who Qualify for Benefits page to see if you may qualify for benefits before you apply using the VEGA application. For full details, click here. Is a VA tattoo VA-friendly? Yes! VA allows tattooing of the following in connection with the operation of a VA facility, such as an office, the grounds of the facility, and an adjacent parking lot and parking structure, when the work is conducted by a licensed artist with the appropriate VA license card or by a VA certified tattoo artist or in accordance with an approved training program. Tattoos on the body One or both sides of the neck One or both sides of the face One side of the nose One side of the lips One side of the chest One side of the abdomen If the recipient of a tattoo requests that the tattoo be a permanent tattoo, it must not be altered. Meters and/or assistants have to sign an oath to assure the safety of the health and safety of VA employees and those who come in contact with them when they perform the work.

Vets using the 21-0538 program have a lifetime cap for services at only 200,000. To determine your 200,000 lifetime caps, add the number of years you have been on the 21-0538 system as a veteran for.

Yes.