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38 U.S.C. § 103 — Special provisions relating to marriages
Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a)** Whenever, in the consideration of any claim filed by a person as the widow or widower of a veteran for gratuitous death benefits under laws administered by the Secretary, it is established by evidence satisfactory to the Secretary that such person, without knowledge of any legal impediment, entered into a marriage with such veteran which, but for a legal impediment, would have been valid, and thereafter cohabited with the veteran for one year or more immediately before the veteran’s death, or for any period of time if a child was born of the purported marriage or was born to them before such marriage, the purported marriage shall be deemed to be a valid marriage, but only if no claim has been filed by a legal widow or widower of such veteran who is found to be entitled to such benefits. No duplicate payments shall be made by virtue of this subsection.
**(b)** Where a surviving spouse has been legally married to a veteran more than once, the date of original marriage will be used in determining whether the statutory requirement as to date of marriage has been met.
**(c)** In determining whether or not a person is or was the spouse of a veteran, their marriage shall be proven as valid for the purposes of all laws administered by the Secretary according to the law of the place where the parties resided at the time of the marriage or the law of the place where the parties resided when the right to benefits accrued.
**(d)**
(1) The remarriage of the surviving spouse of a veteran shall not bar the furnishing of benefits to such person as the surviving spouse of the veteran if the remarriage is void, or has been annulled by a court with basic authority to render annulment decrees unless the Secretary determines that the annulment was secured through fraud by either
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Source file: Laws/federal/codes/united-states-code/title-38/section-103-special-provisions-relating-to-marriages--55c7364779.md
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Source location: Title 38, Chapter 1, § 103; chapter-001-general.md
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**(a)** Whenever, in the consideration of any claim filed by a person as the widow or widower of a veteran for gratuitous death benefits under laws administered by the Secretary, it is established by evidence satisfactory to the Secretary that such person, without knowledge of any legal impediment, entered into a marriage with such veteran which, but for a legal impediment, would have been valid, and thereafter cohabited with the veteran for one year or more immediately before the veteran’s death, or for any period of time if a child was born of the purported marriage or was born to them before such marriage, the purported marriage shall be deemed to be a valid marriage, but only if no claim has been filed by a legal widow or widower of such veteran who is found to be entitled to such benefits. No duplicate payments shall be made by virtue of this subsection.
**(b)** Where a surviving spouse has been legally married to a veteran more than once, the date of original marriage will be used in determining whether the statutory requirement as to date of marriage has been met.
**(c)** In determining whether or not a person is or was the spouse of a veteran, their marriage shall be proven as valid for the purposes of all laws administered by the Secretary according to the law of the place where the parties resided at the time of the marriage or the law of the place where the parties resided when the right to benefits accrued.
**(d)**
(1) The remarriage of the surviving spouse of a veteran shall not bar the furnishing of benefits to such person as the surviving spouse of the veteran if the remarriage is void, or has been annulled by a court with basic authority to render annulment decrees unless the Secretary determines that the annulment was secured through fraud by either party or collusion.
(2)
(A) The remarriage of the surviving spouse of a veteran shall not bar the furnishing of benefits specified in paragraph (5) to such person as the surviving spouse of the veteran if the remarriage has been terminated by death or divorce unless the Secretary determines that the divorce was secured through fraud or collusion.
(B) The remarriage after age 57 of the surviving spouse of a veteran shall not bar the furnishing of benefits specified in paragraph (5) to such person as the surviving spouse of the veteran. Notwithstanding the previous sentence, the remarriage after age 55 of the surviving spouse of a veteran shall not bar the furnishing of benefits under chapter 13 or [section 1781 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title38-section1781&num=0&edition=prelim) to such person as the surviving spouse of the veteran.
(3) If the surviving spouse of a veteran ceases living with another person and holding himself or herself out openly to the public as that person’s spouse, the bar to granting that person benefits as the surviving spouse of the veteran shall not apply in the case of the benefits specified in paragraph (5).
(4) The first month of eligibility for benefits for a surviving spouse by reason of paragraph (2)(A) or (3) shall be the month after—
(A) the month of the termination of such remarriage, in the case of a surviving spouse described in paragraph (2)(A); or
(B) the month of the cessation described in paragraph (3), in the case of a surviving spouse described in that paragraph.
(5) Paragraphs (2)(A) and (3) apply with respect to benefits under the following provisions of this title:
(A) Section 1311, relating to dependency and indemnity compensation.
(B) Section 1781, relating to medical care for survivors and dependents of certain veterans.
(C) Chapter 35, relating to educational assistance.
(D) Chapter 37, relating to housing loans.
(E) Section 1562(a)(2), relating to Medal of Honor special pension.
**(e)** The marriage of a child of a veteran shall not bar recognition of such child as the child of the veteran for benefit purposes if the marriage is void, or has been annulled by a court with basic authority to render annulment decrees unless the Secretary determines that the annulment was secured through fraud by either party or collusion.
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a)** The Secretary shall pay to each veteran of a period of war who meets the service requirements of this section (as prescribed in subsection (j) of this section) and who is permanently and totally disabled from non-service-connected disability not the result of the veteran’s willful misconduct, pension at the rate prescribed by this section, as increased from time to time under [section 5312 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title38-section5312&num=0&edition=prelim).
**(b)** If the veteran is unmarried (or married but not living with or reasonably contributing to the support of such veteran’s spouse) and there is no child of the veteran in the custody of the veteran or to whose support the veteran is reasonably contributing, and unless the veteran is entitled to pension at the rate provided by subsection (d)(1) or (e) of this section, pension shall be paid to the veteran at the annual rate of $11,830, reduced by the amount of the veteran’s annual income.
**(c)** If the veteran is married and living with or reasonably contributing to the support of such veteran’s spouse, or if there is a child of the veteran in the custody of the veteran or to whose support the veteran is reasonably contributing, pension shall be paid to the veteran at the annual rate of $15,493, unless the veteran is entitled to pension at the rate provided by subsection (d)(2), (e), or (f) of this section. If the veteran has two or more such family members, such annual rate shall be increased by $2,020 for each such family member in excess of one. The rate payable shall be reduced by the amount of the veteran’s annual income and, subject to subsection (h)(1) of this section, the amount of annual income of such family members.
**(d)**
(1) If the vetera
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 38 U.S.C. § 1521
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a)**
(1)
(A) The Secretary shall pay monthly to each living person whose name has been entered on the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard Medal of Honor Roll, and a copy of whose certificate has been delivered to the Secretary under subsection (d) of [section 1134a of title 10](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title10-section1134a&num=0&edition=prelim), a special pension at the rate described in subparagraph (B), as adjusted from time to time under subsection (e),11 See Special Benefit Allowance Rates note below. beginning as of the date on which the person’s name is entered on the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard Medal of Honor Roll under subsection (b) of such section.
(B) The rate described in this subparagraph is equal to the amount of monthly compensation paid to a veteran without dependents under subsection (m) of [section 1114 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title38-section1114&num=0&edition=prelim), increased to the next intermediate rate under subsection (p) of such section.
(2)
(A) Except as provided in subparagraphs (B) and (C), the Secretary shall pay special pension under this section to the surviving spouse of a person whose name has been entered on the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard Medal of Honor Roll and a copy of whose certificate has been delivered to the Secretary under [section 1134a(d) of title 10](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title10-section1134a/d&num=0&edition=prelim).
(B) No special pension shall be paid to a surviving spouse of a person under this section unless such surviving spouse was married to such person—
(i) for one year or more prior to the veteran’s death; or
(ii) for any period of time if
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 38 U.S.C. § 1562
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
For the purposes of this title—
(1) The terms “Secretary” and “Department” mean the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Veterans Affairs, respectively.
(2) The term “veteran” means a person who served in the active military, naval, air, or space service, and who was discharged or released therefrom under conditions other than dishonorable.
(3) The term “surviving spouse” means (except for purposes of chapter 19 of this title) a person who was the spouse of a veteran at the time of the veteran’s death, and who lived with the veteran continuously from the date of marriage to the date of the veteran’s death (except where there was a separation which was due to the misconduct of, or procured by, the veteran without the fault of the spouse) and who has not remarried.
(4)
(A) The term “child” means (except for purposes of chapter 19 of this title (other than with respect to a child who is an insurable dependent under subparagraph (B) or (C) of section 1965(10) of such chapter) and [section 8502(b) of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title38-section8502/b&num=0&edition=prelim)) a person who is unmarried and—
(i) who is under the age of eighteen years;
(ii) who, before attaining the age of eighteen years, became permanently incapable of self-support; or
(iii) who, after attaining the age of eighteen years and until completion of education or training (but not after attaining the age of twenty-three years), is pursuing a course of instruction at an approved educational institution;
and who is a legitimate child, a legally adopted child, a stepchild who is a member of a veteran’s household or was a member at the time of the veteran’s death, or an illegitimate child but, as to the alleged father, onl
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 38 U.S.C. § 101
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
For the purposes of [section 1110 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title38-section1110&num=0&edition=prelim)—
**(a)** if and while the disability is rated 10 percent the monthly compensation shall be $123;
**(b)** if and while the disability is rated 20 percent the monthly compensation shall be $243;
**(c)** if and while the disability is rated 30 percent the monthly compensation shall be $376;
**(d)** if and while the disability is rated 40 percent the monthly compensation shall be $541;
**(e)** if and while the disability is rated 50 percent the monthly compensation shall be $770;
**(f)** if and while the disability is rated 60 percent the monthly compensation shall be $974;
**(g)** if and while the disability is rated 70 percent the monthly compensation shall be $1,228;
**(h)** if and while the disability is rated 80 percent the monthly compensation shall be $1,427;
**(i)** if and while the disability is rated 90 percent the monthly compensation shall be $1,604;
**(j)** if and while the disability is rated as total the monthly compensation shall be $2,673;
**(k)** if the veteran, as the result of service-connected disability, has suffered the anatomical loss or loss of use of one or more creative organs, or one foot, or one hand, or both buttocks, or blindness of one eye, having only light perception, has suffered complete organic aphonia with constant inability to communicate by speech, or deafness of both ears, having absence of air and bone conduction, or, in the case of a woman veteran, has suffered the anatomical loss of 25 percent or more of tissue from a single breast or both breasts in combination (including loss by mastectomy or partial mastectomy) or has received radiation treatment of breast tissue, the
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 38 U.S.C. § 1114
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a)**
(1) Dependency and indemnity compensation shall be paid to a surviving spouse at the monthly rate of $1,154.
(2) The rate under paragraph (1) shall be increased by $246 in the case of the death of a veteran who at the time of death was in receipt of or was entitled to receive (or but for the receipt of retired pay or retirement pay was entitled to receive) compensation for a service-connected disability that was rated totally disabling for a continuous period of at least eight years immediately preceding death. In determining the period of a veteran’s disability for purposes of the preceding sentence, only periods in which the veteran was married to the surviving spouse shall be considered.
(3) In the case of dependency and indemnity compensation paid to a surviving spouse that is predicated on the death of a veteran before January 1, 1993, the monthly rate of such compensation shall be the amount based on the pay grade of such veteran, as set forth in the following table, if the amount is greater than the total amount determined with respect to that veteran under paragraphs (1) and (2): Pay gradeMonthly ratePay gradeMonthly rate 1 If the veteran served as sergeant major of the Army, senior enlisted advisor of the Navy, chief master sergeant of the Air Force, sergeant major of the Marine Corps, or master chief petty officer of the Coast Guard, at the applicable time designated by [section 1302 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title38-section1302&num=0&edition=prelim), the surviving spouse’s rate shall be $1,419. 2 If the veteran served as Chairman or Vice-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Chief of Staff of the Army, Chief of Naval Operations, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Commandant of the Marine Corps, or Co
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 38 U.S.C. § 1311
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
**(a)** The Secretary is authorized to provide medical care, in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, for—
(1) the spouse or child of a veteran who has a total disability, permanent in nature, resulting from a service-connected disability,
(2) the surviving spouse or child of a veteran who (A) died as a result of a service-connected disability, or (B) at the time of death had a total disability permanent in nature, resulting from a service-connected disability,
(3) the surviving spouse or child of a person who died in the active military, naval, air, or space service in the line of duty and not due to such person’s own misconduct, and
(4) an individual designated as a primary provider of personal care services under [section 1720G(a)(7)(A) of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title38-section1720G/a/7/A&num=0&edition=prelim) who is not entitled to care or services under a health-plan contract (as defined in [section 1725(h) of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title38-section1725/h&num=0&edition=prelim)),
who are not otherwise eligible for medical care under chapter 55 of title 10 (CHAMPUS).
**(b)** In order to accomplish the purposes of subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary shall provide for medical care in the same or similar manner and subject to the same or similar limitations as medical care is furnished to certain dependents and survivors of active duty and retired members of the Armed Forces under chapter 55 of title 10 (CHAMPUS), by—
(1) entering into an agreement with the Secretary of Defense under which that Secretary shall include coverage for such medical care under the contract, or contracts, that Secretary enters into to carry out such cha
Source: Supplied U.S. Code snapshot — release unconfirmed · 38 U.S.C. § 1781
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Federal law — U.S. Code and appendices · legal_authorities
Page 31
TITLE 38—VETERANS’ BENEFITS
§ 103
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 102–83, § 4(b)(1), (2)(E), substituted
‘‘Secretary shall’’ for ‘‘Administrator shall’’.
Pub. L. 102–83, § 4(a)(1), substituted ‘‘administered by
the Secretary’’ for ‘‘administered by the Veterans’ Ad-
ministration’’.
Pub. L. 102–54 substituted ‘‘(c)’’ for ‘‘(C)’’ as subsec.
designation.
1986—Pub. L. 99–576, § 701(1)(B), substituted ‘‘Depend-
ent parents’’ for ‘‘Dependent parents; husbands’’ in sec-
tion catchline.
Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 99–576, § 701(1)(A)(ii), (iii), (v),
struck out par. (1) designation and redesignated par. (2)
of subsec. (a) as subsec. (b) and par. (3) of subsec. (a) as
subsec. (C).
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 99–576, § 701(1)(A)(i), (iii), (iv), re-
designated former subsec. (a)(2) as subsec. (b) and sub-
stituted ‘‘(1)’’ and ‘‘(2)’’ for ‘‘(A)’’ and ‘‘(B)’’, respec-
tively. Former subsec. (b), which read ‘‘For the pur-
poses of this title, (1) the term ‘wife’ includes the hus-
band of any female veteran; and (2) the term ‘widow’ in-
cludes the widower of any female veteran’’, was struck
out.
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 99–576, § 701(1)(A)(v), redesignated
former subsec. (a)(3) as subsec. (C) and substituted ‘‘For
the purposes of this section,’’ for ‘‘For the purposes of
this subsection’’.
1976—Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 94–432 substituted prohi-
bition against denial of dependency of a parent ‘‘(B) in
any case in any State where the monthly income for a
mother or father does not exceed minimum levels
which the Administrator shall prescribe by regulation,
giving due regard to the marital status of the mother
or father and additional members of the family whom
the mother or father is under a moral or legal obliga-
tion to support’’ for such prohibition ‘‘(B) in any case
in any State w
Source: Supplied 2024 U.S. Code historical extraction · 38 U.S.C. § 103
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